Summer Blockbusters: ‘Jurassic World: Rebirth’ and ‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ 

By Danielle Cherry 

This summer brought blockbuster films back into the theaters, filling audiences with excitement to see their favorite characters and stories back on screen. This year, the two returning blockbusters to grace our screens were: “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” and “Jurassic World: Rebirth.”

Both movies were a continuation of stories and worlds fans love, hitting every plot point that is required to make these movies what they are. For “Mission: Impossible”, it was the end of an era, and for “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” the beginning of a new journey. 

To get into the details, “Jurassic World: Rebirth” brings audiences back to a world where dinosaurs on the highway are normal. The plot of experimenting on dinosaurs continues, but now with a team of mercenaries and a scientist tasked with extracting DNA from the dinosaurs. 

What I loved about the story in “Jurassic World: Rebirth” was the sideplot of the family that gets thrown into the mission. They had such a real reaction to what seeing dinosaurs would be like and the dynamic they brought to the story was refreshing. 

Casting Jonathan Bailey and Scarlett Johansson brought a lot of controversy, but their chemistry on and off the screen was apparent. Bailey played the cute but dorky scientist with ease, quickly becoming a fan favorite on the internet, particularly for his glasses. 

My biggest problem with the movie was its similarity to the other “Jurassic World” movies. The plot had the same points, and moments in the movie felt slow or awkward. A lot of the interaction between Dr. Loomis (Bailey) and Zora (Scarlett) felt forced, despite the actors’ friendship off-screen. 

I think what brought this movie down was its lack of risk in the writing room. Visually, it was stunning to see the animation of the dinosaurs, but the way the characters reacted to the dinosaurs and interacted with each other felt forced and unrealistic. Conversation between characters felt callused and only added plot rather than sharing emotions of the characters. 

Despite these flaws, the action sequences had me gripping my seat and screaming in terror. One performance that added to the tension was Manel Garcia-Rulfo’s portrayal of Reuben. His reactions to the dinosaurs and chemistry with his family were genuine. I felt his fear and began to care more for their safety than the main cast of characters and their success. 

To continue with tension gripping films, “Mission: Impossible -The Final Reckoning” was a stunning story, wrapping up all the loose ends of the “Mission: Impossible” series. Tom Cruise put his heart and soul into this movie’s production and stunt presentation, which is evident on the screen. 

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) faces his final mission and his greatest enemy. Continuing the story from “Dead Reckoning,” Hunt tries to stop the rogue AI weapon, The Entity, from destroying the human race. 

The stunts in this film were truly incredible, working in tight underwater environments and dizzying aerial heights. The filming of these impossible stunts was phenomenal from a technical standpoint and looked dramatic onscreen.

Tom Cruise deserves all the credit for the stakes of this movie, being willing to go far beyond what normal actors are willing to do with stunts. Christopher McQuarrie and the film crew also deserve credit for breaking past filming limitations and making it possible to film what once seemed impossible. 

What truly amazed me about “The Final Reckoning” was the span of the story it covered. The opening sequence does a beautiful job of reorienting the viewer on everything that has occurred, not just in part one of the story, but in the franchise as a whole. Seeing decades worth of cinema woosh across the screen was a brilliant way to show the viewer how far this franchise has come. 

The cast of characters in this film really brings the movie to a whole other emotional level. Grace brings heart to the film, coaxing out softer moments in Ethan. Grace’s empathy and compassion complement Ethan’s determination to save the world and his friends. Every character in this film elevated Ethan’s resolve to fight to save humanity and allowed Cruise the opportunity to explore a deeper level of emotion within Hunt.  

It is crazy to think that the “Mission: Impossible” franchise has come to a close. This is it, the final time we will see Ethan Hunt rescue the world. But this film ended in a way that shows the heart behind every Mission film: the viewers. Cruise expresses that through the creation of each new movie, he desires to see the audiences excited about the work. Great care was taken in creating a storyline that resonates with the audience. 

With every action set piece and jaw-dropping stunt, “Mission: Impossible” has brought viewers along on a journey that has spanned 28 years, continuing a character and plot that consistently impresses on screen and drives audiences back to the theater. The Final Reckoning” is a must-see for all “Mission: Impossible” fans, and a beautiful film to watch even on its own.

Overall, “Jurassic World: Rebirth” and “Mission: Impossible” bring audiences back to the worlds they love, filling viewers with nostalgia and excitement at the tense sequences unfolding. The films have different genres, but share a dedicated fanbase and filmmakers who desire to entertain their audience. 

“Jurassic World: Rebirth” and “Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning” coming soon to streaming. 

Danielle Cherry is a sophomore communication major and writer for Cedars A&E and Sports. She is a Missionary Kid from Germany and loves to travel and talk about Marvel.

Images courtesy of Universal Studios and Paramount Pictures