​“The Forever Purge” stars Ana de la Reguera, Tenoch Huerta, Josh Lucas, Cassidy Freeman, Leven Rambin, Alejandro Edda, and Will Patton. Released on July 2, 2021, the film has a couple encountering a group of terrorists with a thirst for violence.

The film was directed by Everardo Valerio Gout, who also directed the 2011 film “Days of Grace” and several episodes of the National Geographic series “Mars”. It is the fifth and final installment in the “Purge” franchise. If you thought this “night of terror” scenario is finally over, you better think again. Following the events in “Election Year”, we assumed that that would be the last time we had to endure this nightmare. But because Hollywood is still obsessed with making low-budget horror films into money-making franchises, they decided to bring this dangerous event back for one last hurrah. For our sake, let’s make sure that they stay true to their word. “The Purge” is the type of franchise that improved upon itself with its sequels after the first film failed to live up to its political-related concept. Although, they are still as flawed as the law the franchise introduced. I didn’t mind the film series in general regarding its use of disturbing imagery and tension. However, based on my experience with its prequel “The First Purge”, the weakest installment in the franchise so far, in my opinion, I felt that it’s time to put this violent journey to a close before it does any more damage to itself. I wasn’t highly excited for this one, but I was curious to see how it will conclude the franchise. With that in mind, let’s see if this latest horror sequel can end the dreadful Purge on a good note.

The story is set after the events of “Election Year”, where the presidential elections resulted in the termination of the annual Purge. However, its cancellation didn’t last very long as the New Founding Fathers of America quickly regained control of the government and brought back the event. It centers on Juan (Huerta) and Adela (Reguera), two married migrants living their new lives in Texas after escaping from the Mexican drug cartel. Juan works as a farmhand on the Tucker ranch, while Adela works in a shop near Austin. After surviving the Purge, they realized that their worries are just beginning. They encountered a bunch of cold-hearted criminals who are incredibly eager to continue the Purge illegally. Along with the Tucker family, Juan and Adela must find a way to escape the violent-filled country for good. The film takes the franchise in a somewhat different direction by having the scenario occur after the Purge instead of during the annual event like the previous films. It also provided some Hispanic and Texan flavors into the mix to emphasize its representation. Despite those changes, “The Forever Purge” is what you expect from a horror film about glorifying violence: a basic shoot-em-up involving a group of characters surviving the Purge. The previous installments offered the same premise yet managed to be enjoyably disturbing. “The Forever Purge”, on the other hand, happened to be more tasteless than fun. With everything we’re dealing with in terms of people committing senseless acts of violence, especially the United States Capital attack back in January, I believe this film hit way closer to home in the most inexcusable way possible. I’m somehow surprised that it didn’t get a boycott like “The Hunt” did a couple of years ago. As a film entirely, it’s a painfully mediocre and unnecessary follow-up that once again failed to combine its political themes, including immigration, with entertainment value. Not only was the story extremely formulaic like the previous follow-ups, but it was also uninspired and sluggish regarding its unmemorable tension and mediocre characters. The cast was okay in their roles, including Reguera and Huerta as Adela and Juan, respectively, but none of the actors stood out as the best to me. The story felt less of a well-earned conclusion and more of a “been there, done that” sequel that could lead to more installments. If you’re going to end things off on a high note, you got to have something that concludes the series on a high note. I don’t think this film has got the message. Everardo Gout did what he could to match the same style that franchise creator James DeMonaco (who also wrote the film’s screenplay) developed in terms of direction. However, his effort failed to compensate for its lifeless cinematography and low-rent lighting. The way Gout handled some of the action and disturbing imagery was also a little mundane and uncreative at times. Maybe it’s just me getting used to the franchise’s violence, but the brutalities shown here went from terrifying to boring as quickly as a collapsing society. The sense of dread and disturbance represented in the franchise was immediately lost in the fire. The film relied more on delivering the violence alone rather than making a timely and entertaining substance that reflects upon it. Even the film’s jump scares couldn’t make it even more petrifying.

