The many films in this franchise have tested boundaries and pushed limits on stunts. Through it all, the often-misdirected grandeur always succeeds and does again in This is Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning. As someone hooked on this franchise, my heart has adjusted to the pulsing moments when Tom Cruise is running, jumping, and flying. In each of the films, his performance includes a key component—the acceptance of his mission. 

Directed again by Christopher McQuarrie, who has been the director since Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation (the fifth film in the franchise). In Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning the landscape is set by many events from previous films which fuel the film’s high-octane suspense. I have always been enthralled by Cruise’s stunts in the franchise. From running on buildings and trains to hovering over planes, my adrenaline is fueled by the element of surprise. It felt like there were ten times more surprising outcomes in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning.

The team is back, and Cruise plays Ethan Hunt who is continuing his fight from Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One. The risk of missiles set in different countries waiting to be unleashed puts many lives at stake. The enemy is Gabriel (Esai Morales). Ethan teams up once again with Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), Grace (Hayley Atwell), and Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis). With countries at risk, Ethan has many difficult choices to make. The possibility of survival hangs in the balance in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning. 

This is the most audacious, dramatic, and vividly stunning Mission: Impossible experience.  The missiles are hidden, so Ethan and his team must put the pieces together and know who they can trust. The film’s story spans just a matter of days, which isn’t long for Ethan to put an end to the exponential risks. Time has been of the essence since the beginning of the franchise. My head was spiraling with curiosity about the many missions that led to Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning. There have been many technological factors that have created a following over the years. The dynamic performances of Cruise, Rhames, and Pegg are the pinnacle of these movies throughout their many missions over the years.

One very invigorating aspect of the film is how much more scientific the approaches are. It is deep with the tactics—places, operations, alternatives, Plan B’s, and a flurry of other intriguing elements for its audience. “The entity” is still the biggest source of danger …even more than Gabriel, the primary enemy. Ethan’s choices and all the adventures to find the truth are like a waterfall of a treacherous nature which fills the screen with mind-blowing cinematic scenes. The film is all about what Cruise brings in his role as Ethan Hunt.

The risks of the various moving parts escalate as the time runs out in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning. As tasks are completed, the layer of hidden truths unravels and leads to more twists and turns. At times, the stunning cinematics made me feel like I needed to wear a helmet, especially when Cruise is fighting on a plane, trying to save himself while trying to stop a threat that could destroy many around the world. Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning is unstoppable! 

As the treacherous tasks unravel, the film shifts back to the previous films, which is positive for audiences in that it provides a link to how the risks correlate to what is going on in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning. The scenarios and choices all serve a logical purpose. The film’s suspense even proves that with the many tunnels and underwater scenarios that lead to Cruise’s incredible stunt. The cinematic ride is one for ages and is a wonderful reminder of how suspenseful this franchise has been. Three-and-half out of four stars for Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning.