The most recent Hollywood action film I watched was Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025), directed by Christopher McQuarrie. This movie is the eighth and might be the final entry in the Mission Impossible franchise, and it pushes the boundaries of action spectacle. For this analysis, I chose the biplane chase sequence over South Africa, which occurs near the climax (from 2:12:56). It’s arguably the most jaw-dropping stunt in the series and a perfect example of how contemporary action cinema uses mise-en-scène and editing to create intensity.
In my screengrab, Ethan Hunt is hanging onto the wing strut of a vintage biplane, wind tearing at his clothes, while another plane looms in the background. The mise-en-scène is striking: The frame is filled with natural daylight, emphasizing realism and danger. Warm earth tones of the African landscape contrast with the metallic planes, creating visual tension. The planes themselves are central props, symbolizing ‘old-schoolness’ in a digital age. The open sky becomes an ecological space of risk – there’s no safety net, only gravity. Ethan’s rugged flight jacket and goggles evoke classic adventure tropes, while Gabriel’s sleek black attire signals menace and control. This setting intensifies the stakes: the emptiness below makes every movement life-or-death, and the realism grounds the spectacle.
I analyzed about one minute of this sequence and counted about 40 cuts, which aligns with Bordwell’s concept of intensified continuity-shorter shot lengths, rapid reframing, and dynamic camera moves. The POV shifts constantly: wide aerial shots are used as establishment shots to reveal geographical location, tight close-ups show Ethan’s grip slipping, Gabriel’s gun, and the plane’s instruments, and occasional subjective shots mimic Ethan’s perspective, heightening immersion. The camera movement feels mostly seamless-tracking and crane shots maintain spatial clarity-but the sheer speed of cutting makes you aware of the edits. You notice because the rhythm increases during moments of action, syncing with sound cues and Ethan’s physical struggle.
The violence here is spectacular but bloodless. It’s about risk and endurance, not gore. Ethan fights Gabriel mid-air, using improvisation instead of brute force. Gender roles remain traditional protraying Ethan as the male hero-but Grace (Hayley Atwell) plays a crucial role earlier, piloting and strategizing, which reflects Tasker’s observation of evolving female agency in action cinema. The female president also is a good look. The IMF team’s diversity adds racial representation, though the climax centers on Ethan and Gabriel. Ability is framed through physical prowess and mental resilience; Ethan’s aging body versus impossible odds, reinforcing the “musculinity” Tasker critiques. The ecology of the scene; the open sky, roaring engines, and thin air dictates the choreography. It justifies rapid cuts and shifting POV.
This scene exemplifies trends in modern action films. Cutting et al. show that shot lengths have shortened over decades to match human attentional patterns, explaining the breathless pace here. Bordwell’s framework applies perfectly – close framings, roaming cameras, and rapid edits amplify tension while preserving clarity. Tasker’s analysis of action cinema’s gender politics helps interpret Grace’s active role and Ethan’s hypermasculine endurance as part of the genre’s evolving dynamics.
According to Box Office Mojo and industry reports, The Final Reckoning grossed about $598.8 million worldwide, with a production budget of $300–400 million. It had the largest opening weekend in franchise history ($64M domestic, nearly $200M global in three days), though it fell short of Fallout’s record.
Do films like this affect viewers? Research suggests possible long-term effects. Anderson and Bushman’s meta-analysis links violent media exposure to increased aggressive thoughts, while Carnagey et al. show desensitization; lower physiological responses to real violence after repeated exposure. Gerbner’s cultivation theory adds that heavy viewing can foster a “mean world” perception. While one movie won’t make someone violent, these patterns matter at a societal level.
The biplane chase in Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning demonstrates how action cinema combines mise-en-scène, editing, and physical spectacle to create intensity. Its rapid cutting, dynamic camera work, and tactile realism reflect broader trends in Hollywood: intensified continuity, escalating stunts, and evolving gender roles. Whether these stylistic choices have real-world consequences is debated, but the research suggests we should be mindful of how often we consume violent imagery.
References
• Bordwell, D. (2002). Intensified continuity: Visual style in contemporary American film. Film Quarterly, 55(3), 16–28.
• Cutting, J. E., DeLong, J. E., & Nothelfer, C. E. (2010). Attention and the evolution of Hollywood film. Psychological Science, 21(3), 432–439.
• Tasker, Y. (1993). Spectacular Bodies: Gender, Genre, and the Action Cinema. Routledge.
• Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2001). Effects of violent media on aggression. Psychological Science, 12(5), 353–359.
• Carnagey, N. L., Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2007). The effect of video game violence on physiological desensitization. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 43, 489–496.
• Gerbner, G. (1980). Cultivation theory. Journal of Communication, 30(3), 172–194.
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