Overall, “The Forever Purge” represented a psychopath with a sick mind. It’s twisted and senseless for all of the wrong reasons and needs to be locked up for its crimes against the filmmaking society. It signifies that the “Purge” series is another horror franchise that still cares more about making money than making quality films. Like “Spiral”, the follow-up made a few changes to spice things up but wound up being undeniably by-the-numbers, underwhelming, and soulless regardless. With its tasteless execution, weak direction, forgettable characters, mundane scares, and low-brow filmmaking, this is another horror sequel that appears at the bottom of my sequel barrel this year. Not only that, but it also marks another poorly-timed release regarding the circumstances we’re in now. It should make for an okay watch for fans of the franchise, but it’ll also be an absolute chore for people who are already done with it entirely.

​“The Boss Baby: Family Business” stars Alec Baldwin, James Marsden, Jeff Goldblum, Ariana Greenblatt, Eva Longoria, Amy Sedaris, Jimmy Kimmel, and Lisa Kudrow. Released on July 2, 2021, the film has Tim and the Boss Baby reuniting to investigate Tim’s daughter’s school and its mysterious founder.

The film was directed by Tom McGrath, who is known for directing the “Madagascar” films and “Megamind”, and it is a sequel to the 2017 film “The Boss Baby”, which was also directed by McGrath. It feels good to be back in business. The folks at DreamWorks Animation are expanding another franchise for the kids, and it’s in the form of a suit-wearing infant. We’re going to need a bigger diaper bag. “The Boss Baby”, which was loosely based on Marla Frazee’s 2010 book, was something that I didn’t expect to do that well with audiences regarding its concept and mixed critical reception, but wound up proving me wrong. As a result of its box office success, the film spawned a franchise with a television series on Netflix and a full-length sequel that I will be looking at this Fourth of July weekend. Because Independence Day is more than just a bunch of fireworks and explosions. Its predecessor was one of the few films from DreamWorks that I didn’t revisit that often because of its generic story and hit-and-miss humor. It offered a few amusing moments that I enjoyed, such as its animation and Alec Baldwin’s vocal performance, but everything else made it inferior to the animation studio’s top-tier gems like “Shrek” and “How to Train Your Dragon”. Fortunately, I was willing to give this concept another chance to impress me. After all, the film’s director, Tom McGrath, managed to make the “Madagascar” sequels better than the original, so there’s a good chance that he’ll do the same with his “Boss Baby” sequel. Was it another suitable choice for families this weekend, or was it something that resembles a diaper full of poop? Let’s find out.

The story is set after the events of its predecessor, where Tim (Marsden) and his younger brother, former Boss Baby Ted (Baldwin), had gone their separate ways when they reached adulthood. While Ted works as a CEO, Tim is living his family life with his wife Carol (Longoria) and his two daughters Tabitha (Greenblatt) and Tina (Sedaris). When Ted visits the family, the reunion between brothers seems to be less heartfelt than expected. However, they must put aside their differences again to help Tina, who happens to be an undercover executive from BabyCorp. Tina is on a top-secret mission to investigate Tabitha’s school, which is helmed by Dr. Erwin Armstrong (Goldblum), a mysterious professor with a sinister plan. Their new mission will bring the brothers closer together and lead them to rediscover the importance of family. The first “Boss Baby” offered several elements that earned its way to the top: silliness, imagination, and heart. Despite its storytelling being as traditional as taking care of an actual baby, those things alone had enough appeal to distract the little ones while the adults enjoy their kid-free quality time. Unsurprisingly, its follow-up, “Family Business”, delivered more of the same, but of course, that all depends on how much you enjoyed its predecessor. If you like “The Boss Baby”, you’ll probably like the sequel as well. If not, then there’s nothing special in this diaper that will make you change your mind. Since I’m okay with the first film, I walked into the sequel not expecting anything more than just 100 minutes of baby jokes and cartoonish slapstick, and guess what? I wasn’t disappointed. When it comes to storytelling, it’s about as simplistic as a children’s storybook. It gets the point across for the young viewers, but it had a specific charm that allows some parents to grow attached to it. The plot also had some moments that attempt to recreate the same story beats from other films, primarily its predecessor, which had Tim and Ted feuding with each other until they made up to accomplish a common goal. There’s also a moment where Tim fears that his daughter Tabitha is growing up too fast, which was undeniably formulaic. Those moments in Michael McCullers’ script were pretty derivative and could cause viewers to get a strange case of deja vu. However, similar to the first film, it compensated with its frenetic sense of charisma and heart that’ll put a harmless smile on your face. I might even say that I enjoyed the sequel’s story a bit more than its predecessor, even though it’s still a far cry from the other animated gems from DreamWorks Animation. Part of that is due to its messages, which I thought were nicely executed and worth remembering. It still kept its core theme of siblinghood from the first film, but it also represented the importance of slowing things down and appreciating every moment you had in life, even at a young age. Whether you like the story or not, you can’t deny the significance of those messages. The characters from its predecessor still provide a sense of fun and likability due to its voice cast. Alec Baldwin as Ted was one of my favorite parts of the film, although I happened to enjoy his vocal performance in the first film better. James Marsden, who replaced Tobey Maguire and Miles Bakshi from “The Boss Baby”, served as a solid replacement for Tim. As for the new additions, they also managed to make the film watchable. Amy Sedaris delivered some funny moments as Tina, Ariana Greenblatt was charming as Tabitha, and Jeff Goldblum was irresistibly amusing as Dr. Erwin Armstrong despite his character being a one-note villain. The film’s animation once again continued DreamWorks Animation’s streak of providing some imaginative eye candy. Tim’s childlike imagination sequences and the film’s mild action scenes provided some impressive uses of lighting, detail, and creativity to capture the mind of a young child successfully. The humor itself was once again hit-and-miss for me. It had a couple of jokes in the film that got me giggling like a baby, but the rest of them couldn’t quite reach the clever standards of its predecessor. They were silly to listen to, I can give them that, but the amount of goofiness it had may not be enough to impress everyone.

