Christopher McQuarrie took over the reins of the Mission: Impossible franchise in 2015 with Rogue Nation. It introduced The Syndicate, a rogue covert organisation, seemingly one step ahead of Ethan Hunt and the IMF at every turn. The film was a huge success, introducing fan favourite Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) and arguably the series’ best villain in Shaun Harris’ Solomon Lane, a former British agent with delusions of grandeur, set on bringing about a new world order.
Lane returned with a new organisation, The Apostles, in the explosive, all-action Mission: Impossible – Fallout in 2018. This saw the series earn some of its best reviews and is regarded as one of the finest action films of the 21st century. It pushed Ethan and his team to their absolute limit as they sought to avoid a nuclear disaster with a globetrotting, relentless race against the clock.
With The Final Reckoning now in cinemas, continuing the story of 2023’s Dead Reckoning, is this really the satisfactory ending the series deserves? I would argue that in trying to go bigger than Fallout, the series lost sight of what made that film, and the arc started in Rogue Nation, a resounding success.
Minor spoilers for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning and Fallout below
…at 2hrs 50, it can often feel incredibly overstuffed with a much larger cast than previous films
It is worth acknowledging The Final Reckoning’s mind-blowing stunts, especially the submarine and bi-plane sequences that have featured heavily in the marketing. However, at 2hrs 50, it can often feel incredibly overstuffed with a much larger cast than previous films, with plenty of new and returning characters who can feel inconsequential in Ethan’s efforts to stop humanity being eviscerated by the main AI villain, The Entity.
Fallout had a much tighter ensemble that we’d come to know across previous films and felt like a natural continuation of Rogue Nation’s story and tone. At its core, we had Ethan, Ilsa, Benji, Luther and the main new addition of August Walker/John Lark played by Henry Cavill. The Final Reckoning in comparison, has a new team at its core, often isolating Ethan and certainly not giving us as much connection to the new team members.
Cavill added muscle to the action sequences, especially a frenetic bathroom fight that ranks among the best in the franchise. The film has no shortage of breathtaking sequences, making it a constant thrill ride. The Final Reckoning, in comparison, is far more contemplative, with a gradual buildup to the two major set pieces that largely involve just Ethan. Fallout and previous instalments benefited from action peppered throughout, which the latest film lacks.
As a two-part exercise, Fallout raises the stakes from Rogue Nation but never in a way that feels too far-fetched, keeping the focus on Ethan and his team. With so many moving parts to The Final Reckoning and making the story so much bigger, we lose sight of what the series has always been about. The Entity and Gabriel pale in comparison to Lane/Lark, whose motivations feel far clearer and with more personal ramifications for Ethan. The return of Ethan’s wife, Julia, added an extra personal touch and meaning to their mission.
The Entity and Gabriel pale in comparison to Lane/Lark, whose motivations feel far clearer and with more personal ramifications for Ethan
The Final Reckoning is often bogged down in tying up loose ends, with frequent callbacks to events from the first and third films. Retconning events of previous entries with heavy use of flashbacks can prove distracting in a story that already has so many spinning plates. It feels at times like the final two movies sacrificed a great plot for an all-out spectacle. Although there is no denying the fact that the stunts in films seven and eight are exhilarating, there is a far less compelling villain at the centre of it all.
While The Final Reckoning has no shortage of jaw-dropping moments, it feels overstuffed and baggy with an exposition-heavy first hour that robs it of much-needed momentum. Fallout’s pacing and action are certainly the gold standard for the franchise. With the finale earning some of the weakest reviews for the series in the last 20 years, it could have ended on a higher note in 2018.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is in cinemas now. You can find out where to buy tickets here, and also read our streaming release guide for the film.