Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning, the most ambitious instalment in the franchise yet. As the terrifying AI known as The Entity threatens all of humanity, Hunt and his team must face their most impossible mission to date. With global stakes and jaw dropping action set pieces, this film pushes the series to its absolute limit.
Whether or not this is Ethan Hunt’s final mission, there’s a definite sense of closure. The film opens with a montage revisiting moments from all the previous entries and continues to deliver constant callbacks throughout the story. There are particularly intriguing plot connections to MI1 and MI3. One callback, as seen in the trailers, is the return of William Donloe, who plays a significantly larger role this time than he did in MI1. I wasn’t sure what to expect from his character, but I was pleasantly surprised by his presence and impact in the film.
It wouldn’t be a Mission: Impossible film without a stellar supporting cast, and this one is no exception. Everyone is at their best here, with each character contributing something crucial to the success of the mission. The film places a strong focus on the strength of the team. Every character is essential, and without even one of them, the entire human race would be doomed. Benji, in particular, has come a long way from being a lab tech in Mission: Impossible III to standing in as team leader. I was also very impressed with Tramell Tillman’s introduction to the franchise. Although he doesn’t have much screen time, he brings a lot to the role and continues to prove why he’s one of my favourite actors working today. Angela Bassett is excellent too, with a very important role. I could sit here and list every cast member, but it would quickly become repetitive. If you see their name in the cast, you can expect them to be excellent, everyone is at their best.
This film is by far the largest in scale within the franchise, at times feeling more like a full on war film, with the entire fate of the human race on the line. The stakes are monumental, and every moment carries a sense of urgency. With the world on the brink of destruction, it creates an insanely tense experience that will have your heart racing.
It’s always the question going into a Mission: Impossible film, will they top the stunts of the last instalment? Somehow, the answer is always yes. Once again, they take it to another level with the submarine and biplane sequences. The submarine sequence is particularly incredible, my jaw was on the floor the entire time. The production design is brilliant, and the whole scene almost plays like a horror film. The biplane sequence is equally unbelievable. As the main marketing focus of the film, my expectations were sky high, but it not only meets them, it exceeds them. Tom Cruise is operating on a level no other actor ever will again. His commitment and dedication to the art form are unmatched, he truly is Mr Movies.
The film takes a while to get going, but once it does, it doesn’t let up. At times, it borders on being too big, a bit bloated, and it’s pretty messy, but it’s hard to complain when the payoff is this thrilling.
If this really is the ‘Final Reckoning’ for the Mission: Impossible franchise, it’s a fitting and worthy send-off. Still, if Tom Cruise chooses to accept one more mission, I’ll be first in line.
Review by Jacob Wolfe
Wolfe At The Movies 
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