Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

 Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is the second part of Dead Reckoning Part One, which released in 2023. Part One was solid—it did a good job of setting the stage for this continuation. I won’t go into the storyline here since that’s easily available online anyway.

Tom Cruise is a true superstar. As someone who follows the Telugu film industry, I understand the power of star pull—and Cruise absolutely has it. Unlike Indian cinema, where stars drive the box office, Hollywood tends to be more studio- and director-driven. In recent years, it’s been dominated by superhero franchises, where the idea of a “star” gets overshadowed by capes and CGI. But Tom Cruise, along with a few others like Brad Pitt and Hugh Jackman (yes, he’s also technically a superhero), still stands out. Just look at Top Gun: Maverick—it made a staggering $1.4 billion. Yes, it had strong direction, music, and a solid story, but it was Cruise’s star power that made it a massive hit.

The Mission: Impossible films are Cruise’s signature action-packed spy thrillers. Audiences flock to them not just for the story or action, but to watch Tom Cruise perform those heart-racing stunts for real. In the last movie, he pulled off one of his wildest stunts yet—riding a motorbike off a cliff. I saw the behind-the-scenes footage, and it was mind-blowing how many times they rehearsed that one-minute scene. That kind of dedication shows he never takes the audience for granted. It’s why he’s one of the last true stars in Hollywood.

Coming to Part Two—this film picks up where Part One left off. For the first several minutes, it’s mostly story and dialogue with very little action. I honestly felt a bit bored. We already know who the villain is—an AI called "The Entity"—so the rest of the plot becomes fairly predictable. We've seen AI villains before, and there’s not much freshness to the idea. It’s hard to build emotional tension with a faceless enemy, even though they try to bring in a human element through the character Gabriel.

There’s a long underwater sequence where Ethan tries to retrieve the “Podkova” module, which is central to the plot. It has its tense moments, but it felt overly stretched. And the much-talked-about airplane stunt with biplanes? While it’s impressive that Cruise did those stunts himself, it didn’t quite match the thrill of his earlier work—either from previous Mission: Impossible films or Top Gun: Maverick.

Honestly, the film feels unnecessarily long. I think the entire story could’ve been told in one movie without dragging so many scenes. That said, there are a few interesting character additions and some loose ends from earlier films that are tied up cleverly.

I also heard this is the most expensive Mission: Impossible film ever made. I really hope it does well financially, because movies like this are important—especially when the film industry is going through a tough phase.

The cast is solid. Ving Rhames shows a different side of his character, which I liked. Simon Pegg is excellent as always. Hayley Atwell’s character felt inconsistent, and her relationship with Ethan isn’t clearly developed. The editing could have been tighter—several scenes needed trimming.

In short, if you're expecting back-to-back action, you might come away disappointed. But if you're okay with a more emotional and story-heavy spy film, this one might work for you.

My rating: 7/10.

Thudarum

 

After Drushyam, I don’t recall Mohanlal acting in another family thriller. He’s mostly been focusing on pan-Indian or big action dramas like L2: Empuraan. While he’s done a few suspense thrillers here and there, they didn’t really fall into the family thriller category. Now, after several years, he’s back in that space with Thudarum. I wouldn’t compare it to Drushyam—even though many are drawing parallels—because this one has a unique story and a completely different screenplay. Still, it comfortably fits under the “family thriller” label.

What’s impressive is that Thudarum, made on a modest budget of around ₹30 crore, has already grossed over ₹200 crore. That kind of success clearly comes down to its strong story, direction, and screenplay.

Thanks to OTT platforms, I’ve recently been watching more Malayalam films, and honestly, the Malayalam industry feels like the Korean film industry of India. There’s a clear focus on storytelling and screenplay rather than just star power. Thudarum is another solid example of that quality. Of course, having a star like Mohanlal helps—it definitely contributed to the film’s reach and collections.

