REVIEW: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING

4/5

Mission Accomplished?

170 Mins. Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales, Greg Tarzan Davis, Shea Whigham, Katy O'Brian, Tramell Tillman, Charles Parnell, Mark Gatiss, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Henry Czerny & Angela Bassett. Screenplay: Christopher McQuarrie & Erik Jendresen. Director: Christopher McQuarrie. In: Theatres and on the Big Screen.

Is this the end? A franchise disavowed. If it is, blame 'Barbenheimer'. Two years ago, when we were trying to get consumers back in cinemas after corona, there was a trend to watch two very different, but equally successful summer season blockbusters, together. Greta Gerwig's brilliant 'Barbie' adaptation and Christopher Nolan's outstanding 'Oppenheimer' biography. Even the Hollywood bowl, himself, Tom Cruise got in on the act. Posting on his ever active social media accounts tickets to watch both together, the movie event of the year. He even had his own to promote, 'Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One', following the 2018 'Fallout' that was super, man, like Henry Cavill. One whose trailer leaked a year prior, when Cruise really controlled cinema, with his thirty-plus year sequel to 'Top Gun', 'Maverick' saved theatres. Tom did it all. Jumping off mountains in motorbikes, falling through every carriage on the Orient Express. Killing it even more than Agatha Christie. But still, he got beat to the punch by the atomic bomb...and a plastic doll.

We're not actually blaming 'Barbenheimer'. Two magnificent movies and a great marketing campaign to bring people back to the big-screen, despite some social media controversy that caused deep offence here in Japan (where this movie had a Shinjuku Government Building world premiere, which again we knew nothing about). But if moviegoers, in this streaming age, could really get back to those tilting red seats for two think pieces, they surely could for one born for the blockbuster bluster. Now, instead of 'Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part Two', we are getting 'Mission: Impossible-The Final Reckoning', which might be just the conclusion of this saga, or the end of an era. And some cynical critics are already calling time on this franchise, going fast and furious in regard to its drive. Much like some fans wrote off the last one online...without even actually going to see it. One so good, and full of set-pieces, we almost forgot (how could we) about the cuffed car chase roaming around that Italian city. Well, we say nonsense to all that. You're really in for a 'Reckoning' with a movie that matches the last, and like 'Fallout' and the 'Rogue Nation', is in the sweet spot of quality output. The 'M:I' team is the San Antonio Spurs of movie franchises, a tilt of the championship cap to Coach Pop.

With some 'Days Of Thunder' roaring from the 80s, like a Maverick, to come, Cruise is far from hanging up his Planet Hollywood baseball cap. Even at 62. The David Blaine of film plying the tricks of his trade. Highlighted by submerging himself underwater and risking his life. Hanging off biplanes this top gun could pilot, and fighting them like King Kong. Which, in comparison to the water work, seems like a walk in the park. Not to mention, all that running. Past Big Ben. Away from explosions, he's too cool to look back on. On and on. Remember, broken ankles can't stop him. He even runs down the side of the world's biggest buildings like a 'Ghost Protocol'. Like all the rest, this eight wonder in this franchise fetches far. But then again, this isn't a "mission possible" like the great Tony Hopkins says in the second movie, the only weak link, yet epically entertaining film in the set. Here, the start of this instalment literally plays like a greatest hits for this movie adaptation of Bruce Geller T.V. series. All before the classic show like opening credits and Lalo Schifrin theme comes into sparked fuse play. Cruise and dynamite directing partner Christopher McQuarrie (with a slick script of epic exposition with Erik Jendresen) have done it again. 

Back together, even though the team misses the likes of Rebecca Ferguson, Paula Patton and Jeremy Renner...not to mention a fantastic Vanessa Kirby, but there's more familial links here. The trusty sidekick of Simon Pegg and the great Ving Rhames are joined by the scene stealing pickpocket Hayley Atwell and her Marvel cohort Pom Klementieff, absolutely kicking names and taking...wait a minute. Dealing with the straight scary 'Ozark' villain Esai Morales (and another one in Janet McTeer). Not to mention chasing cops Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis, with even more to them, this time out. Hunting red October's Cruise's Ethan Hunt even gets helps from moment making Katy O'Brian, Tramell Tillman and 'Ted Lasso' star Hannah Waddingham in a league of her own with an American accent. Yet it's President Angela Bassett (like the 'Black Panther' queen was in Netflix's 'Zero Day') and all the president's men of Charles Parnell, Mark Gatiss, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer and Nick Offerman in the situation room that will really take you to DEFCON one. Not to mention Henry Czerny and another classic cameo from the film series. If this really is a spy's goodbye, nod to 'Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.', then it's a bold, brilliant and bitter-sweetly beautiful one. This review will self-destruct in five seconds. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One', 'Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation', 'Mission: Impossible - Fallout'.