Film Review: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

With Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One in the rear view, we’re picking up where we left off with the eighth instalment of the spy film series and re-joining Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) as he is tasked once again with saving the world.

Two months after retrieving the key to the source code for the malevolent AI (artificial intelligence) known as the Entity, Ethan Hunt and the IMF team race against time to stop it from destroying mankind. The film continues the franchise's tradition of presenting its signature style in the title sequence – offering just glimpses of what lies ahead without revealing too much.

As it’s the eighth and last film featuring Tom Cruise, director Christopher McQuarrie felt we needed a refresher on everything Ethan Hunt has done, so throughout the first half of the movie, we’re shown a greatest-hits flashback montage of the other seven films. This includes scenes from the very first instalment, striking a chord of sentimentality to long-time fans of the franchise.

It’s only right to highlight Tom Cruise’s status as a daredevil stuntman in this film. He performs a breath-taking diving stunt from which he narrowly escapes, races through the streets of London at a pace that would impress even Usain Bolt, and hangs off a biplane relying solely on his remarkable grit and strength. It’s this undeniable authenticity that lends itself well to the film and its overall appeal.

As the film progresses past the halfway point, the Entity continues to gain control over global nuclear systems. The President of the United States finds herself in a difficult position, trying to determine the best course of action for the world as the last line of defence against the AI. It’s all very patriotic. But it's clear that not everyone agrees with the President's decisions, leading to political conflict.

Meanwhile, Hunt's team is racing around the globe to defuse various crises and working simultaneously, while Hunt continues to operate independently, as is his usual style. We see familiar faces, including Benji (Simon Pegg), Luther (Ving Rhames), Grace (Hayley Atwell), and the former antagonist Paris (Pom Klementieff). Additionally, Tramell Tillman, known for his role in Severance, joins the cast. Fans of his character, Seth Milchick, will be pleased to see that Tillman’s new character is strong, resilient, and has just enough screen time to satisfy those looking for a Milchick fix.

The characters involved are a fun watch, but only some bring a lot to the table, offering comedic relief, while others contribute intense fight scenes. Unfortunately, some characters deliver lengthy dialogue that only adds to the film's overall excessive runtime. I would be remiss to not mention, like its predecessor, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is just shy of three hours long. While it serves as a somewhat worthy send-off to Tom Cruise and his long-time team, its gargantuan runtime risks losing its audience’s interest.

With a budget of $300 to $400 million, the Mission: Impossible team included everything but the kitchen sink in the making of this film. It’s filled with high-intensity action sequences, impressive sound design, and stunning IMAX shots. The movie offers a wildly entertaining adventure while staying true to its spy genre, definitely succeeding in that regard.

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is now showing at Broadway Cinema.