Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning, a non-spoiler review

[Barry]

Mission Impossible, for it’s first three years when produced by Desilu was my favorite TV show.  Not only was the story, the writing and the acting superior to anything on TV, but I loved the music.

But the original M.I. was not a spy-thriller, action adventure show such as I-Spy.  It was a thoughtful “who done it” or mystery. “What the hell were they doing?”  This all changed when Paramount (Gulf and Western) bought Desilu.*

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning is a nearly 3 hour action and adventure movie, with incredible stunts. On my scale, I rate it “Good” but if you like long chases (and David V does!) it goes a notch higher to Very Good. The last chase is truly gripping.

This movie continues from the last, but they up to date you so quickly it’s okay if you didn’t see the last one, or forgot a lot of it as I had. (I saw it again a day before.

Here, it what Tom Cruise says will be the last M.I. movie, his character, Ethan Hall, literally, hold the key to the movie’s MacGuffin. (Alfred Hitchcock used MacGuffin to describe an object or device that is essential to the plot and to the motivation of the characters, but may be unimportant or unnecessary in itself.) Essentially, they have several “small missions” needed to accomplish their big mssion and it is all spelled out for the viewer.

I enjoyed the performances and action stunts of Hayley Atwell (a.k.a.Captain Carter, head of SHIELD) as Grace; Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell: Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn: Esai Morales as Gabriel.

Honestly, I have a few bones to pick.  All that fighting and the good guys never get injured and, especially with Cruise, he recovers instantly from the events that would almost kill anyone.  There is too much precision here. Finally, if you put on a mask to look like another person, you automatically sound like them (And develop the same body type).

I saw it at a Dolby Atmos theatre and it looked incredible. The surround was also great and about the loudest I have heard in a theatre. It begins with a introduction by Cruise saying that this movie should be seen in a theatrre.  He is right, it's big and it's loud.

*Just a note on the sale of Desilu. In that era, the network paid about 75% of what it actually cost to produce a episode.  For example, it cost Desilu roughly $225,000 to produce an episode of Star Trek, but they got $185,000 from NBC.  Mission got $235,000 from CBS on a show that costs about $260,000.  The concept was that the producers would get their money back in reruns.  But with Star Trek, Mission, Mannix and the Lucy Show being on at the same time, they were losing what today would be millions a week and could not sustain that. So they had to sell because they were so successful

[David Vaughn]

Barry, I saw it on Saturday and agree with a lot of your thoughts. I don't know where you get the idea that I like long action sequences, because I don't. In fact, the past two movies could have been edited down a lot to cut some of the action scenes because they were too damn long (same with this film!). Regardless, it is a very fun movie to watch and has a lot of emotional moments, which was a surprise.

The first half of the movie is very dialog-driven as it sets things up for the final nearly two hours of non-stop action! Like you, I wonder how Cruise is able to walk after some of the things he goes through in the film. In regard to the voices, they actually put a strip of some technology on their throat that changes their voice (this came into play in MI:3, so there was no need to rehash the tech---I know it was this film because I had rewatched it last week!). What's interesting is the first film in the series was much more methodical like the TV show (as I remember it) and by the time the 3rd movie came along, they had become pure action films (and a lot of fun). The story elements it 4, 5, and 6 were all extremely well done (and arguably the best 3 movies of the series), but like a lot of films these days, real-world physics takes a back seat to entertainment. 

You did nail my rating though...I'd call it "Very Good" because it keeps you entertained throughout the entire nearly 3 hour runtime and if this is truly the last film in the franchise with Cruise as the lead, I think it ends on a high note. If you're going to wait to see it at home, be sure to watch all of the other films before seeing this because there are a ton of references (and people) from the prior film that are referred to or make an appearance and frankly, this is one of the best aspects of the film. 

While not my favorite of the MI films, my entire family had a blast going to the theater (granted, it better have been good because the tickets cost us $82 for 4 people and a large popcorn and some water was nearly $20). Crazy expensive! Thinking back, the last movie I saw in the theaters before this was the last MI film. While I enjoyed the experience overall, I'd rather just buy the film and watch it at home where I can put real butter on my popcorn versus whatever that chemical mix they use (which tastes horrible). I ate mine "dry," but tasted my wife's who put the fake butter (which is probably DDT) on hers and regretted it. 

[Barry]

Hi David:

First, I always kid you about chase scenes since the Long (er Lone) Ranger!

Our local AMC Theatre has Tuesday specials (they just announced that there will be Wednesday ones too.  It has a great Dolby screen with great sound.  It costs us $7 or $12 a person. I have yet to see a pattern for why some are one price and some on another. But you do need a credit check to buy popcorn!  At this theatre they actually deliver it to your seat.

I have all the M.I. movies AND TV SHOW on Disc, but you mentioned, "MI:3, so there was no need to rehash the tech" but I just plain forgot. But the body part issue is still there!

I did enjoy the referances to the other movies, but I try to be very careful in a non-spoiler review.

Dave, I love watching the mvoies at home.  I get to talk, pause and go to the bathroom and eart better popcorn. But I alsi find it fun going with family of friends and seeing a movie like this for the first time.

                 


          SPOILER ALERT    SPOILER ALERT   JUST FOR DAVID

How about those bi planes at the end? Spectacular! 

[David Vaughn]

Totally agree...spectacular, but just too much spectacular! Similar to the submarine sequence...shorter would have been better. 

[Barry]

David, I totally agree with you on the length. That’s why I wrote. “On my scale, I rate it “Good” but if you like long chases… itgoes a notch higher to Very Good.”

[David Vaughn]

David, I totally agree with you on the length. That’s why I wrote. “On my scale, I rate it “Good” but if you like long chases… itgoes a notch higher to Very Good.”

Well said Barry. 

[bmoney]

Long action scenes actually put me to sleep. Like get on with it hahah. 

I’m looking forward to seeing this one

[Craig Peer]

Got a chance to go see this with my wife at our local IMAX theater. I liked it. I'll need to watch it again when the disc comes out - maybe I'll watch all of them again. I loved some of the call backs from the earlier movies - especially the character from the first film - Rolf Saxon, from the original film. Great casting. I didn't think it was too long - even with a huge drink and a massive tub of popcorn, I didn't even need a pee break! If this is really the last one, it was a fitting ending. And man - those stunts Tom does - my hats off to him!