“The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille” double Oscar winner Brad Bird took Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible” brand to new cinematic heights with 2011’s “Ghost Protocol”, and I liked 2015’s “Rogue Nation” and then 2018’s “Fallout” even more. Frankly, I thought the Tom Cruise saga could’ve ended with that installment. 2023’s “Dead Reckoning — Part One” (as it was called at the time of its release) was a little scattered and underwhelming.
Thankfully, “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” is definitely satisfying, with thrilling new action sequences and what I love about TV series finales (and great movie franchise enders): smart callbacks and connections to the previous chapters and genuinely emotional scenes and layers to the story. It all leads to a climax that’s pretty incredible.
Is there too much explanatory dialogue throughout the 2 hour and 51-minute “Final Reckoning”? Absolutely. Some characters explain plans and perilous circumstances to each other (and us) multiple times. But that’s also what “M:I” is known for: intricate details, ticking clocks and outrageous stunts. Why change that now?
You don’t need to hang on to every word — just watch as Cruise hangs on for dear life. It’s about the complexities in what everyone is going through, and having Cruise and returning director Christopher McQuarrie steadily build the tension and momentum to the point where you truly believe Ethan Hunt and his team must save the world, or it’s all over. Angela Bassett, as the President, is a great supporting player in making this all work.
There’s an underwater sequence about two hours into “The Final Reckoning” that, albeit very impressive, is the point where my mind did begin to wander, but only briefly. The runtime probably could’ve been trimmed here and there, but for what it is, this is the most well-crafted, sophisticated and meaningful ‘complete package’ when it comes to a “Mission: Impossible” movie out of the past five. If you’re a deep fan of what Tom Cruise and Paramount have built over the past 30 years, you shouldn’t feel let down by this conclusion.
LCJ GRADE: B
Running Time: 171 min.