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A well-done final (I think?) entry in a franchise that held its own for a long time. Every time I think they can’t top the spectacle of the previous one, they figure out how, without feeling formulaic or over-the-top simply for the sake of being over-the-top. Every time something is over the top, did it NEED to be so over the top? Of course not—but they always find a way to make it appear necessary. 

Plus, let’s not forget: M:I 2 has a motorcycle fight. 

The stakes were as high as they get this time. It felt like a tense political thriller as much as it did an explosive espionage flick. I was invested and nervous for the world while watching this. Whether I mean the world of the movie, or the one we live in? I’m not entirely sure. Either way, it worked for me.

This is art.

One of the most re-watchable movies ever made, in my humble opinion.

It’s been a while since I last saw this. The acting and dialogue is clunkier and more regrettable than I ed. But it still holds up as a faithful adaptation of a really moving short story. 

It’s also a testament to why decades later, I still won’t swim in lakes or walk near railroad tracks.

The bar was set pretty high after Fallout, so it’s not a major issue that I think this one falls short of it. But it’s still a great movie with another OMG final climactic act.

I appreciate that this one, as the lead-in to the final entry, did well with making the stakes seem higher than in every other movie so far. The threat is universal and it seems …impossible. (Ugh)  

Despite the tense stakes, the setup is a bit goofy. And some of the characters and action scenes get even goofier. But it manages to stick the landing and sets up The Final Reckoning quite well.

This is truly what we want out of a top tier action/adventure movie. I hesitantly give this a full 5-star review. But I really sat with my thoughts on it. And I can’t deny the fact that this is - for its genre - about as flawless as a film can get. It has everything. 

This is not only a high point in the franchise, this is a high point in blockbuster filmmaking.

The structure feels a bit formulaic on paper at this point, but that doesn’t matter because they make it work. The story feels fresh, it’s thrilling, it’s a non-stop rollercoaster.  Alec Baldwin is the reluctant Nick Fury.

This is where the M:I series kicks into full on high-gear. This is everything I’d expect and more from these movies. This is definitely a high point in the series. Not to mention that the big stunt of this film legitimately terrifies me (but in a good way) every time I watch it.

I consider this to be the first of the M:I movies to finally find its footing - it sets the general tone that the remainder of the movies stuck with after tinkering with the franchise over the first two films. 

The stakes feel higher despite the actual plot to be a bit more grounded. I attribute that to Philip Seymour Hoffman who brings to the table what the first two movies failed to: a compelling villain. PSH was great in just about everything he was in, but he really went for it here. Was he a little hammy with how diabolical his character was? Sure, yeah he was. But ya know, he looked like he was having fun. Therefore, so was I.

This is without a doubt a John Woo movie - use that information however you see fit. 

This is the unintentionally goofiest entry in the M:I series. While it definitely increases the action from the first movie to levels we are more used to in the later films, it still had to learn to balance espionage and high-octane stuff. 

Doves, Metallica, and motorcycle fights. That pretty much sums this one up.

Of the many, many King adaptations, this might not be considered top of the list for some. But you better believe Kathy Bates proved why she’s one of the best actors in a generation before many of us even knew. It's a top-tier movie as far as I’m concerned.

Doing a full series re-watch in advance of The Final Reckoning. 

I first saw this in the theater as a kid when my mom and grandmom went shopping and I didn’t want to them. So I went to the movies at the same mall and bought a ticket for the next movie that was starting. I think it might have been the first movie I ever went to by myself.

I had no real desire to see it. I knew Mission: Impossible as “that old tv show” that would sometime air reruns. I was probably a few years too young to be the target audience. But I loved it right from the start. 

I have seen it many times over the years, but watching it now through a critical lens amid a series re-watch, it still mostly holds up. The hacking stuff is totally dated and 90s. Outside of that, it’s a tight spy thriller with lots of explosions. 

It wasn’t until a few movies into the series when we would come to expect a massive stuntperson-less stunt on the scale we expect today, but it still has a lot of kinetic action.

A boxing movie that barely focuses on the boxing. In a film full of great performances, the lead role played by Ciara Berkeley stands out above the rest. Check out my full review at MovieJawn

A solid MCU movie. A solid Spider-Man movie. Not amazing, but no major complaints. Drags a little bit in the middle, but overall good pace. Kudos for them figuring out how to pull off one of the seemingly more difficult villains to pull off in live-action.

A breath of fresh air seeing Marvel return to form after a few shaky years. I enjoy many of the films post-Endgame, but I can’t ignore the fact that the writing and visual effects dropped off - which I attribute at least in part to Disney’s last CEO Bob Chapek’s drive for pushing quantity over quality. But it appears they’re taking their time again, and it shows. Not a perfect film by any means, but the most fun I had at the theater with the MCU in over half a decade.