Final Mission Impossible stays aloft thanks to cast
Throughout Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning,
Ethan Hunt is reminded that the result of every decision he has made has led
him to the dire situation he finds himself in. Sitting through the eighth installment of the franchise, one can’t help but draw the same correlation
regarding the series’ star, Tom Cruise, and director Christopher McQuarrie. In
presenting more and more complex stunts and contributing to the bloat of the
modern action film, they’ve painted themselves into a corner where delivering a
film that can top the previous ones is a daunting task. All their creative
choices and outsized ambition has led them to this.
For the most part, Reckoning delivers as it should –
the plot is wrapped up as neatly as it can be, and the stunts are so
hair-raising you end up questioning Cruise’s sanity once more. However, it does
fall victim to the franchise’s collective ambition, running for too long in an
effort to deliver on promises that are impossible to keep.
If this is the final episode in the series – of course, the
door is left open for more- it is a fitting summation of Hunt’s adventures. The
opening 45 minutes plays like a greatest hits record for the series, flashbacks
highlighting the most spectacular set pieces while reminding us of the vast
cast of characters at play. This proves
valuable as a reminder of all that’s occurred in the previous episode, as key
plot points from the 2023 feature prove critical here.
That being said, is Final’s plot all that
important? Has it ever been? At its core, the intent of these films is to
dazzle, and they have succeeded in high fashion throughout. Though seemingly
complex on the surface, they’ve all followed the same outline – there’s a
McGuffin and Hunt and his team must find it, or the world will end. It’s to
screenwriter Erik Jendresen and McQuarrie’s credit that they try to inject real
world concerns amidst all the derring-do, and this time is no exception. In the
end, they make a passionate plea for us to free ourselves from the shackles of
technology and once again engage in more meaningful human interaction.
This time out, the object everyone is after is a key that
will unlock the location of the source code for The Entity. This A.I. program has become sentient and has
grown to the point that it is controlling all of cyberspace. That would include
the means to manipulate the world’s nuclear arsenals. Hunt has the key and must
use it to retrieve the drive holding the source code which is in a Russian sub
at the bottom of the Bering Sea. He has three days to get it done or else…
The remnants of the usual crew are on board to help. Tech
wiz Luther (Ving Rhames) is on his deathbed but still able come up with a
program to erase and contain the source code. Fellow computer pro Benji (Simon
Pegg) also returns to fret and sweat, as does expert pickpocket Grace (Hayley
Atwell) and rogue assassin Paris (Pom Klementieff). Agents Briggs and Degas
(Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis) continue their pursuit of this fragmented
branch of the IMF, while President Erika Sloane (Angela Bassett) is forced to
reckon with the possibility of nuclear Armageddon if the team fails.
Final’s structure differs from its predecessors in
that it doesn’t contain as many action scenes. The number of exposition dumps
in the movie are staggering, as characters regularly remind the viewer of all
that’s happened and what needs to be done to solve the next problem. And while
this is a courtesy to the viewer to allow them to make sure they know what’s
going on, the frequency with which it happens here borders on parody. I found myself growing restless during the
first half as it is bogged down by too much talk and too much travel. At times,
it seems Hunt and his crew spend more time in the air, at sea or on dogsleds
than actually saving the world.
That being said, the set pieces are spectacular once we get
to them, Cruise and McQuarrie adhering to the high standards they’ve set for
themselves. Among the highlights is a sequence
that finds Hunt trapped in the Russian sub as it slowly rolls off an undersea
plateau, torpedoes falling around him, the hull quickly filling with water.
And, of course, the biplane duel that’s been front and center in the film’s ad
campaign, Hunt and bad guy Gabriel (Esai Morales) defying physics and logic as
they fall through the sky. More than any
other stunt in the franchise, you really see Cruise put through his paces with
this one.
