The Freaking Film Fanatic with Nathan Unck
Mission: Impossible the Final Reckoning
Rated: PG-13 for language, violence, and long sequences of peril.
Two years ago, I sat down to write my movie review for Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning: Part 1. I talked about how I had only seen half of the story, since it was a "Part 1" movie. I said that I hadn't seen the full story, but I still liked the film on its own merits, although I didn't find the first part as much fun as Mission: Impossible Fallout, but I would reserve final judgement until after "Part 2". After a slight title change to Mission: Impossible the Final Reckoning, I now have the full story to critique, but I wanted to review this on both its own merit, away from both films together before I give you my final critique.
The film starts off a little further in the future after the end of Part 1. Ethan Hunt is still running around evading bad guys, looking for clues as to what to do with a special key that he completes in Part 1. He and his team are trying to figure out where and what the key actually opens, while still trying to run away from a major computer AI, The Entity that is threatening to destroy the world. Ethan's team does a great job in helping out to set up the mission to find whatever that key unlocks. They figure it out, but there are villains on his tail, especially Gabriel, whom the Entity has changed it's mind, putting Ethan in the hotseat.
There are a lot of callbacks to just about every film in the series, answering questions that originally had plot holes and making everything make sense, even from the first film. I remember thinking I knew what the object in the third film was called the "Rabbit's Foot", but how it never exactly says what the rabbit's foot actually is and why it's so dangerous. I really appreciated this aspect of the film, although the film runs pretty close to three hours long, which actually fly by pretty quick, but the explanations for the other films, made this film a little longer than it needed to be, even though I liked it.
The stunts and action sequences are breathtaking, although there were a few that I felt like we have already seen in the franchise, but in different locations. For example, Fallout had a helicopter chase through some snowy mountains. In this one, there is an airplane chase through some beautiful mountains in Africa without snow, but a pretty river and red cliffs with green vegetation. It looks different but feels a bit familiar. However, it still delivers on the thrill factor, and I had a great time with this one. One word of warning. If you have Epilepsy, this film has a lot of flashing sequences that could make it hard to watch. If flashing patterns give you a headache, just know there are a few sequences that use it.
Now, since I have seen both, and I want to admit that I watched Dead Reckoning Part 1 the night before our critic screening, so the story was fresh in my mind, I found that if you were to edit the two together, Final Reckoning is a little better than Dead Reckoning Part 1, but together, it makes a great film. All of the returning actors, especially Tom Cruise, do not look too old to be playing the parts. Simon Pegg offers some great comic relief, as he does in almost everything he is in. Ving Rhames is loveable, and Hayley Atwell, who played Peggy Carter for Marvel, were all great. Esai Morales, who played Gabriel, is a great villain, especially one who is trying to regain his trust with the Entity. Pom Kelmentieff, who played Mantis in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, is also a lot of fun.
The adventure is really great, and worth taking. The stunts and action sequences are great, and the long runtime doesn't seem really that long. Director Christopher McQuarrie has done a fantastic job with the past four films. This film wraps up all of the storylines from the franchise. However, I won't say how, but they did leave a small little window that might lead to another entry if the cast and crew, and Paramount Studios wants to make at least one more.
I have been looking forward to this film for, well, two years, and now that I have seen it, along with Part 1, It's a ton of fun, though I still think that Mission: Impossible Fallout is still my favorite of the series, although, it is a franchise that you really don't need to have a favorite because they are all a lot of fun, and yes, I am including the second film in the series. If you decide to see this movie, see it in the theaters, and not just the theaters, but IMAX is the best way to experience the scope of the film. Grab yourself some popcorn and a drink, visit the restroom, then go in and enjoy it. You won't be disappointed. Unlike the films, my review will not self-destruct in five seconds.
Mission: Impossible the Final Reckoning, is rated: PG-13 for language, violence, and long sequences of action and suspense.