Overall, “The Boss Baby: Family Business” welcomes audiences back for another round of foolish baby humor and simplistic storytelling. Like the first film, it’s a harmless and energetic cartoon that’s below the high standards set by the animation studio. While children and their parents will be entertained by its charming messages, voice cast, and animation, “Family Business” will force the detractors to rethink about having kids regarding its formulaic plot and average humor. I did find myself getting some enjoyment out of this one, but that’s pretty much it. It’s not great, and it’s not ear-gratingly terrible either. It’s a fine follow-up to a fine animated kids film that didn’t need a sequel in the first place. Unless you enjoy “The Boss Baby”, you might want to do your business elsewhere.

​“The Tomorrow War” stars Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, J. K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, and Sam Richardson. Released on Amazon Prime on July 2, 2021, the film has humanity drafting soldiers from the past to fight against an alien force.

The film was directed by Chris McKay, who also directed “The Lego Batman Movie” and served as an animator for “Robot Chicken” and “The Lego Movie”. If you’re going to start the Fourth of July with a bang, you got to make sure you bring some firepower, aliens, and explosives. Oh, and the ability to travel through time. This latest sci-fi action film sees animator/director Chris McKay taking on the challenge of directing actual people for the first time. Seeing that I loved what he did with the Lego movies, I couldn’t help but be intrigued to see what he can do as a live-action director. Before it went straight to streaming, thanks to Amazon Prime, the film was initially set to hit theaters last Christmas, which would’ve made it a suitable holiday gift for sci-fi fans. However, due to the pandemic, it was rescheduled to July before being taken off the schedule altogether. Based on its marketing, they should’ve left it as a theatrical event. Regardless of this, I was highly interested in seeing the action unfold, primarily because Chris Pratt is involved in something that’s not related to galaxies and dinosaurs. Will it be the perfect way to kickstart the fireworks, or will it start things off with a fizzle?

The story centers on Dan Forester (Pine), a biology teacher and former Iraq War veteran who’s living with his wife Emmy (Gilpin) and daughter Muri (Ryan Kiera Armstrong). They received a mysterious message from the future that humanity is at war with an alien race known as the Whitespikes. The soldiers from the year 2051 search for others from the present to help them fight back, and Dan happens to be one of them. With the help of the other draftees, including Charlie (Richardson), and the adult version of Muri (Strahovski), Dan must assist the future soldiers to save Earth or face extinction. Chris McKay becomes one of the very few directors who shift from animation to live-action, joining Rob Letterman and Jennifer Yuh Nelson. While these two directors did solid work with their animated projects, their live-action debuts were another story. Letterman’s adaptation of “Gulliver’s Travels” took a heavy beating from critics despite its respectable box office intake, and Nelson’s “The Darkest Minds” failed to stand above the other young adult adaptations. Those signs point out that McKay could be the next victim to suffer that similar fate. Fortunately for me, that’s not the case. Even though it’s far from a perfect blockbuster, the film managed to put this intriguing concept to good use by combining the traditional sci-fi action cliches with some well-earned attempts at providing tenderness and underlying themes. Yes, you read that right. There’s plenty of heart to go around amid its series of blazing guns and in-your-face CGI, and the way it was handled was surprisingly satisfying. It was also a bit more dialogue-driven than action-packed, which could lead to a few slow parts due to its two-hour-plus runtime. However, McKay offered the right amount of intensity in these moments to keep things flowing like clockwork. I was also impressed with how he handled the action sequences regarding his direction, clean editing, and solid visuals, especially the finale. There were even a few scenes that somehow mimic Zack Snyder’s artistic slo-mo style. While they didn’t quite match the standards that Snyder set in his films, they still look pretty cool regardless. It’s a shame that we can only view them at home instead of in the theater. The main cast did what they could to provide solid performances, and what they did was good enough in my books. Chris Pratt was just as talented as always as he delivered some good dramatic chops and action chops to bring Dan Forester to life on screen. Yvonne Strahovski and J. K. Simmons also did very well in their roles as Muri Forester and James Forester, Dan’s father, respectively. Sam Richardson was someone I didn’t expect to be good but proved me otherwise. Not only was he enjoyable to watch in certain moments, but he also provided some effective brand of comedy that hardly decimated its intended tone. But what about the Whitespikes themselves? Well, I can tell you one thing. They did look terrifying. The designs worked well in matching the dangerous nature of these creatures and their abilities.

Overall, “The Tomorrow War” may not be remembered fondly in the future. Still, its execution towards its crazy yet interesting premise was acceptable enough to deliver a time-traveling, action-packed thrill ride of the summer. Despite its familiar elements from the other sci-fi films and the two-hour-plus runtime, there’s some entertainment value to be had here thanks to its cast, McKay’s direction, and some well-executed action sequences. This was a decent live-action debut from animator Chris McKay, which I was proud to say after watching it. Now let’s hope that he can keep that streak going with his other live-action projects. If you’re looking for some sci-fi fireworks and you enjoyed Pratt and Simmons from their other works, “The Tomorrow War” on Amazon Prime should be right up your alley.

​"The Ice Road" stars Liam Neeson, Benjamin Walker, Amber Midthunder, Marcus Thomas, Holt McCallany, Martin Sensmeier, Matt McCoy, Matt Salinger, and Laurence Fishburne. Released on Netflix on June 25, 2021, the film is about an ice driver who leads a rescue mission to save the lives of trapped miners.

The film was written and directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, who also directed "The Punisher", "Welcome to the Jungle", and "Kill the Irishman". You got a life-threatening situation that seems impossible to handle? You get the right man for the job, or should I say the right two men? Last weekend not only had one film that puts the pedal to the medal but two films as Netflix unites Liam Neeson and Laurence Fishburne against the icy road of death. I hope you got your winter clothes on for this thrill ride. This was one of the films you may not realize were coming out until they appeared on the streaming service. Fortunately, I managed to stumble upon it when I saw its trailer. It looked like every other standard action thriller involving a rescue mission, but does that mean it's worth watching? Let's find out.

