Star Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Movie Review Synopsis:
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING is the story of a man trying to save the world. Two months after the events of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING – PART ONE [2023], Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) gets a message from the President of the United States, Erika Sloane (Angela Bassett). She informs him that he needs to help the US government find the source code of the Entity, with the help of the key which he retrieved on the Orient Express from Gabriel (Esai Morales). The Entity has begun to rear its ugly head, causing unrest across the world and even attacking servers. Erika doesn’t want Ethan to destroy the Entity as she fears that it’ll destroy cyberspace. Hence, she asks Ethan to join hands with her to allow her to control the Entity and thereby save the world. Meanwhile, Luther (Ving Rhames) has created a ‘poison pill’, a thumb drive, which can destroy the Entity. Sadly, the ‘poison pill’ gets stolen and it needs to be retrieved. At the same time, Ethan has to find the exact place where the submarine, Sevastopol, containing the source code of the Entity, sank, and retrieve it. The submarine lies on the ocean bed and even reaching there will be next to impossible. While all this is going on, Ethan and his associates Benji (Simon Pegg), Grace (Hayley Atwell) and Paris (Pom Klementieff) need to find a way to which the Entity can be destroyed without it affecting cyberspace. If all this is not enough, the Entity is slowly seizing control of the nuclear arsenals of the world, thereby threatening human extinction. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Movie Story Review:
Christopher McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen’s story is nail-biting. Christopher McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen’s screenplay is a bit dry in the initial portions but is peppered with enough ‘Mission Impossible’ missions to keep the interest going. The dialogues are normal but the one between Ethan and the US President stands out.
Christopher McQuarrie’s direction is cinematic and commercial. The director maintains a balance – he tells a story in the best possible way and at the same time, he is aware that he needs to serve the fans. A significant scene gives a recap of sorts of Ethan’s extraordinary journey in the IMF. The makers also surprise the audience by bringing the most unexpected characters back in the series; one such character was seen in the first part, way back in 1996! The missions that Ethan undertakes also make for an exciting watch. This time, a lot is at stake and not just Ethan, but his associates also need to make their move and they can’t even be a second late. This adds to the tension levels. In the first half, the scene where Ethan gets attacked on the ship while an action sequence also takes place in Alaska simultaneously is memorable. Post-interval, the underwater scene is quite arresting. The finale, meanwhile, is clapworthy.
On the flipside, the first half is mostly reserved for build-up. Those expecting non-stop action will be dejected. A few scenes are convenient, like Ethan leaving the ‘poison pill’ with Luther. The makers also leave a few questions unanswered about the Entity. The bigger issue is that on paper, all the missions seem exciting. But it also comes at a time when we have already seen Ethan doing enough death-defying stunts several times. As a result, viewers might not get the kick as intended. Moreover, the previous part also set a benchmark and the action scenes in it were more, both in the first and second halves, as compared to this one.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Movie Review Performances:
Tom Cruise, yet again, is simply unbelievable. To see him hanging by the plane (and a lot more), that too at this age, is commendable. He also shines in the emotional scenes. Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames are adorable and add to the madness. Hayley Atwell makes her presence felt. Esai Morales is decent as the villain. Pom Klementieff has a crucial part and gives a badass performance. Angela Bassett is apt as the Head of State. Henry Czerny (Eugene Kittridge), Shea Whigham (Jasper Briggs) and Greg Tarzan Davis (Degas) lend able support. Hannah Waddingham (Admiral Neely) and Tramell Tillman (Captain Bledsoe) have small parts but leave a mark. Rolf Saxon (William Donloe) and Lucy Tulugarjuk (Tapeesa, Donloe’s wife) are damn good and their track is a surprise.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning movie music and other technical aspects:
Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey’s music is exhilarating. Lalo Schifrin’s legendary MISSION IMPOSSIBLE theme is played in the beginning and end credits. Fraser Taggart’s cinematography is spectacular, especially in the airplane scene. Gary Freeman’s production design is top-notch while Jill Taylor’s costumes are stylish. The VFX matches global standards. Eddie Hamilton’s editing could have been faster.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING delivers a thrilling and satisfying conclusion to one of cinema’s most beloved action franchises. With high-octane sequences, edge-of-the-seat moments, and Tom Cruise once again defying gravity and expectations, this is a true paisa vasool entertainer. At the box office, the film is poised for a thunderous start at the box office and is well on track to cross the Rs. 100 crore mark with ease.