‘Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’ – Absurdly spectacular send-off

For what seems to be the last time, Ethan Hunt has the world resting squarely on his shoulders. The rogue AI ‘The Entity’ continues its domination of the world’s information systems, making life on Earth a relative nightmare. With his team ready, Ethan will take one final stand for all life on earth, or at least, die trying.

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning has all the makings of a tremendous send- off for the spy who seemingly can’t die. Once referred to as the living manifestation of destiny, Ethan’s final foe takes the form of a predictive algorithm that seems to know what destiny has in store. The film ought to be a rousing battle of wills as Ethan becomes the avatar for improvisation, proving that people aren’t as predictable as a machine might expect.

For the most part, that’s what the film delivers. Tom Cruise dashes his way from one obstacle to the next, without a modicum of good sense. Each death-defying act is given just enough explanation to give the audience the context they need to understand just how ludicrous it is, and any thought given to the reasons the film provides will likely induce a migraine.

The film doesn’t just serve as a finale to its immediate predecessor, but to the series as a whole. Plot threads from as far back as 1996 are brought forward, tying up loose ends, although not exactly neatly. The first half of the film becomes burdened by backstory, and though there’s tension to be had, it’s massively plagued by pacing issues that only give you time to ponder its ridiculous story.

In terms of its characters, the film mostly presents them as ideas rather than actual people. The team that Ethan Hunt so covets is spoken about fondly but its members become either tools for the story or personal stakes for Ethan. There are emotional moments for the series’ most longstanding supporting cast, but it’s mostly a Tom Cruise vehicle.

On that level, the film couldn’t be more successful. It’s a difficult thing to present a senseless story, fuelled by underdeveloped motivations, and still manage to craft this kind of jaw-dropping intensity. As the film sets up the impossible, it’s not about the details of the plot, but rather the painstaking way in which it shows down to the most minute element, incredibly shot and intricate action set pieces, that only Mission: Impossible can deliver.

It’s one thing to write yourself into a corner, but to convince the audience of the way out of it, however incredulous, is an impressive feat. Frustratingly, for all its faults, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning earns its way to glory with a stupendous finale that should only be seen on the big screen.

Rating: Low Big Screen Watch

Damian Levy is a film critic and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies.