Mission: Impossible -The Final Reckoning review: A flawed yet unmissable farewell to Ethan Hunt!

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning marks the end of the legendary film franchise which saw Tom Cruise playing Ethan Hunt, the iconic spy.

Before the film hit the theatres, Mission:Impossible - The Final Reckoning premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival where it received a five-minute-long standing ovation leaving Tom Cruise, the actor-producer, or should I say the soul of the film, emotional. This made me and countless other cinema enthusiasts realize the emotional weight of the film on the biggest movie star in the world. And why not? Thirty years, 8 films, and numerous death-defying stunts earned Cruise and this franchise a cult following all over the world, and bidding goodbye to his iconic Ethan Hunt and the series must be a bittersweet feeling!

There’s a dialogue in the film where Hunt is being told - "Everything you were, everything you’ve done has come to this" and this pretty much sums up the final installment of this fabled franchise as Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is largely a homage to Hunt, and a mosaic of his past adventures finished off with some emotional moments and never-seen-before stunts (of course) to give this fan favorite spy and franchise a satisfying, if not, a perfect farewell. 

In a direct sequel to Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, the eighth installment follows Ethan Hunt on a quest to find a drowned Russian submarine, Sevastopol, which contains the source code for the notorious AI program called the Entity, that desires to enslave the world. The mission for Hunt and his team is to find the source code and corrupt it with a poison pill as the Entity threatens a nuclear world war and destruction of unparalleled magnitude. Making matters worse is Gabriel (Esai Morales), a former associate of the Entity who is looking out for the source code to control the program, and interestingly, the US government intends the same, leaving Hunt isolated yet again as he sets out to save the world with his trusted allies. 

Also Read: Mission: Impossible -The Final Reckoning divides the Janta with jaw-dropping stunts and mixed vibes

Watch the trailer here!

The predictable nature of the plotline and insufferably heavy mentions of Hunt’s past exploits throughout all seven films do a great disservice to the first half of the film. It is tiresome, lethargic, and lacks clear storytelling, accounting for the biggest drawbacks of the film. But then, that’s the thing with most action films, makers and even the audience care less about the story and await the hyped action sequences and when we have the biggest action star on the planet at the helm of things, these things are usually overlooked. 

Director Christopher McQuarrie, cinematographer Fraser Taggart, and Cruise do a brilliant job executing stunts in the films. The actor performs them with as much finesse as he did in the first installment of the franchise. The much talked about underwater sequence which is 15-20 minutes long without a single dialogue and the one where Cruise hangs off a plane creates enough drama, thrill, and heart-pounding moments to keep you captivated till the end. The film also thrives on its mood which has traces of the Cold War-era spy thrillers that the original film extracted its texture from, which is interesting to experience. Besides the high-octane chase sequences, close combat action, and gun fights, the film has a plethora of quiet, tense moments which add to the thrill value of the magnum opus. 

McQuarrie balances emotions with stunts in one of the most average Mission Impossible films. Cruise is phenomenal as always as Ethan Hunt. He is as fit and alige as he was in the first film, owning the strengths as well as vulnerabilities, of his character. Hayley Atwell as Grace, Simon Pegg as Benji, Pom Klementieff as Paris as Hunt's loyal teammates, and Angela Basset are amazing, and deliver a performance required to hold a film of this magnitude. Basset's character from 2018’s sixth installment, then head of the CIA, returns as the U.S. president. Although the film revolves around Hunt, his journey marked by many glories and pitfalls, and the number of sacrifices he has made to perform his duties, the final reckoning also gives these characters their moment to shine and move the audience with their performance. The scene where Basset's character decides against activating the nuclear weapons of the country, a convenient choice to save billions by sacrificing some, was an impactful one and subtly advocated for a united world where humanity comes before nationality. This comes as a fresh change at a time when the ideas of jingoism and narrow nationalism are peaking around the world.

Overall, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is a decent farewell to the celebrated franchise with some highs and lows. Watch it if you, just like me, are obsessed with Ethan Hunt’s iconic run, prosthetic masks, and stylish gadgets. Watch it, if you are inspired by his insane courage. Watch it if you plug in ‘Your mission, should you choose to accept it…’ wherever possible. But importantly, watch it for Tom Cruise!

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning is now playing at a theatre near you!

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