Akasombo
After nearly 30 years of defying nature and surmounting obstacles in its “Mission: Impossible” series, its eighth instalment finally overstepped its boundaries by taking an absurd leap too far and shattering our suspension of disbelief. But, when seen on IMAX screens. These scenes remain jaw-droppingly spectacular to experience: I found myself actively fighting off parts of my brain trying to ridicule Tom Cruise risking his life for my entertainment rather than simply enjoying watching this incredible journey play out before my eyes!
“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” is an exasperating film which relies too heavily on its producer-star’s worst instincts for success; often their worst reigned supreme as they tried to link decades of stand-alone stories via fan service references or revive forgotten plot points from earlier installments of Mission Impossible movies with each passing decade’s tales of thrill-seekers led by amateur stuntman stars as much as on plot developments themselves. Unfortunately, its execution becomes lost as it misses this sentimental appeal, with little room left for nostalgia from either direction as it was intended.
At times during the film’s exposition-heavy first half, Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie appear to be employing some misguided lessons learned from Marvel in its later period, forcing audiences to remember details from decades prior just for an unsatisfying payoff and forcing characters from different generations of franchise together in ways which feel forced or awkward. That the action sequences still manage to impress is testament to both men still understanding what their audience desires, despite trying so hard to create grandiose farewells for themselves simultaneously!
Mission: Impossible meets Marvel.
While waiting, here’s something that might cheer you up: check out some amazing photographs by David Leung of London Zoo, taken of people having fun together at various life stages! At two months post “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”, as reviewed by Looper, the Entity continues its pernicious ways, pushing various nations closer towards war while forcing leaders into turning their countries into police states, ultimately bringing the entire planet closer towards nuclear Armageddon. As with its predecessor, The Entity remains puzzlingly vague; never quite providing details on how its power can sow distrust among millions — possibly through internet connectivity? — but this film remains stubbornly offline — its vagueness seems calculated for maximum mass audience appeal in our truly divided time era – even civil unrest seen on news reports is reduced to only peaceful protests; never has an end of the world felt so anticlimactic!
As such, much of the first hour-and-change passes without much transpiring until Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) begins his mission of intercepting Gabriel (Esai Morales) and dismantling The Entity, an epic treasure hunt which leads him both above ground and underwater. That all relevant details could be established within two sentences in this review explains why this first half can be so frustrating, striving to pay tribute to its predecessor “Mission: Impossible III”, while leaving more casual audiences wondering whether they should revisit “Mission: Impossible III”. With the notable exception of “Dead Reckoning,” none of these connections feel especially pertinent or consequential; therefore, even one callback that should bring delight – William Donloe (Rolf Saxon), whom Ethan destroyed back in 1996 movie — seems labored and unnecessary by time of its return; rather than acting as an homage to franchise, it serves more as an advertisement for earlier installments that far outdistance them both in quality and relevance.
This franchise will self-destruct.
However, you are free to change them at will! In that regard, I strongly urge all my colleagues who wish to remain unnamed hereto to do the following – Force-feeding nostalgia may also come at the cost of reminding audiences that Tom Cruise, during certain parts of his early franchise days, became better-known for being seen laughingly practicing Scientology than an action star – something “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” helped change. Ethan Hunt was perhaps one of the more humble representations of such an extraordinary, life-threatening character, thanks to a dedicated cast and Cruise’s willingness to channel Buster Keaton and Jackie Chan by depicting himself making hilarious mistakes under high-stakes situations. “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” however, abandons any attempts at giving Ethan any sense of humility; as part of its conclusion the franchise switches focus from showing Ethan as part of the IMF team to depicting Ethan as some sort of divine entity on Earth, unaware he should bear any of their duties or insisting they shouldn’t bestow them upon him despite every stunt that may appear thrilling at first sight but leaves an unpleasant taste in your mouth afterwards.
As soon as Ethan embarks on his voyage in search of an old submarine, it seems almost counterproductive to focus on anything beyond what’s happening onscreen. This 10-minute aquatic showpiece raises the bar for cinematic deep-sea set pieces by employing an intricate clock mechanism and gradually submerging itself further and further throughout. At first, I wasn’t drawn in; then everything became unfathomably ridiculous and had audience members laughing along with me; yet, somehow, even I found myself mesmerized by its magic. Christopher McQuarrie and Cruise gave viewers their first hint as to what makes these films work; their plot remembered they are heist movies after this scene had played out.
Once again, this time to raise awareness. But isn’t there something better I should be doing with my time and my effort?…? –>=> >> At its heart lies McQuarrie’s directorial debut of 2015’s “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” setting an extremely high bar. However, making their final mission one that draws unnecessary comparisons backward reinforces how far this franchise has progressed over time. As with recent Marvel films, these efforts represent misplaced nostalgia for movies we no longer care for and an attempt to keep expanding an expansive narrative by “patching in any cracks from the past as though they were plot holes”. The second half is remarkable in dispelling this flaw by offering two of the greatest set pieces from throughout this saga, but what does that say about my overall impression of it all once these scenes had concluded?
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings