When you think of Mission Impossible, you likely don’t take a lot of time to consider the bigger picture. They’re all fun and entertaining, but mostly have all felt like their own individual journey. That is until The Final Reckoning, the eighth and possibly final film in the franchise. This is not only a continuation of the last film, but it also seeks to bring together Ethan Hunt’s whole history of saving the world.

When you get to the end, it makes sense to be introspective. This film does that as it brings in callbacks to all the previous films, from the 1996 original to Dead Reckoning in 2023. But does it deliver on its lofty aims? Let’s dive in.

We pick up a few months after the end of Dead Reckoning. Hunt (Tom Cruise) still has the key but he’s yet to find the missing submarine. Meanwhile, the Entity has continued to wreak havoc on the world. Ethan receives a plea from the President (Angela Bassett) to come in and give the key to the United States before it’s too late. But he still believes no nation should have that much power. He’s still determined to destroy it.

But the United States isn’t the only entity looking for Hunt. His old pal, Gabriel (Esai Morales) wants the key, too. He no longer is working for the Entity, he now wants to control the Entity himself. And he tries to put pressure on Ethan to find the source code to give him that control.

Lastly, the Entity itself is after Hunt. It sees him as its best and ultimate partner, to help it gain control and rebuild the world the way it sees fit.

All that leaves Hunt a popular man. He turns to Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames) to help find a way to stop things. Can he get it done before it’s too late?

These films are about the big set pieces. That’s the case for this last one, too, that features several creative and daring stunts. Usually, the plot falls in around those set pieces and, for the most part, that’s true here, too. But while the previous installment was nostalgic for what it meant to join the IMF, this one is nostalgic for Hunt’s personal career, and the work of his friends.

Rhames has been a constant figure in this franchise. Apart from the fourth installment—which limited him to cameo role—he’s been at the heart of the action, and a voice of conscience and reason for Ethan Hunt. That’s the role he gets to play one last time here, and his contributions to the final act really worked for me.

This film also had some fun callbacks to questions and characters from the early history of Mission Impossible. We have the return of a character featured in the first installment that was poignant and really added to this experience. The way this film and its mission ties back to the Rabbit’s Foot from Mission Impossible: III was also a lot of fun and interesting.

This is the fourth film in the franchise from director Christopher McQuarrie, who has been a great creative partner with Cruise on these films. While this final installment doesn’t reach the heights of Fallout or Rogue Nation, I found it a fun, engaging, and fitting final chapter in Hunt’s saga. It’s also a heck of a ride to kick up the summer movie season.

If you’re a fan of Mission Impossible, or just a fan of a good summer blockbuster, this is worth seeking out this Memorial Day weekend. Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning is now playing in theaters nationwide.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.