MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: THE FINAL RECKONING

US, 2025, 169 minutes, Colour.

Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Trammell Tillman, Angela Bassett, Shea Whigham, Charles Parnell, Mark Gattis, Rolf Saxon, Cary Elwes.

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie.

The grand finale.

The spin-off from the very successful television series, with its pounding score and the messages disappearing after five seconds, the first Mission Impossible, the introduction to Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, was released in 1996. Cruise was 33. Now, 2025, the eighth film in the franchise, and here is Cruise in his early 60s, athletic, doing all his stunts, very serious saviour of the world.

There is something of a complex background to this finale, an AI development called The Entity and the danger of its overcoming the human race, and setting off a nuclear holocaust. Luther, Ving Rhames from the past films, is here developing a mechanism to counteract The Entity. But, arch-villain, Gabriel (Esai Morales) wants to conquer the world and has the other piece. The President of the US, Angela Bassett, surrounded by advisers (several British character actors, including Janet McTeer and Mark Gattis) is relying on Ethan Hunt to save the world.

There are various characters who have worked with Ethan in the past, especially Benji, Simon Pegg, and a reunion with Grace, Hayley Atwell. The first part of the film is setting the scene, Hunt building up his team (and some mask removing action scenes). In this film there are quite a number of references to the action in 1996, especially an angry character, Briggs (Shea Whigham) whose father was killed by Hunt (with some flashbacks from the original and Jon Voight). Briggs is working with Kittredge, Henry Czerny, Hunt’s sometime control. But, especially with killer, Pom Klementieff rescued from prison, the team is ready.

The second part of the film has Ethan Hunt underwater most of the time, and some extraordinary stunt work, as he dives into a sunken vessel in the Behring Sea, the difficulties of the depth, compression, breathing, an narrow tube which means that he has to strip down to his boxers! and survive and reach the surface. Ultimate success (but perhaps some realists in the audience wondering about meals, sleep, toilet stops! None of which are shown.)

The last part of the film is action adventure, stunts and CGI, making mission impossible, Mission Impossibler, in fact, Mission Impossiblest. And, with some instant travelling from Europe to Africa, beautiful mountain and valley African locations for the finale, especially with Hunt pursuing Gabriel in light planes, and some ultra-gymnastics as Hunt leaps, dangles, climbs on to Gabriel’s plane, overcomes him, takes the connection to destroy the Entity, tension with the time coming down to the splittest of seconds to save the world.

In the American presidential control room, enormous relief, then a final puzzling scene in Trafalgar Square, Ethan Hunt, each member of his team approaching him, looking knowingly, then turning away… And we wonder actually if he is dead and this is the final tribute to his world saving achievement from his team…

1. Popular 30 year franchise? The television series (and the continued use of the musical theme)? The character of Ethan Hunt, saving the world? Tom Cruise, his presence, performance, stunts, hero-saviour?
2. The development of the character of Ethan Hunt over the decades, this film using flashbacks to the original film, to past films? Tom Cruise at 30 something then 60 something?
3. The locations, Washington and the President, the vast security headquarters? The Arctic, the Behring Sea, underwater photography, the long sequence exploring the submerged vessel, the transition to Africa, the beauty of the scenery, London, Trafalgar Square? The background musical score, sense of excitement, tension, amplified?
4. The explanation of the basic situation about The Entity? Control of the human race? The nuclear danger? The role of Gabriel, wanting power? President of the US, her response, her advisers, the reliance on Ethan Hunt? Those dissenting? The short time to DEFCON, the focus on the clock?
5. Re-introducing Ethan Hunt, his reputation, his achievements, Kittredge, the explanations of his achievement, dangers, deaths, the presence of Briggs, the flashbacks to his father and Hunt causing his death? Refusing to shake hands? Kittredge and Briggs working together, building up to a confrontation? Then a reconciliation?
6. Luther, his presence in the previous films, technical skills, getting older, facing The Entity, the preparation of material for the capture of The Entity? His death? His final message after the achievement and exploding after five seconds? Seen in flashbacks?
7. Benji and Grace, their characters, in the previous films? The team, Grace, pickpocketing, her skills and timing, the relationship with Ethan? Benji, technical skills? The recruiting of Paris, going to the prison, as guards, the masks, the shootout, Capt Bledsoe, the guns, the fight? Paris, her character, killer, speaking in French?
8. The explanation of the strategy, the team possessing Luther’s capture, Gabriel, the confrontations, arrogant personality, his troops, the escape, his possessing the other part of the capture? The explanation of the timing, the split second timing?
9. The background of locating the sunken vessel, the issue of the key, who had the keys? The compass points, the technology, the submarines, Hunt and the various ships, the explanation of the dangers, the cold, compression, revival? The captain of the ship, getting the information, the code? The Admiral supervisor, the collaboration?
10. The team, going to St Matthew Island, the discovery of William Donloe, his wife, his presence 30 years earlier, his achievement on the island? The arrival of the Russians, the buildup to the fight, Don and his transmitting the code, his wife and Grace with the compressor for revival?
11. The long sequence of Hunt underwater, the dangers, the depths, tunnel and his having to remove his clothes, going to the top, unconscious, the revival, Grace and Donloe’s wife?
12. Washington, the dilemmas for the the president, the personalities of her team, the timing, her reliance on Hunt? Different advisers, the decision about bombing the American city, the advisers with the gun, his being shot, the general killed?
13. The tension with Hunt, Gabriel’s arrival, confrontation, his men the shooting, Gabriel and the plane, Hunt in pursuit, the beautiful scenery, the range of highflying stunts, possible or impossible? The battle in the sky, overcoming Gabriel, getting the peace for controlling The Entity? Parachuting down?
14. The fight, Benji wounded, Donloe and his collaboration, Benji giving the directions for the wires, Grace waiting to cut when the signal came through? Down to the final second? The achievement?
15. The president, her decision, not to destroy the town city, the power going off, coming on again, the world saved, her going to inspect the troops, her son?
16. The team, the achievement, Benji and his wound, care, Grace and Hunt?
17. The final sequence, Trafalgar Square, the world saved – did Hunt survive or was this a symbolic death sequence, his meeting once again the significant people in his team?