Latest news with #DeadReckoningPartTwo
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The repetitive, decadent end is nigh in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning
For almost 30 years, we've watched as Tom Cruise's daredevil secret agent Ethan Hunt has dangled from helicopters, scaled dizzying heights, and ripped off who-knows-how-many rubbery masks. But now, as the series' villains so love to say, it's all coming to an end. We bid goodbye to Ethan and his buddies at the IMF (Impossible Missions Force, not to be mistaken for the International Monetary Fund), their high-gadgets and Byzantine heists, and those interchangeable globe-trotting plots that always seem to involve the team being disavowed and going rogue. For one last time, the world finds itself faced with the threat of nuclear war, and its only hope is one lucky adrenaline junkie and his willingness to risk life and limb for our amusement. Some kind of recap is probably in order. Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning (originally titled Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part Two) is a direct sequel to the commercially underperforming Dead Reckoning Part One, which introduced a global bogeyman in the form of a media-manipulating, truth-warping 'parasitic AI' called the Entity. It was an unusually topical threat for a series that had, in previous entries, kept itself to the world of nominally apolitical post-Cold War spy fantasy. Most of Dead Reckoning involved Ethan and the IMF team trying to get hold of a MacGuffin-esque key and keep it out of the hands of the Entity's human minions, who were led by the mystery man Gabriel (Esai Morales). The Final Reckoning picks up some time later. The Entity has infected the internet with misinformation, sowing geopolitical discord and inspiring a doomsday cult. Erika Sloane (Angela Bassett), who was last seen as a steely CIA director in the terrific Mission: Impossible—Fallout, is now the President of the United States. Ethan, who is still in possession of the key, has been lying low in London while the ailing IMF computer wizard Luther (Ving Rhames) works out a plan to destroy the Entity. Said plan will, as one exposition-spouting character puts it, probably lead to the 'total eradication of cyberspace.' The alternative, favored by the U.S. government, is to try to control the Entity, which was already revealed in the earlier film to be an American cyberweapon run amok. One can safely assume this is a very bad idea. Laying on the callbacks, flashbacks, and flash-forwards, The Final Reckoning moves at a hectic pace, but takes a while to set up the stakes. Ethan and the IMF crew—perpetually worried Benji (Simon Pegg), recent addition Grace (Hayley Atwell), and antagonists-turned-recruits Paris (Pom Klementieff) and Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis)—must find a Russian submarine that sank in the Arctic, use the key to recover a hard drive infected with an earlier version of the Entity, and use said hard drive to wipe out the AI before it manages to take control of the world's nuclear arsenals, all while trying to outmaneuver Gabriel, who's fallen out of the Entity's good graces and developed some megalomaniacal plans of his own. Or something like that. Brian De Palma's stylish Mission: Impossible established the series as an auteur sandbox, transforming as it was passed from one director to another, but the later entries, all capably helmed by Christopher McQuarrie, have turned it into an showcase for Cruise's crowd-pleaser philosophy, a stunt-filled star text that appears to resist a serious ideological reading. (Unlike with James Bond, there has never been much of a conversation about what values Ethan Hunt might represent.) The plots are all easy to confuse, not only because they tend to be filled with double-crosses and disguises, but because past a certain point they are all basically the same plot. It's this recycled plot framework that has allowed the Mission: Impossible movies to develop something like a thematic throughline. The villains of these films are arms dealers, double agents, Machiavellians, extremists who want to bring about the end times. They represent some kind of collective cynicism or nihilism that the series has, increasingly, connected to the idea of a technology-dependent civilization. What the IMF represents, as the opposing force, is some individualistic mix of ingenuity and foolhardiness, or whatever illogical drive has repeatedly led Cruise to perform his own stunts. They may have their own arsenal of high-tech, sci-fi gadgetry, but, as one of the series' more reliable tropes dictates, the gadgets usually end up breaking down, necessitating some improvisation on the part of our heroes. McQuarrie and his co-writer, Erik Jendresen, aren't operating in ignorance here. They play with analog nostalgia (Ethan's signature self-destructing briefing comes on a VHS tape this time around) and anxieties about digitization, and make some strained attempts to connect the plot and characters of this film to earlier entries in the series, going all the way back to the first one. This inspires a little too much dialogue about self-actualization and destiny, which is mostly lost in a script that comes to involve a lot of invented techno-babble, various governmental intrigues, and a doomsday vault that contains all of the world's accumulated knowledge. Not that most of us are really watching these films for the story particulars or simplistic subtexts. It's the awesome setpieces that have made Mission: Impossible into something of an institution, and though The Final Reckoning doesn't top any of the series' highs, it does deliver its share of spectacle. Ethan's trip into the lost Russian sub—a largely wordless sequence that involves some really elaborate rotating sets—is a standout, as is the over-the-top climax, which combines a ticking atomic bomb, improvised surgery, and sleight-of-hand with an extended biplane duel (something we don't really get enough of in today's Hollywood movies). There are, as before, gnarly brawls, suspenseful close calls, narrow escapes, death-defying leaps, shenanigans involving parachutes, and knife fights. Over and over, Ethan Hunt keeps asking for one more chance, a little more time, a little faith, like an addict whose fix is saving the world. Sure, it gets repetitive, and as one of the most expensive productions in history (the reported budget was around $400 million), it inevitably smacks of an imperial industry in decadent decline. But somewhere into the nearly three-hour runtime, the movie passes that crucial point where a critic stops taking notes and decides to simply enjoy themselves. The end is nigh, and it's mostly a good time. Director: Christopher McQuarrie Writer: Christopher McQuarrie, Erik Jendresen Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Tramell Tillman, Angela Bassett, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Charles Parnell, Mark Gatiss, Rolf Saxon, Lucy Tulugarjuk Release Date: May 23, 2025 More from A.V. Club Doctor Who does Eurovision in space Deborah plays angel and devil in Hacks' latest twofer There goes Foo Fighters' new drummer
