Reel Review: Mission Impossible the Final Reckoning Solidifies Tom Cruise’s Reign Over The Action Genre
Tom Cruise has dominated the action movie genre for decades. From Top Gun to the Mission Impossible franchise, his work in stunt execution and storytelling is undeniably top tier. While The Final Reckoning is posed at the final movie of the franchise, fans are debating if Cruise purposefully left the door open for potential continuation.
Mission Impossible: the Final Reckoning is a highlight reel of callbacks, insane stunts, and a bit of jumbled storytelling. While this film is technically a part two of Dead Reckoning, it really stands alone. The movie itself even feels like two stories smashed together to form one epic thrill ride.
The highlight of these movies for me has never been the storytelling element. Of course the stakes of the mission and the characters involved are integral in creating a cohesive movie, but the main reason to tune in has, and will always be, the spectacle of it all. How will Tom Cruise outdo himself once again? That is always the mission.
If I am a sucker for one thing, it is an underwater sequence. In previous iterations, Cruise has done some incredible under water stunts, but nothing compares to the submarine sequence in The Final Reckoning. Marking almost twenty full minutes, and nearly no dialogue, this scene is the highlight of the film for me. Ethan Hunt makes his way solo through a shipwrecked submarine in attempt to find a vital piece of hardware.
The secondary highlight in The Final Reckoning is obviously the plane scene towards the end of the film. It is a triumphant achievement in filmmaking, stunt design, camera work, and acting. It is absolutely incredible to see just how dedicated all of the people are in making this film the way they do. As much as these movies are popcorn fun, they truly are pieces of art that require hundreds of hard working people all executing perfectly at the same time. It is a true testament to how Hollywood should work and how creatives, given the resources, can create something truly epic.
My main gripe with this movie is that many elements felt deeply separated. While it may be purposeful to have characters alone to up the stakes, it makes the whole movie feel very compartmentalized. While Ethan Hunt is a one of a kind person, his relatability comes from the team. He is never alone, and is always supported by others, making him so successful at what he does. In an attempt to boost the stakes, that element is a bit lost until the final sequence in the cave.
While the storyline of The Final Reckoning feels convoluted at times, the action sequences more than make up for it. Tom Cruise does what he does best and creates a spectacle worthy of the big screen. His passion and love for movies shines through in his work and it cannot be denied that he is the best stunt actor out there.
Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning is playing in theaters now.
