It is no surprise that I am a fan of Benji Dunn. The beloved Simon Pegg character joined the Mission: Impossible franchise in Mission: Impossible III and I said “I choose him” and never looked back. But I was very right for that choice as he’s the best character in the franchise.
While I have maintained this way of thinking for every movie, it is The Final Reckoning that finally gives us concrete proof that he’s the best. And without him, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) would have failed this mission (and probably countless others). So if you have been on the fence about the joy and brilliance of Benji Dunn, let me explain why he is the only reason the films work.
**Spoilers for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning lie ahead**
In The Final Reckoning, Ethan yet again relies on his team to help him succeed. Since the start of the franchise, Ethan and Luther (Ving Rhames) have been best friends and Luther has been Ethan’s guy in the chair. And while much of The Final Reckoning rightfully praises Luther’s brilliance, it also balances that by showing how important Benji Dunn is too.
Benji and Luther have always been the brains of the operation. As much as Ethan can do anything (including jumping onto planes with no parachutes), he doesn’t have the technical skill that Luther has or the scientific brain that Benji does. And in The Final Reckoning, with Luther’s poison pill being the key to stopping the Entity, they need a plan on how to use it. And who is there to help? Benji.
We get to see in real time how quick Benji can think. He’s smart, willing to sacrifice himself to help, and he’s the only real reason the team succeeds. It’s him and Luther!
The trio is incredibly important
Each part of Ethan’s team works because they are necessary, especially that core trio. Without Luther’s poison pill, Ethan doesn’t stand a chance against the Entity. If Benji didn’t think of way of trapping the Entity, they’d destroy life as we know it. And if Ethan Hunt could not go and get the source code for the Entity from a sunken sub, there’d be no mission at all.
Each brings an important skill to the table and that is why they worked so well together. And in Luther’s final act, he makes sure that Ethan and Benji have the tools they need to succeed. But I love that it is Benji who is the brains behind their success this time. He figures out how they can win and Ethan trusts him enough to make this all work.
So yes, it is great to see a character I know and love being successful and the best part of The Final Reckoning but also I have always felt like Benji is the MVP of the entire franchise. It just helps that in this movie, he really is why they end up winning in the end. So here is to Benji Dunn, my most perfect boy.
(featured image: Paramount Pictures)
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