Pink Villa
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Final Destination Bloodlines Box Office Day 9 India: Horror sequel holds strong with Rs 2.4 crore, eyes bigger milestones
Final Destination: Bloodlines continued its impressive run at the Indian box office today (Day 9, second Friday), earning Rs 2.40 crore and bringing its total domestic collection to Rs 34.8 crore. The sixth installment of the long-running supernatural horror film was released in Indian cinemas on May 15 and has shown strong legs throughout, despite facing partial competition from Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two. The film earned Rs 30 crore in its first week and then added another Rs 2.4 crore on Day 8 and Day 9 each, setting the stage for a promising second weekend. This is a remarkable performance for a niche horror title, especially considering that the Final Destination franchise traditionally caters to a cult audience rather than mainstream moviegoers in India. Final Destination: Bloodlines day-wise collection breakdown: Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, Final Destination: Bloodlines marks the resurrection of the decades-spanning franchise after a 14-year hiatus. Written by Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor, based on a story co-developed with Jon Watts, the film stars Kaitlyn Santa Juana as a college student plagued by deadly visions inherited from her grandmother. The cast also features Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Anna Lore, Brec Bassinger, and franchise veteran Tony Todd. The film's road to release was not smooth. Initially developed as a streaming title for HBO Max, Warner Bros. Pictures later opted for a theatrical release, sensing the potential for box office success. Shot in Vancouver between March and May 2024, the production faced delays due to the SAG-AFTRA strike but managed to stay on course for its May 2025 global release. Globally, the film has received strong reviews and has so far grossed over USD 121.2 million, making it the best-reviewed and highest-earning entry in the franchise. In India, the positive critical reception and the growing fan base for horror cinema have contributed to its sustained momentum at the box office. With Rs 34.80 crore in the bank and a relatively solid run ahead, Final Destination: Bloodlines is well-positioned to breach the Rs 40 crore mark in the coming days.
Pink Villa
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Mission Impossible 8 Box Office Day 5 India Trends: Tom Cruise starrer struggles to maintain pace; expected to net Rs 5.5 crore
Tom Cruise's last outing as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is experiencing a lukewarm reception in India despite being the concluding chapter of a high-octane action franchise. On its fifth day today, the film is expected to net approximately Rs 5.5 crore, bringing its total collection in the market to an estimated Rs 47.5 crore. This trajectory, while decent, falls short of expectations for a film of such scale and global recognition. Released in India on Saturday, May 17, the film kicked off with promising figures, making Rs 15.5 crore on day one, followed by a slight rise to Rs 15.75 crore on Sunday. However, Monday saw a sharp decline to Rs 5.75 crore, and Tuesday followed the same downward trend with an estimated Rs 5 crore. Wednesday's estimate indicates another pull in the Rs 5 crore range. The absence of major local releases offered The Final Reckoning a clear runway at the box office. Yet the film's performance has remained below par compared to what was expected based on the draws previous installments registered in the territory. While its loyal fanbase and brand value have ensured a respectable turnout, the lack of significant buzz and limited word of mouth appear to have restrained its overall impact. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the film serves as the eighth and final chapter in the franchise. Originally conceived as Dead Reckoning Part Two, the title was later changed to The Final Reckoning. Cruise is joined by returning cast members Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Henry Czerny, alongside new faces and high-stakes action set pieces shot across the UK, Malta, South Africa, and Norway. With a production budget reportedly in the range of USD 300 to 400 million, The Final Reckoning ranks among the most expensive films ever produced. To turn a profit, it will have to make at least USD 1 billion, and India's contribution to the total, based on the current traction, will be insignificant. MI8 world premiered in Tokyo on May 5, followed by an out-of-competition screening at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14. It will release in the US on May 23. Maybe once the Western audience approves the venture, the excitement will invite Indian viewers into theaters. For now, all eyes are on the upcoming weekend to see if the film can revive the diminishing hopes of a Rs 100 crore-plus finish in India.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tom Cruise says he had to 'train himself to breathe' for intense Mission: Impossible 8 stunts: 'There were times I would pass out physically'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie went all out for the last installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise. "There would be a day in Africa - any day in Africa - where Tom would go out and do something that topped anything he had ever done before," McQuarrie told Empire. "I truly want to puke thinking about the stress. It was intense.' "When you stick your face out, going over 120 to 130 miles an hour, you're not getting oxygen," Cruise explained. "So I had to train myself how to breathe. There were times I would pass out physically; I was unable to get back into the cockpit." Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, previously titled Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two, follows IMF agent Ethan Hunt as he attempts to destroy a dangerous AI known as The Entity. The first trailer was released in January, which sees Cruise hang from a biplane, engage in several high-octane fights, and do a series of death-defying underwater stunts. It's also worth mentioning that the film has a budget of $400 million, making it one of the most expensive films ever made - which makes sense for the last installment of one of the biggest action franchises ever. The cast includes Hayley Atwell, Vanessa Kirby, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Angela Bassett, Nick Offerman, and Pom Klementieff. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning hits theaters on May 23. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies in 2025, or, check out our complete list of movie release dates.