Like so many modern action films, Final is far too
long. While other Missions have rivaled its running time, they’ve never
flirted with overstaying their welcome. That’s not the case here; the film is
in dire need of tightening, especially during the final act, the notion that
only 25 minutes are left before doomsday occurs becoming a joke as the action
goes on and on and on. (The fact that Jendresen and McQuarrie don’t give us the
background regarding Hunt and Gabriel’s past is particularly nettlesome in
light of so much time being spent on other extraneous matters.)
Still and all, Final is worth seeing, especially in
the theater. Cruise has always taken pride in delivering movies that can only
be truly appreciated on the big screen and this is no exception. And while
other films may attempt to impress with complex car chases, massive explosions
and seemingly never-ending fights, what’s always separated the Mission Impossible
films from the others is their humor and intelligence. As much as the
spectacular stunts, the clever twists and the knowing wink all involved have employed
have made this franchise memorable. But, in the end, it’s the characters that
have given it heart and they will be sorely missed. In theaters.
Familiar Rodeo hobbled by obvious approach
There’s nothing subtle about any of the films Angel Studios
produces and its latest, The Last Rodeo, is no exception. Specializing in faith-based entertainment,
the company, via promotions through churches and fervent word-of-mouth
campaigns, has a steadily growing following that enables them to turn a profit
on its ham-fisted movies. As for Rodeo, it’s better than most of their
efforts, thanks in large part to veteran director Joe Avnet’s (Fried Green
Tomatoes) work, as well as a cast of seasoned professionals who bring a
sincerity to its simplistic story.
The script by Avent, star Neal McDonough and writer Derek
Presley goes out of its way to focus on modern concerns of the common man to
connect with the audience. At its center is a plight far too familiar to many.
Young Cody Wainwright (Graham Harvey) has a brain tumor that needs to be
removed. His mother’s (Sarah Jones) insurance will only cover part of the
procedure and, as a result, will saddle her with a debilitating debt of over
$200,000.
Her father, Joe (McDonough), is unable to help financially
but sets out to raise the money, at potentially great harm to himself. A former
champion rodeo rider, he’s been invited to participate in the PBR Legends
Tournament, the first prize being $750,000. Having been a three-time champion,
he knows the ins-and-outs of the rodeo game. That is, he did 15 years ago, when
he last competed. And of course there’s the issue of his advanced years; being
in his mid-50s, he’s twice the age of some of his competitors and simply
doesn’t bounce back the way he once did.
Avent keeps this all-too-familiar story moving at a brisk
pace, which prevents us from dwelling on the improbabilities playing out before
us. That real-life rodeo riders populate the supporting cast lend a sense of
authenticity that’s helpful, as are behind-the-scenes glimpses of the sport. The
filmmaker’s approach to capturing the danger of competing in this arena is to
be commended as well, his camera placing us right on the back of bucking bulls
throughout.
McDonough has the quiet, steely presence necessary to hold
the center of the movie. While his stoic approach is in keeping with
traditional cowboy heroes, he’s adept at subtly conveying Joe’s fear and
doubts, going a long way towards making him sympathetic and relatable. He’s
aided by the presence of Mykelti Williamson and Christopher McDonald. The
former is Charlie Williams, an old buddy of Joe’s who found salvation in the
teachings of the Bible, which he clung to after his friend abandoned him.
Meanwhile, McDonald’s trademark shiftiness gives his role of rodeo official
Jimmy Mack a sense of uncertainty that’s effective. We’re never quite sure what
his true intentions are towards Joe, adding a level of genuine tension to the
story.
All of this is fine, yet it’s not enough to overlook the
heavy-handed approach regarding the film’s theme. Stiffly read passages from
the Bible, over-earnest pronouncements of faith and overt symbolism undercut
the movie’s theme rather than bolster it. A subtle approach lends itself to a
more sincerely delivered message, something Avnet forgets, not only in terms of
the film’s religious angle but its sense of patriotism as well.
If anything, the strength that comes from community winds up
being its strongest sentiment. While solving your problems on your own may be
the code of the old west, accepting help is an endorsement regarding the value
of your local church and congregation. Rodeo reminds us that while being
self-reliant is commendable, there are times when larger problems can only be
solved by working together. In theaters.