“The Final Reckoning” A Sentimental, Action-Packed Send-Off of “Mission” Franchise

To be honest, it really did seem like revisiting all of the “Mission: Impossible” movies took quite awhile! But, since the eighth and (supposedly) final installment is now on the big screen, it was worth it. So, let’s get into “Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning,” the conclusion of the movie series and make sure to check out my personal ranking of the entire series at the end!

Ethan Hunt and the IMF team race against time to find The Entity, a rogue artificial intelligence that can destroy mankind.

“The Final Reckoning” does a great job delivering some of the most intense moments in the franchise and the visually-striking action is amazing as well. Even though the movie’s running time is roughly 12 minutes shy of the 3 hour mark, this 8th movie is a great send-off of the movie series.

Before I get into all of the excitement that this entry offers, I just want to get a bit of the mixed aspects out of the way - and there’s not many. When I first saw that the final runtime of “The Final Reckoning” was 2 hours 49 minutes, I had a feeling the last movie would be the longest of the series. Yet, it felt that a bit of the runtime made it drag at a couple spots - especially during the first hour.

The first hour can be a bit slow at times as we get numerous flashbacks of moments throughout the franchise. I expected there would be a few but there are more than a few! Sure, some of the series’ fans can have a nostalgic feeling due to the flashbacks. But, the amount of them can sort of slow things down a little.

Despite those couple mixed aspects, “The Final Reckoning” is a thrilling and fitting conclusion to one of the most iconic franchises ever. The filmmakers have put together a visually stunning and high-stakes adventure that will keep you on the very edge of your seat - at least once all the flashbacks are done.

All of the action set pieces scattered throughout Ethan Hunt’s latest adventure are truly nail-biting and might be some of the best action in the franchise. Before I talk about the big action climax, I really need to give a shout out to the exhilarating submarine exploration scene.

The submarine sequence takes place on the sub that disappeared in the opening of

“Dead Reckoning.” During the scene, Hunt has to find something that could help them defeat The Entity and get out in one piece. This entire sequence gets even more intense as the entire wreckage slowly slides further down into the ocean - it definitely gets your adrenaline and anxiety going a bit!

The final action sequence is the best one (of course you have to save the best for last). The bi-plane chase/fight scene really does an outstanding job keeping you entertained and glued to the screen. From the beginning of this scene until the end, we see Tom Cruise (Hunt) in full-on daredevil mode as we see him hang off the plane and climb around it. Just wait until you see this whole sequence in its entirety!

“The Final Reckoning” also delivers us some somber, emotional moments that I haven’t seen in the series in awhile. Some of the emotional themes that the movie explores include Ethan’s struggle with the legacy of his actions and the impact of sacrifice. I definitely won’t be going into spoiler territory for the emotional segments, but the emotion in the movie really works for this movie.

While it did have a bit of a slow start, “Final Reckoning” does give this series a nice fitting end. The story can feel convoluted since it’s still involving The Entity, but it’s still a highly entertaining conclusion. It also has some direct references from earlier movies that actually goes into the story so make sure you give the series a bit of a fresh look!

Cast: Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt); Hayley Atwell (Grace); Ving Rhames (Luther); Simon Pegg (Benji); Pom Klementieff (Paris); Henry Czerny (Kittridge); Holt McCallany (Serling); Angela Bassett (Erika Sloane); Shea Whigham (Briggs); Esai Morales (Gabriel).

Writer/director: Erik Jendreson (writer) (Dead Reckoning); Christopher McQuarrie (co-writer/director) (Dead Reckoning; Top Gun: Maverick).

Instead of the usual few trivia bits of the review, I will have my own personal ranking of the entire franchise! So, from worst to best: 8. Mission Impossible 2; 7. Mission Impossible 3; 6. Mission Impossible; 5. The Final Reckoning; 4. Rogue Nation; 3. Dead Reckoning; 2 Ghost Protocol; 1. Fallout.

Let me know on my Wyoming County Press Examiner reviews page on Facebook which movie in the franchise did you like the best and/or worst?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsQgc9pCyDU