The Mosley Review: Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

I don't know if anyone realizes this now, but this franchise is something special. With every entry, the story continues to be exciting and the level of thrilling action keeps rising to new physical heights and technical achievements in cinema. Even with its worst sequel entry, M:I-2, it still raised the bar in style with a decent story that still delivered a satisfying end. For the past 30 years, these films have kept the beating heart of the spy genre alive. These films alone have tappoed into the magic of the cinematic experience behind fun storytelling by not plotting out the narrative so easily and leaving plenty breathe taking surprises. This supposed final entry continues that level of quality in story and jaw dropping set pieces. I can't tell you how many times I was on the edge of my seat from the sheer scope of the action scenes and the tension within them. Where I felt this film faltered a bit for me is not in the length of the plot, but its density. At some point, there is a bit too much convenience and logic that went against what was set up. The story was a little bloated in the middle, but I was still engaged throughout. What I truly loved is that this film follows an almost forgotten rule of trilogies that began decades ago. When closing out a film series, it always prudent to have your final story connect all the way back to the beginning or earlier entries. Doing so ties up all loose ends by answering the questions left on the table and showcasing the growth each character has gone through. This film refreshingly excels at that.

Tom Cruise once again leads the charge as the indomitable hero Ethan Hunt. We have seen Ethan evolve immensely throughout the franchise and this is truly his most physically taxing and emotional fight yet. I loved that the clock is was truly ticking for him and the fate of not only his friends, but the world was in his hands. He goes through a psychological change a bit here as he takes on The Entity in a pretty intense conversation. Tom's determination to deliver a crowd pleasing and engaging performance with all of his charm continues to reign supreme and it was truly a masterclass of keeping Ethan fresh with age and wisdom. Ving Rhames returns once again as the brilliant IMF hacker and Ethan's oldest friend, Luther Stickell. Ever since this first film, Ving brought that wonderful witty charm and heart to the character. Luther was the voice of reason and calm for Ethan and that is ever present here. They have truly become brothers and it was a pleasure to witness. Simon Pegg was fantastic yet again as the IMF hacker Benji Dunn. He not only continues to have the best comedic timing that adds the much relief to some situations, but he’s become an even stronger character in the field. His chemistry with Ethan and especially Luther was always a highlight. Hayley Atwell returns as the bright-eyed and very capable thief now IMF agent, Grace. I loved seeing her character getting to actually work with the team more and take on the insane tasks that are placed at her feet. She gives a fresh perspective to it all. Pom Klementieff returns as the revenge fueled assassin and ally, Paris. Pom not only shows off her signature intensity through her eyes, but she also continues to show her physical prowess in the many action scenes. I loved her new found friendship with Benji the most as their chemistry soars. Greg Tarzan Davis returns as US Intelligence Agent, Theo Degas. I liked him in Dead Reckoning as he began to understand Ethan's reasoning. It was great to see him join him in the fight to save the world instead of chasing him. The always great Shea Whigham returns as US Intelligence Agent, Jasper Briggs. There was intense determination to capture Ethan since the last film and in this entry, you find out why and how they're personally connected. Shea carries so much weight in all of his scenes and I loved his story alot.

Angela Bassett returns as now President of the United States, Erika Sloane. Bassett is a powerhouse in her own right and whenever she enters the room, all eyes meet her gaze. I loved the way she glides through scenes while grounding it against Tom's charm. Sloane really had the hardest decisions to make in this film and I loved that she put her faith in the scalpel this time around. Henry Czerny continues to be the annoying and chatty rival to Ethan, Eugene Kittridge. There is always that character who needs to try and stop the hero by getting them to follow orders and he is it. The tug of war Ethan and Kittridge have had of the years was always a highlight and it comes to a head in this film. Nick Offerman was good as General Sydney and I liked that even he had a moment of possible doubt in the final act. Hannah Waddingham was good as Rear Admiral Neely and I liked her connection with the President Sloane, but I kind of felt it had no baring on the immediacy of the plot. Tramell Tillman was truly having fun and channeling his inner Crimson Tide, as Captain Jack Bledsoe. He was prepared for a naval fight and relished in the game of deception Ethan had for the Russians. Rolf Saxon returns as William Donloe and he truly has his time to shine. You can say that he got justice and a second chance at life in this film which I loved so much. Esai Morales chews the scenery up this time around as the ever looming assassin, Gabriel. What made him compelling this time around was having his level of his zealotry tested against the Entity. The game of cat and mouse between him and Ethan comes to an a satisfying conclusion with all the mustache twirling villainy that Morales exudes. He was definitely an iconic villain of the franchise.

The score Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey was fun, emotional, exhilarating and terrifying in the best ways. All the action scenes or even the dialogue scenes are enhanced by their bombastic score as they took notes from the past film composer, Lorne Balfe. The underwater sequence was absolutely terrifying with their chilling score. The cinematography was insane as they capture some of the best large scale stunt work this franchise has ever done on screen. Like I said, the submarine sequence was terrifying, but the biplane finale sequence was such a nail biting experience. The use of IMAX cameras was brilliant and added to the scope of the film. My favorite moment was the screen transition in the submarine sequence that was cheeky and smart. The only gripes I had with the film is at times it felt truly crowded. With the world at stake, you want to have everyone on deck, but not everyone needed a backstory or scene stealing dialogue. There were a number of times where you really have to suspend your disbelief for some of the circumstances of the story and convenient outcomes. Even with that being said, this may not have been the best finale of a franchise, but its a damn good one. Writer and Director Christopher McQuarrie has brought this franchise to a good close, but Ethan if he choses to accept, I would be so down to go on one more mission. This is a must see in IMAX! Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!