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This article contains spoilers for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Following numerous postponements caused by the COVID-19 outbreak and labor disputes in 2023 from both the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning has at last premiered in cinemas. Known as the concluding chapter to a tale that started 29 years ago with the first Mission: Impossible movie, The Final Reckoning strives to create a more expansive mythology for what was initially a series of individual action films, all tied together by lead actor Tom Cruise. Although responses have generally been favorable, some critics argue that the film leans too much on explanations and references to previous movies.

Endgame. Nevertheless, the issues with Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning have been accumulating for years, and in this seemingly last Ethan Hunt adventure, they have surfaced at long last.

Fan-Service Galore in ‘Mission: Impossible’

Just before “The Final Reckoning” hit the big screen, the brilliant mind behind it all, Christopher McQuarrie, shared some intriguing insights with The Hollywood Reporter. Here’s my take on what he said, from a movie enthusiast’s perspective:

As I eagerly awaited the premiere of “The Final Reckoning”, I found myself drawn to the behind-the-scenes tidbits shared by its creator, Christopher McQuarrie. In an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he hinted at some fascinating aspects of the movie’s making process that only served to heighten my anticipation.

Fan service and fandom can be potent, even harmful if overused. It’s best to use it sparingly as a powerful seasoning. If you’ve watched other movies, that’s wonderful, but I don’t assume it. The problem with too many callbacks is that they distract from the current storyline, making viewers remember another narrative and then return.

In light of how extensively “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” drew on elements from previous films, it’s somewhat ironic and slightly hypocritical for one to claim that McQuarrie used the callbacks sparingly in this installment. To put it mildly, he was quite liberal with them in “The Final Reckoning”. Notably, Rolf Saxon reappears as William Donloe, a CIA analyst from the original “Mission: Impossible”, who was previously moved to Alaska and now takes on a pivotal role once again. Interestingly, Donloe returns Ethan Hunt’s knife from the first movie, imbuing it with emotional weight even though it holds little practical significance for Ethan in the current storyline.

In the movie, they ultimately clarify what The Rabbit’s Foot was – a mysterious element from Mission: Impossible III that J.J. Abrams deliberately left unexplained as it held little relevance to the story. However, in The Final Reckoning, it appears they understand viewers might not recall every detail about past films, so they often revisit earlier installments to refresh our memory, implying they haven’t done enough to establish this revelation effectively.

The attempt to mold “Mission: Impossible” in the style of a Marvel film presents a challenge due to its focus on action over extensive plot and character development, which is a hallmark of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While this works well for a series of independent adventure movies, where viewers primarily remember the spectacular stunts, creating a mythology for a franchise whose plots have been criticized as overly complex since 1996 can be tricky. This is particularly true when the narrative relies on material that fans may not recall, leading to excessive exposition in “The Final Reckoning,” much like “Captain America: Brave New World” that heavily referenced events from “Eternals” and “The Incredible Hulk,” two of the least successful films in the Marvel franchise.

As a fan, I must admit that “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” doesn’t quite match up to the over-the-top plot twists of “Spectre” or the emotional climax of “Avengers: Endgame.” Unlike these films, the Mission: Impossible franchise has never been about a grand finale. Instead, each installment feels like a fresh adventure for Ethan Hunt.

Watching “The Final Reckoning,” I couldn’t help but feel that it was put together following the less-than-stellar box office performance of its predecessor, “Dead Reckoning.” It seems as though the filmmakers were trying to piece together a finale for the franchise that they only recently decided to conclude.

This Has Become a Problem Over the Past Few ‘Mission: Impossible’ Films

Enjoying the first five Mission: Impossible movies was exciting because each film showcased a different director’s unique take on the story. Directors such as Brian De Palma, John Woo, J.J. Abrams, Brad Bird, and Christopher McQuarrie all added their individual style to the series. While some elements recurred, like Ving Rhames playing Luther or Simon Pegg as Benji, or Ghost Protocol continuing Ethan’s wife’s storyline from Mission: Impossible III, most of these movies were self-contained stories. The leadership of the IMF changed in each film, with no mention of past leaders, making the position more precarious than the Defense Against the Dark Arts role in Harry Potter.

