There were huge expectations riding on Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning as the last movie in this long-running action franchise, and for the most part, the sequel delivered a very entertaining and compelling story. Despite being the lowest-rated Mission: Impossible movie since Christopher McQuarrie came on board, there’s plenty to enjoy about the non-stop action blockbuster.
However, after rewatching The Final Reckoning a few months after release, there are some details about Ethan Hunt’s final showdown with Gabriel that don’t quite add up. It’s easy to overlook the intricacies of Hunt’s complex plan during the first watch, as The Final Reckoning’s action set pieces do a brilliant job of stealing your attention, but the spectacle hides some unfortunate flaws.
Ethan Hunt’s Mission In The Final Reckoning Has Logistical Issues
It’s no secret that The Final Reckoning is one of the worst-reviewed Mission: Impossible movies, and much of the criticism comes from the story’s logical inconsistencies and plot holes. Nobody is doubting Ethan Hunt’s ability as a world-class spy, but there are some gaps in his plan that really make the audience question whether he actually knows what he’s doing.
The entire mission, from Ethan’s infiltration of the submarine to his final showdown with Gabriel, including Grace and Benji’s attempts to capture the Entity within Luther’s physical drive, relies entirely on the timing being perfect. Ethan makes a huge deal about this point, concluding that only Grace would be capable of making it work because of her impeccable timing.
Unfortunately, this just doesn’t seem like the kind of plan that Ethan would go for. It’s unnecessarily complex and illogical, and it feels like it was created exclusively to create tension. There must have been a simpler and more efficient way to capture the Entity and trick Gabriel, but this is simply the one that would have audiences on the edge of their seats.
This overreliance on tension and timing has never really been Hunt’s style, as he’s typically willing to trust his instincts and act spontaneously if he needs to. Not to mention, he’s a master of deception and disguise; there’s no doubt he would have been able to get the Podkova from Gabriel without putting everybody’s lives in danger at the same time.
Throughout the Mission: Impossible series, the audience can always put their trust in Hunt. Even when he’s acting erratically and his plans aren’t entirely clear, it’s crucial for the franchise’s format that the audience believes he’s a genius with everything under control. His plan in The Final Reckoning doesn’t really give that impression. It’s far too contrived and inefficient, even if it does end up working as intended.
Admittedly, there may be a narrative reason for Hunt’s poor planning in The Final Reckoning. It was likely the film’s intention to leave the protagonist out of his depth, putting flaws in his plan to make Gabriel seem more powerful. Grace’s criticism of Hunt’s plan seems to evidence this; the writers are speaking directly to the audience through her, acknowledging the silliness of the plan.
Unfortunately, this isn’t quite enough to justify hanging the entire franchise’s finale on a scheme that just doesn’t make sense. For such a high-intensity action franchise, and one with intricate plots at that, The Final Reckoning does a poor job of getting audiences invested in that third-act showdown between Hunt and Gabriel, because the film is ultimately relying on them understanding an incomprehensible plan.
Ethan Hunt’s Initial Plan Relies Too Heavily On Gabriel Putting The Poison Pill In The Podkova
Beyond the unlikely timing of Hunt’s submarine mission and Grace’s superhuman capture of the Entity, Hunt’s plan also falls apart insofar as it fundamentally relies on something that he simply chooses not to do. The whole reason he instructs Grace and Benji to trap the Entity in Luther’s device is so that when Gabriel gets his hands on the Podkova, the poison pill will kill it.
However, when Hunt finally tracks down Gabriel in The Final Reckoning’s ending, the entire plan changes. Instead of giving Gabriel the Podkova and tricking him into inserting the poison pill, Hunt has to complete the procedure himself without conferring with the rest of his team back in the bunker.
For a plan that relies so heavily on timing and communication, it’s frankly a miracle that Hunt managed to change the plan by himself without ruining everything. It’s all very convenient, and this convenience can easily take the audience out of the movie by allowing them to question the logistics of everything on-screen.
Mission: Impossible has typically been very good at avoiding plot holes in the past, but the conclusion of The Final Reckoning feels very rushed and inconclusive in comparison. There’s clearly a reason that Hunt had to be separated from the rest of his team — to increase tension and allow for that brilliant stunt plane sequence — but it ultimately causes logistical problems that The Final Reckoning isn’t sure how to answer.
