For over 30 years, audiences have chosen to accept the mission of the action franchise Mission Impossible. What started as a simple adaptation to a classic television series became a hit series of films that have shaped the action genre. However even a mission like this one needs to be complete, and the began with the 2023 film: Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning. The seventh entry was intended to be the first part of a two-film finale, but the movie went through setbacks not just in its production but after its release as the film underperformed at the box office. However this did not sway the filmmaker from finishing the story; and after a quick reassessment the eighth installment, Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning, has finally made its way to theaters.

Continuing from Dead Reckoning, the story sees Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) continuing his mission to stop a rogue A.I, called the entity from destroying the world; which leads Ethan to new discoveries and stakes that changes the spy’s world for good. The film is once again directed by Christopher McQuarie who has helmed the Mission Impossible films since the fifth installment Rogue Nation. Mission Impossible has been a series that has grown on me over the years; and despite a few issues I enjoyed the previous installment to the point where I was looking forward to this finale. Going into the new movie, I was curious to see how this installment would play out and whether or not it would be a noteworthy conclusion for Mission Impossible; and after seeing it, Final Reckoning certainly lived up to the excitement behind the series. Yet for me the question still remains: is Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning a good conclusion for the series?

Final Reckoning is, in many ways, an antithesis to the previous film. Where the first half encapsulates the high octane nature of the series; this film’s storytelling was more methodical-which turned out to be a double edged sword for the movie. This direction was off putting as it was a change of pace for the series, but I think this move was appreciated as it allowed the tension to build and capture the more intricate concepts behind Mission Impossible. Along with a good sense of pacing, the plot also implemented several elements from the past films in a manner that was both effective and surprising. This culminated in a finale that was exciting, eccentric and lived up to the grandeur behind this action series.

For decades, moviegoers have gotten to know Ethan Hunt and has proven many times to be an effective action hero. In Final Reckoning, Hunt continues to be an engaging protagonist thanks to the presence and charisma molded by Tom Cruise’s performance. Though the movie vaguely went into Ethan’s background, it was still enough to fleshed out Ethan and brought the character full circle and did just enough to cement Ethan Hunt as one of cinema’s greatest action heroes. Along with Hunt was the rest of the IMF which featured bold old and new faces. Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames were enjoyable as ever in their respective roles, while new members such as Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff solidified their roles from the first film. The supporting cast had its fair share of formidable players which (to name a few) included Hannah Waddingham, Tramell Tillman and Angela Bassett. As for the villain, Esai Morales returned to play the mischievous Gabriel. While the character’s presence was less foreboding than his role in Dead Reckoning, seeing the character’s desperation was a nice touch as it gave the assassin an intriguing complexity that was right at home in a stacked cast.

Mission Impossible has been at the forefront of the action genre with each sequence getting bigger and bolder with each entry. Time and again the series has topped itself with its action, so it only made sense that Final Reckoning would want to end on an action-packed high note; and the movie delivered. Some aspects such as the fight choreography were fairly subtle, but the bigger sequences more than delivered as they were gripping and well executed. Helping the action scenes was the stellar camerawork which embolden each moment with its keen execution. As for the music, composers Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey stepped in to take the place of Lorne Balfe. While Balfe’s contributions were missed, the duo composers were up to the challenge to conduct the film’s music. The score kept true to Balfe’s intense compositions and it went a long way to enhance the film’s atmosphere and sense of excitement. Each of these aspects showcased the impressive direction of Christopher McQuarie and gave this series one more spectacle to cement its legacy.

Concluding a series that began 30 years ago is no easy feat, but I think Final Reckoning was up to task. Along with working well with Dead Reckoning, the movie manages to impress with its enjoyable characters and phenomenal action. While some of its direction, like the storytelling, could be questionable; it was still engaging and kept true to the elements that have made this series so enjoyable. It may not have been a perfect ending, but Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning was still satisfactory as it accomplished its mission of being a noteworthy conclusion for this action franchise.