The story centers on Mike McCann (Neeson), a former trucker who, along with his brother Gurty (Thomas), applied to work as ice road truckers. They're hired by another ice road trucker Jim Goldenrod (Fishburne) to help him complete a dangerous rescue mission to save 26 miners trapped in a Manitoba mine due to an explosion. Along with a young woman named Tantoo (Midthunder) and actuary Tom Varnay (Walker), the group must deliver three wellheads through the ice road to rescue the miners before it's too late. There's no doubt that Liam Neeson continues to be the main draw as an action star recently. Whenever there's a thriller that involves him punching or shooting down bad guys, many people, including me, will wind up checking it out regardless of its quality. "The Ice Road" is certainly no different. Even though some of Neeson's recent action films were understandably flawed, such as last year's "Honest Thief", I managed to find some enjoyment in them primarily due to the actor's presence. So it's no surprise to see Neeson in top form once again in this film. His acting was fine for the most part, and his stunt work was suitable enough to entertain some of his audience. Unfortunately, his appearance could not get the film to safer territory unscathed. "The Ice Road" is one of the lesser-known, low-budget films you would find in the $2 bin at your local video store, and that video store is Netflix. Ranging from its forgettable plot to the characters who were as thin as ice, the film immediately puts its potential in the deep freeze. Admittedly, the story had an interesting concept which involves a group of ice truck drivers driving through an ice road. From what I saw, ice roads tend to be the quickest yet most dangerous routes for the drivers to take during their jobs due to their conditions. This could've worked well as a nerve-wracking and limited survival thriller that pits man against nature. However, after a promising first act, it squandered that intriguing idea in favor of a cheap and formulaic storyline that the other thrillers have done before. While some of the sequences had their share of tension, Jonathan Hensleigh couldn't take advantage of those opportunities to make them stand out in terms of his direction. Hensleigh's script was also filled with some dumb-downed cliches and specific character moments that were more corny and mundane than sentimental. Even its supporting actors couldn't make things even better, especially Laurence Fishburne as Jim Goldenrod. His role was a big disappointment in my eyes despite his performance being somewhat okay. Benjamin Walker and Amber Midthunder were also pretty mediocre in their roles as Varnay and Tantoo, respectively. The CGI effects in this film resembled the visuals from the cheap direct-to-video action movies: ugly, poorly-rendered, and unimaginative. I can understand that the film was made with a lower budget, but jeez. It's like they put no effort in making the VFX somewhat convincing. You don't believe me? Watch the opening scene and try to prove me wrong. Then there's the editing, most notably the transitions between scenes. They were awkwardly abrupt and didn't give the film enough time to deliver some depth in its storytelling.

Overall, "The Ice Road" is a dull by-the-numbers thriller that couldn't recover from the cold weather. Liam Neeson has once again proven himself to be a respectable draw for his followers. Sadly, his presence failed to provide any enjoyment factor in the film for those outside of his fanbase. Due to its mediocre supporting cast, formulaic screenplay, unattractive visuals, and Hensleigh's poor direction, this action thriller is an icy dud. Sorry, Mr. Neeson, you're a great actor, but let's admit it, you deserve a better movie with warmer temperatures. If you enjoy Neeson in his action roles, then you should be fine watching it once on Netflix.  

​“F9” stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, John Cena, Sung Kang, Helen Mirren, and Charlize Theron. Released on June 25, 2021, the film has Dom and his team attempting to take down Cipher and a ruthless enemy from Dom’s past.

The film was directed by Justin Lin, who also directed films such as “Better Luck Tomorrow”, “Finishing the Game”, and “Star Trek Beyond”. It is the tenth installment in the “Fast & Furious” franchise. You better grab your gear, schedule your next family outing, and throw your physics books in the trash can because the Fast Family is finally back. Whether you like the recent films or not, we’re getting yet another round of physics-defying stunts and Vin Diesel’s obsession with “family” this weekend, which serves as an actual test to see if the summer movie season is back for good. There was no doubt in my mind that I was super excited to see this latest installment in this absurd yet popular action-packed franchise. Sure, the title looks lame compared to “The Fate of the Furious”, as they just put the letter F and the number 9 together and call it a day. But I was willing to look past it as long as I got my money’s worth. Since its first trailer debuted last year, I have constantly been filling my mind with excitement and curiosity. This was due to the return of director Justin Lin, the addition of Dom’s ticked-off brother, and the surprise resurgence of Han Lue, who was killed in “Tokyo Drift” by Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw. Oh, and also the stunts, which unsurprisingly looked unrealistic and gleefully silly. But then the pandemic ruined my anticipation by forcing Universal to delay the film. Thankfully, it didn’t affect it by a considerable margin, and you can thank the marketing team for that. Now that we’re finally reunited with Dom and his crew, was it able to provide enough mindless action and heartfelt moments to keep the franchise racing, or was it showing signs that the series is running out of gas? Let’s put the pedal to the metal and find out.

