Westcliffeâs historic Jones is among the host of American movie theaters premiering Paramount Studioâs Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning over Memorial Day weekend. This eighthâand who knows if itâs the finalâentry in the MI franchise has had a storied history, from its conception in pre-Covid years through its delayed-by-pandemic and labor-strikes production, on into its Cannes Film Festival non-competiÂtive showing on May 14.
The latter event concluded with a five-minute standing ovation for Tom Cruise, who has played MIâs Ethan Hunt since the initial release of the now iconic series in 1996. Cruise, 62, was in attendance of course, with his director and several other cast members. It has been reported that the Cannes audience demonstration of affection for the film and its star brought Cruise to tears.
There is an inevitable intertwining of Cruiseâs career trajectory and personal life with the MI filmsâ reception over these almost 30 years. It has increased with the notoriety of Cruiseâs daredevil insistence on performing his own stunts in these thriller adventure stories. Itâs not so much what cliff Ethan Hunt is motorcycling over, what plane he is jumping out of, or whatever perilous situation leaps off the silver screen to entertain us, as it is what Tom Cruise is doing. This fascination all adds to the fan and critical excitement about, immersion in, and adulation of the franchise series, including this one.
Cruise has, unusually in his career, been directly engaged in the marketing and promotion of Final Reckoningâpurportedly because of his and the studioâs commitment to seeing to it that it does not repeat the box office failure that befell the predecessor MI: Dead Reckoning, to which this is a sequel. The original title MI: Dead Reckoning Part 2 was rethought and abandoned during the delay in Final Reckoningâs release, not wanting to associate a financial flop with this continuation of the search for the keys to the AI Entity threatening to destroy humankind.
A now perennial anxiety in any case, real-world AI concerns mesh with the fantasy MI world-saving missions. But letâs not go down that rabbit hole. The real world of Paramount troubles includes Trumpâs multi-billion-dollar 60 Minutes lawsuit, the studioâs caving to federal demands that diversity and equity goals be removed from scripting and casting, a prominent producer resigning in public disgust with corporate control, and the controversial Redstones tangling with the CEOs. This politicizing of entertainment was of a sufficient mass to inspire a move to boycott Final ReckÂoning, but that has apparently fizzled out. The Jonesâ receipts over the weekend will add to the $80 to $110 million American fans will be adding to the filmâs coffers, and happily so. The need and desire to see what Hunt/Cruise are doing to save the fantasy world, and how, with a reckless abandon in live-action stunts, overcame any statement Paramount critics were advocating.
As for film reviewers and critics, they are mostly as ga-ga as the audiences who have seen Final Reckoning in Tokyo from May 5 on, and, as noted, in Cannes. Hereâs how New York Times chief film critic Manola Dargis puts it: âLogic isnât the reason movies like this exist or why we go to them, and one of the sustaining pleasures of the âMission Impossibleâ series has been its commitment to its own outrageousness. Cruiseâs stunts have always been among the most outlandish, and most memorable attractions in the seriesâŚâ In other words, weâre in for a welcome diversion in this PG-13, two hour and 49-minute hang-on-for-dear-life-and-your-Jones-theater-seat-as-well thriller.
And we have two weekends in which to enjoy it. Not only this holiday weekÂend, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., with a Sunday, May 25 2 p.m. matinee, but as well on the following Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, May 30, 31, and June 1, at the usual times.
So cruise on down Main Streetâeh eh ehâto the historic Jones and be part of MI history while doing so, maybe repeatedly.
Doors open 30 minutes before showÂtime, where tickets will be available at such low prices you will think youâre part of an MI team, pulling off your greatest stunt to date.
Enjoy!
â W.A. Ewing
