Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning brings Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) on one last mission and the social reactions to the film seem to be a bit mixed. But what they’re mixed about, I have an issue with.
We’re in the era of franchises. It isn’t a new thing, we have loved a sequel for many a decade. However, franchises mean you have to know things going into each movie. The Marvel Cinematic Universe requires you to know a lot about the universe and these characters and the Mission: Impossible franchise does the same. So when I see social reactions complaining about having to know details from all the Mission: Impossible movies, I get a bit angry.
A lot of the social reactions expressed negativity surrounding the film’s “nostalgic” aspects. It is, for all we know, the last Mission: Impossible movie. Cruise has said he’ll continue but, as of this moment, the film is being sold to us as the conclusion of Ethan Hunt’s journey. So yes, I think it is okay that a movie that is meant to be a conclusion is a bit nostalgic.
But what I really don’t love about the conversation surrounding The Final Reckoning, which is often parroted within the MCU space, is that you shouldn’t have to do “homework” before a film. On the contrary, if you’re seeing a film that is part of a franchise, it is not the film’s job to do the work for you. It’s yours.
There are 7 other films to watch before this and yes, I think if there are details you forget that The Final Reckoning brings up, that’s not necessarily the film’s fault. Now, I haven’t seen it yet, I’m seeing it later this week. But this isn’t a “new” conversation with films like this.
A franchise requires you to watch everything
With every new Marvel product, there is a conversation online about what you need to watch prior to the film. Fine, that’s at least someone doing the homework, but still, if you don’t understand something and it was part of the franchise as a whole, that’s on you. I know that it is rough when you see how many hours of movies or shows you have to watch but also, you can take your time!
In the Disney+ era of Marvel, I’ve heard people time and time again get angry that they have to watch a show like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier prior to Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*. Why? That show has important character information in it! If you love these characters, you should want to see their series and see what happens to them.
That’s what it boils down to for me. I love these characters and I love that I get so many movies with them. So I’ll happily watch the films or rewatch my favorite moments. You don’t have to be that way but complaining about a movie that doesn’t explain things already shown is just annoying to me. Again, I haven’t seen The Final Reckoning yet but this isn’t a “new” conversation. It happens nearly every time a new franchise movie comes out.
We knew that Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning was coming out for quite some time. If you didn’t have a chance to rewatch (or watch) the franchise and go into this movie, which is, as stated above, a “conclusion” and you’re mad it wants you to know things from previous movies, I just cannot help you.
(featured image: Paramount Pictures)
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