The film follows Benz, a taxi driver leading a simple life. He was once a stunt double in films, but after an accident involving a close friend, he had to leave that line of work. Now, a misunderstanding leads to his beloved taxi being seized by the police. Despite his repeated pleas, a stubborn officer, SI Benny, refuses to return the car. But Benz is determined to get it back, no matter what. That determination kicks off a series of unexpected events that shape the rest of the story—something you’ll want to experience firsthand.

True to the spirit of Malayalam cinema, Thudarum offers depth—both in characters and in the multi-layered screenplay. Each character feels real and well-developed, and the layered storytelling keeps you hooked throughout.

Mohanlal is fantastic. He completely disappears into the role of Benz. Whether it’s helplessness, frustration, quiet rage, or subtle emotion, he nails every shade. There are some commercial touches too—action scenes and fights—but they feel believable because Benz is established as a former stuntman. Shobana, who plays his wife, is excellent as always. But the real surprise is Prakash Varma as CI George Mathan. I can’t say too much without spoiling things, but his performance is one of the highlights.

Tharun Moorthy’s direction is top-notch, and the music adds to the film’s atmosphere. Editing by Nishadh and Shafeeque is sharp and crucial for a film like this—it keeps the pace tight without losing emotional depth.

Overall, Thudarum is another gem from the Malayalam industry. And with Mohanlal leading the way, the film strikes a balance between class and mass appeal. Both kinds of audiences will find something to enjoy here.

My rating: 8/10.

HIT3

 

HIT: The 3rd Case is the third installment in the HIT series, and this time, Natural Star Nani plays the lead. Nani has been on a solid streak lately—not just as an actor delivering back-to-back hits, but also as a producer, backing films like Court. He has that relatable, common-man charm, and he often says he listens to stories as an audience member first, not with any box office calculations in mind.

However, lately, he seems to be making a serious effort to rebrand himself as an action hero—with films like Dasara, Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, and now HIT 3. This film feels like another attempt in that direction, but unlike his earlier efforts, it doesn’t quite land.

In his previous films, the strength of the story helped audiences accept him in intense roles. But HIT 3 lacks that grip. It feels like a mashup of various recent movies and internet stories, without a clear, fresh voice. Director Sailesh Kolanu had an interesting premise—mystery murders happening across India—but he failed to explore the characters deeply, especially the hero and the villain.

Nani plays Arjun Sarkar, a brooding, angry cop. But we never get a proper explanation for his rage. Is it childhood trauma? Personal loss? Without those layers, his character feels forced. For someone like Nani, who’s known for his boy-next-door charm and emotional depth, we need a well-written role to justify this kind of aggression—like in Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, where his intensity was rooted in a solid backstory. That kind of writing is missing here.

The villain is another big letdown. Why cast someone just because they’re tall and muscular when they can’t even speak proper Telugu? It’s not about appearance—HIT 2 had a villain who was just a regular dental doctor, yet he sent chills down the spine with his performance. That kind of impact comes from acting, not abs.

Also, I didn’t understand the need for so many cuss words. Is it to sound edgy? It just felt unnecessary. Big action films like KGF, Leo, or Vikram have intense violence and mass appeal, but they don’t rely on foul language to make an impact. It’s possible to be gritty without being vulgar.

Another misfire is the background music by Mickey J Meyer. I'm not sure who thought he was the right choice for an adrenaline-pumping action thriller. His music is generally soothing and melodic, which doesn’t match the mood this film needed. With the right BGM, several scenes could have had a lot more impact. Also, the track between Nani and Srinidhi Shetty feels too similar to something from a recent Venkatesh film. And that scene where Srinidhi uses AI to make Nani’s mother speak through an old photo? It was awkward and out of place. I don’t know how that made it past editing.

To be fair, the screenplay has its moments, especially in the action sequences. But overall, the film leans more on stylish stunts than strong writing or emotional engagement. The final sequence dragged on too long—I found myself checking my phone until the cameo appearances showed up. Introducing the HIT 4 hero at the end was a nice idea, but if Sailesh continues in this direction, it's going to be hard to build any real excitement around the series.

This film might still do decently at the box office thanks to Nani’s popularity. But as a movie, it’s just average.

My rating: 6/10