8 Movies Later, Still Chasing Bond’s Legacy

RATING – ⭐⭐✨ 2.5/5*

Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning Review Movie Talkies:

Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning kicks off with a montage of scenes from past films, hinting that we’re in for a commemorative journey rather than a standalone MI8 installment. The president’s early message comes across as both a respectful homage to Ethan Hunt’s legacy and a plea for help—one that is later conveniently abandoned, as expected. The aerial stunts recall Top Gun (albeit smaller in scale and lacking logic), underwater sequences evoke Pacific Rim or Bond’s biggest hit, Thunderball (1965), with excessive length, and the overarching geopolitics mirror Daniel Craig’s Bond era. This is, by far, the most implausible Mission Impossible film yet. But again, it feels more like a salute to the franchise and Ethan’s journey, and so, there are moments to relish. Still, expecting me to sit through an overlong underwater stretch, a finale featuring Ethan and Gabriel sparring mid-air for 15 minutes as if gravity doesn’t exist, and the inevitable buildup to an all-too-familiar climactic resolve—well, it’s asking too much. We’ve seen too many spy thrillers to be surprised anymore. There’s no need to force drama just to entertain.

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Yes, Mission Impossible has long been seen as the smarter sibling in the spy genre, but perhaps that’s why it never reached Bond’s cinematic or box office stature. The Final Reckoning unfortunately abandons that intelligence—despite leaning on an AI-centric plot and AI-powered screenplay. The gimmicks Ethan once made fresh now feel recycled. They were impressive in the early films, especially the first, but two decades and eight entries later, the novelty has worn thin. Thankfully, this is the end of the line. For fans, it’s a decent farewell—not an embarrassing one. Let’s admit it: every long-standing franchise hits its low, and MI chose to bow out with a final mission—no matter how far-fetched it is. MI8 achieved that. I never thought I’d walk out of a Final Destination film thinking it was better than a Mission Impossible film, but this week’s Final Destination: Bloodlines was actually more enjoyable than The Final Reckoning. And that says a lot.

Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning:

The movie begins with a looming global threat from an entity, giving Ethan a 3-day countdown to act. A twist reveals that Hunt himself inadvertently gave rise to the entity, making him and the IMF complicit. The AI now dictates the flow of reality, posing a dire danger to humanity. To stop it, Ethan must locate a source code hidden within a lost submarine and pair it with a poison pill to disable the entity—an AI system capable of hijacking nuclear powers worldwide. He assembles his skilled team to locate both the submarine and antagonist Gabriel before time runs out—all under a three-day deadline from the president.

The plot follows the well-trodden path of high-stakes global disaster, as seen in countless spy and superhero films. You’re left wondering what the writers were doing all these years if they couldn’t conjure up an original finale for this major franchise. The AI focus adds complexity, but the logic collapses under its own weight. The script seems built to engineer moments where multiple characters and events converge for maximum effect, but the predictability is so blatant you can forecast the next half hour in under a minute. That’s not how true thrillers operate. And don’t even get me started on the hyped underwater and aerial action scenes—they turn out to be the dullest parts. Seriously, we’re to believe a character swims 500 feet through icy water under crushing pressure? Or that Ethan and Gabriel brawl mid-air for minutes without oxygen or gravity limitations? Be real. This isn’t even believable in superhero fare. Ethan Hunt isn’t Bruce Wayne—stop portraying him as such. And Christopher McQuarrie is no Christopher Nolan, so quit mimicking The Dark Knight aesthetic. This is MI, not a cinematic masterclass in direction and writing like. Why the hell do you make it so?

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Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning Cast:

Tom Cruise remains a draw, but he’s arguably more thrilling in Top Gun, minus the romantic clutter. That said, it’s always a thrill to see Cruise in action, even when the story falters. Hayley Atwell gives a good performance, while franchise staples Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg continue to bring energy. One bizarre moment features Benji (Simon Pegg) dying and being revived by a novice in under two minutes—logic flies out the window, but fans may forgive it given the character’s legacy. Angela Bassett is passable as the president, mostly serving audience expectations. Esai Morales shines as the cerebral villain, and Rolf Saxon (Donloe) adds gravitas. Supporting roles from Henry Czerny, Pom Klementieff, Mariela Garriga, Pasha D. Lychnikoff, Holt McCallany, Lucy Tulugarjuk, and others round out a respectable ensemble.

Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning Movie Review:

Technically, the background score is the film’s biggest miss. Cinematography and production design are on point, and though the action appears synthetic at times, it’s reasonably watchable. MI8 drags heavily, with half its runtime offering prime nap opportunities—largely due to excessive length. Editing could be blamed, but the real culprit is a screenplay that insists on stuffing in too many scenes under the guise of importance. A bloated $300 million budget is hard to justify when the film doesn’t deliver the blockbuster experience, especially compared to more frugal productions. It raises the question: can this film even break even, or will it falter like it’s predecessor? Christopher McQuarrie had both the power and the budget to end the saga on a high, but outdated writing and some chaotic execution keep The Final Reckoning from becoming a memorable swan song. Watch it if you’re a devoted MI and Ethan Hunt fan—beyond that, there’s little reason to recommend it.

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