Few feelings in the world match that of walking out with a crowd of, not one but two, 70 percent packed shows of a movie at 7am on its first day. But, then again, the people of the world had been game the moment Tom Cruise had asked them to “believe in me, one last time”, when the teaser trailer of Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning came out. I am glad that Pakistani audiences felt the same way, to what may be the final part of a movie franchise that constantly delivered.

Yes, despite some reservations — some pacing, edit and music decisions — this reviewer liked Dead Reckoning (the first part) that, to date, has been the lowest grosser in the MI series of movies.

Little chance of that happening this time round.

In the film, months have passed since Ethan Hunt disappeared into the shadows when he jumped off from a teetering train at the climax of the last movie. His new pick-pocket friend Grace (Haley Atwell) had been given a safe passage by the CIA that is now being led by former IMF head Kittridge (Henry Czerny), while the world, unaware, begins to shake from the annihilatory intentions of The Entity, a rogue AI programme that went to the internet and deemed mankind worthy of extinction (can’t say I blame it).

The human angle works quite well in Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning as it gives a unique perspective on the moving action set-pieces that drive the story forward

Lost somewhere deep within the ocean is the Sevastopol, a next-generation Russian submarine that has The Entity’s original programming code, which could potentially give a human the power to control it. One of those greedy power-mad humans is The Entity’s former lackey — and Hunt’s enemy from the past — Gabriel (Esai Morales), an assassin with B-movie vibes (he is one of the weakest, uncharismatic villains in these movies), who has killed two women close to Hunt.

While the stakes in MI have always been personal, this time the personal overtakes the gadgets and technology. That creative decision is brave — and perhaps sensible — considering the villain is an AI that has all of your future moves charted out to a T.

The rising stakes within conflicts, often intermixed within action sequences, is part of the quality MI delivers; it’s no different this time. Cruise runs, jumps, deep-dives into a submarine that tumbles to its death at the ocean floor, hops on to a flying biplane, his face badly contorted by the force of the wild winds (that stunt in the climax is spectacular) — yet, he perseveres, for the sake of the world, and the audience. Some of his close friends, however, don’t make it; some — not really supposed to be friends — join the cause.

Christopher McQuarrie — Cruise’s favourite who has been directing a lot of his films of late — and Erik Jendresen have penned a film that focuses a lot more on character and dilemma; the choice might not work for all audiences who mindlessly want bigger action sequences. The ticking clock this time are human lives, but without the gimmick, and Hunt is well-aware of it (when is he not?).

For me, the human angle worked quite well because it gave a unique perspective on the moving action set-pieces that drive the story forward; for some, it might not (that’s okay, The Entity wants people to not use your noggin).

There are some downsides though. McQuarrie, who had once written Usual Suspects, then graduated to Cruise’s clan with Valkyrie, Edge of Tomorrow, The Mummy, Top Gun: Maverick, and added directing duties with Jack Reacher, Mission: Impossible title Rogue Nation, Fallout and Dead Reckoning, still needs a firm hand when shooting and then editing scenes.

His editor, Eddie Hamilton (all of this franchise’s parts since Rogue Nation, and also Top Gun: Maverick) adds in a few redundant shots that sully the scene. Also — and this is a filmmaking call that doesn’t work — the constant reliance on flashbacks, especially in the first half of the film, takes one out of the action by explaining away the context; the context, mind you, almost everyone in the cinema hall know well enough. The unrelenting use of background music — a key problemin the last film — returns to do as much damage as The Entity.

These technical shortfalls aside, the old cast — Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff (she is new since the last film) — and a surprise reveal of William Donloe (Rolf Saxon), the man who was transferred to the barren lands in Alaska after he lost the NOC list in the first Mission: Impossible’s suspended-in-air list-theft sequence (it is no spoiler, the news of his return was official) is a welcome addition that could work in future parts.

If, that is, Cruise decides on making another MI. If he doesn’t, well, it’s been one of the most consistently enjoyable, quality rides in filmdom since, well, forever.

Released by Paramount worldwide and HKC in Pakistan, Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning has a U-rating. All audiences of all ages are welcome

Published in Dawn, ICON, June 1st, 2025