Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Review
There is something simply undeniable about the evolution the Mission Impossible franchise has taken. From its early outings under Brian de Palma to the modern sprawling takes today, this film series has become a spectacular feat of filmmaking. Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie’s recent collaborations have expanded upon that, starting with Rogue Nation, showcasing the amazing prowess of practicality. However, all things must come to a close, or as Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is being described as. Being such, Final Reckoning might play on some familiar beats, but all in all, it works as a solid conclusion to this amazing series.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning picks up a few months later after Dead Reckoning, which saw Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and Grace (Hayley Atwell) escaping with the Cruciform and going into hiding. However, with Gabriel (Esai Morales) being disavowed by the Entity, he seeks to gain control by any means necessary. With the Entity planning its own course for humanity’s extinction, it’s a race against the clock between Hunt, Gabriel, and the world’s governments to stop the Entity before it’s too late.
The one thing that has made the Mission Impossible films stand out is the dedication put into nearly every stunt. Of course, this shouldn’t come to a surprise given how Cruise does most, if not, all his stunts himself. Yet, the action of Final Reckoning feels high-stakes in the best way possible. From having to dive deep in claustrophobic corridors that slowly rotate to that entire plane fight from the trailers, nearly every set piece works in increasing the intensity.
This intensity works hand-in-hand with the cinematography of Fraser Taggart, who effectively utilizes multiple aspect ratios to truly make every moment work. Plus, certain scenes are visually lit up in a way that calls back to the first Mission Impossible films, bearing a certain classic aesthetic that’s reminiscent of Ghost Protocol while feeling modern at the same time.
Additionally, the film’s editing by Eddie Hamilton really blends the digital effects and practicality beautifully, convincing you to be worried about Ethan’s survival. Taggart and Hamilton’s work also works well together with the “planning out” sequences, emphasizing the tight tactical-ness Final Reckoning has to offer.
While Final Reckoning’s action is a blast, its story really feels like a nostalgia trip. Given how this film was promoted as the franchise’s “final” film, there’d be no doubt that Cruise and McQuarrie would go all in on repeating the best hits. Yet, from the get-go with President Sloane’s (Angela Bassett) briefing, the film makes itself clear that it’s a sum of all of the franchise’s parts. There are a few cast surprises as well that add to this factor, which may add to some of the charm around Grace’s character even if they might feel like inserts from the 1996 classic.
The first and second acts may feel fast and slow, respectively, given how Hunt has to reunite with his team, including Grace, Benji (Simon Pegg), and Luther (Ving Rhames), to figure out Gabriel’s motivations. While the first act gets into the spying part particularly quickly, the second act is much slower given how Hunt’s investigation brings him into the sea depths. Here, he’s given a secondary team, led by the somewhat eccentric Captain Bledsoe (Tramell Tillman), but they’re merely just there to move Hunt along. Fortunately, the third act rectifies this by bringing us back to the high stakes climax, which might feel like a more expansive version of Fallout’s conclusion.
As for characters in Final Reckoning, everyone is simply impeccable. Cruise and Atwell’s chemistry will slowly grow on viewers even though I still miss Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust. Rhames and Pegg are as charming as ever despite being put through terrible situations. Pom Klementieff is great as Paris, who takes on a much more active role thanks to Benji and feels like an actual character now rather than being a minor villain.
Surprisingly, there are also some interesting arcs in Final Reckoning that range in satisfaction. Sloane’s confliction about following Hunt or not both heightens the tension while also rounding out her character from merely being Hunt’s ally. She’s more at risk because she’s the President and she has a son, but she has this innate faith that Hunt will come out on top despite what her peers think. On the other side of things, there’s one other character who feels more like a pawn in the system and their story concludes the way you expect it to.
Overall, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is a strong conclusion to this amazing franchise, with enough explosive and thrilling action, tension, and nostalgia to leave you satisfied. Though Ethan Hunt’s journey seems like it’s coming to an end, I’m very hopeful in the next adventure that Cruise and McQuarrie will embark on.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning releases in theaters on Friday, May 23.
Rating: ★★★★
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.