The film takes place after the events of “The Fate of the Furious”, where Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and Letty Ortiz (Rodriguez) are enjoying their peaceful lives with his young son Brian. Their retirements are quickly put on hold when they discover that their old enemy Cipher (Theron) is planning revenge against them. To make things even more complicated, they also encounter an unexpected arrival of Dom’s younger brother Jakob (Cena), who holds a personal grudge against him and is working for Cipher. Dom and Letty will have to reunite and expand their family, including Dom’s sister Mia (Brewster) and a revived Han (Kang), for a showdown that will test Dom’s beliefs. If you’ve watched the recent “Fast & Furious” films, starting with the fifth installment, you can already tell just how balls-to-the-walls “F9” is, which features a mindless plot and a ton of stunts and sequences that tend to be more ludicrous than the last. No pun intended. They can also be very entertaining to watch with the right mindset. It’s the type of formula that helped revive the franchise ten years ago with “Fast Five” and made it into a household name ever since. It also included several moments that linked back to the previous installments so that newcomers won’t get easily lost. Much like its previous films, these elements alone make “F9” another diverting entry in the 20-year-old high-octane franchise. Although, they aren’t enough to satisfy everyone, including those who already gave up on it. The plot in “F9” showcased Dom facing the demons from his past while dealing with Jakob, who teams up with Cipher to retrieve a powerful device. Not only did it continue the franchise’s core message about family, but it also delved deep into Dom and Jakob’s childhood with its use of flashbacks. This was something that hasn’t been presented before, and while the execution was far from perfect, the film did a decent job at providing some tenderhearted depth in Dom’s belief in his family as well as Jakob himself. Outside of those sentimental moments, the main plot itself was just as crazy and idiotic as one would expect from a “Fast and Furious” film. But it was also a lot of fun thanks to its cast, Lin’s direction, and some suitable action sequences. However, it still couldn’t compete with what “Furious 7” brought to the table back in 2015. You can’t outshine the emotional beats of that film’s tribute to Paul Walker. You seriously can’t. With a runtime of two hours and 25 minutes, “F9” is now the longest installment in the franchise, beating out the likes of “Furious 7” and “Hobbs & Shaw”. Its pacing was acceptable in keeping the insanity engaging, but with a plot that’s as flawed as an old engine, it somehow bit off more than it can chew. The film also got wrecked by its formulaic elements, most notably the ones from “Fate of the Furious”, including a Toretto working for Cipher. The film also crashed hard by not providing enough emotional stakes in its world-saving scenarios. Fortunately, those things didn’t affect my experience entirely, as Justin Lin succeeded in delivering a good mixture of action, comedy, and tenderness. The main cast, including Diesel and Rodriguez, were once again appealing in their respective roles. Tyrese Gibson has been one of the franchise’s best moments since his first appearance in “2 Fast 2 Furious”, and his performance in “F9” is no different. His brand of humor never fails to make me chuckle like an idiot. Even some of his self-awareness jokes worked well in poking fun at the franchise as a whole. John Cena was also impressive in his role as Jakob, and Helen Mirren continues to be a well-deserved addition to the Fast Family as Queenie Shaw. As for Charlize Theron as Cipher, what else could I say about her? She’s just that good of an actress. Although, I was pretty disappointed in seeing her as a backseat villain compared to her role in “Fate of the Furious”, considering how much I loved what Theron did to that character in that film. The action scenes were unsurprisingly enjoyable and nicely directed by Lin. While it’s understandable that some of them were unrealistic, including Dom’s car swinging from island to island like Tarzan and a brief trip to outer space, there’s no denying the fact that the film wasn’t afraid to appreciate its silliness. If a movie can have fun with itself, then there’s a good chance the audience will too. I would also give Lin credit for relying on practical effects to bring these ridiculous stunts to life instead of taking some shortcuts with CGI.

Overall, “F9” speeds past its easy-to-distinguish flaws to deliver yet another round of mindless action and tolerable sentimentality. It’s easily inferior to the previous two main installments in my eyes, with “Furious 7” remaining as my favorite in the franchise. However, that didn’t stop it from being a joyful ride that’s worth seeing on the big screen. Thanks to its enjoyable cast, Justin Lin’s direction, tenderhearted moments, and delightful action scenes, the film marks a respectable return to the popular franchise after a two-year absence. If you enjoy the other installments in the “Fast & Furious” saga, then you’re going to have a good time watching this one. If not, then you’re better off waiting for the next “Mission: Impossible” film.