McQuarrie took over as the main director for multiple Mission: Impossible films starting with Fallout, a movie often regarded as the best in the series. He has been responsible for directing Dead Reckoning and The Final Reckoning as well. This is where McQuarrie starts to adopt a more interconnected approach to filmmaking, shifting the series from self-contained stories towards a broader mythology that ultimately concludes with The Final Reckoning. This interconnectedness becomes evident in Fallout, which serves as a direct sequel to Rogue Nation, with most of the team reprising their roles, excluding Jeremy Renner’s Brandt. Additionally, the film’s antagonist, Solomon Lane (played by Sean Harris), returns, marking a first for the series. Furthermore, Fallout sees the return of Ethan Hunt’s wife, Julia (portrayed by Michelle Monaghan), to provide some resolution.

In addition, Alanna Mitsopolis, or The White Widow (played by Vanessa Kirby), is also introduced in the film. Following production, her character was revised to be Max’s (portrayed by Vanessa Redgrave) daughter from the original Mission: Impossible movie. It’s worth noting that the scene where The White Widow is introduced and their familial bond is established is done through Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR), as this scene was originally set to music but has been re-edited into a speech, so it appears she isn’t speaking. This change in continuity primarily serves as a nod to fans of the earlier films, adding minimal significance to Fallout’s narrative.

As someone who appreciates these intricate details, I’d say it’s like an unexpected delight for die-hard fans – a clever nod to the 1996 original film. In Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, they introduce Jasper Briggs (Shea Whigham), initially presented in Dead Reckoning as a US Intelligence agent pursuing Ethan Hunt. Interestingly, it turns out that he’s none other than Jim Phelps Jr., the son of Jon Voight’s character from the first Mission: Impossible film. Just in case viewers might have forgotten this character, they subtly remind us with a quick flashback to footage from the 1996 movie. It seems like a late addition to the plot, making one wonder why it wasn’t established earlier if it was significant.

Initially, the “Mission: Impossible” films were designed as self-contained stories with different directors and some recurring actors, each taking on fresh missions. This structure made the movies feel authentic adaptations of the 1960s TV series. Lately, however, the film franchise has moved away from the original TV show’s format and adopted a more interconnected storyline, resembling the narrative style of contemporary series or franchises such as “Star Wars” or the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

‘Mission: Impossible’ Has Always Been More Like Marvel Than Fans Want To Admit

Ever since 2015, after the debuts of “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Ant-Man,” and “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” fans have been comparing the MCU and the “Mission: Impossible” franchises. The debate intensified in 2018 with the releases of “Black Panther,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” and “Mission: Impossible – Fallout.” Both series seemed to reach their peak at that time. Fans often consider “Mission: Impossible” as the “adult” action franchise, focusing on realistic action sequences rather than the MCU’s heavy reliance on computer-generated imagery (CGI) for its vibrant characters. Now, with the action-packed “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” some fans might wonder if it has started to resemble what they seem to dislike about it, or if these two franchises share more similarities than fans care to acknowledge in their comparisons.

It’s clear that there are similarities between the two: neither is entirely new. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) borrows ideas from comics, while Mission: Impossible is based on a 1960s TV show. Over time, the MCU has seen numerous directors, much like how Mission: Impossible films used to be. Just as Christopher McQuarrie became the preferred director for the franchise, Joe and Anthony Russo took up the mantle for the MCU, bringing successes and challenges in equal measure. Both the MCU movies and the Mission: Impossible films often go into production without a completed script, focusing on action scenes first and shaping the story around those moments. This method has occasionally yielded great results, but also led to missteps. Interestingly, Mission: Impossible – Fallout features several actors from the MCU, including Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Katy O’Brien, and Angela Bassett.

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2025-05-29 02:33