In “ Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning ” (henceforth “M:I-TFR”), director Christopher McQuarrie attempts to stitch the entire series together through these montages. This is in addition to the mountain of exposition to remind us that we’re watching the second half of the prior film, “ Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One .”

“Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning,” a Paramount Pictures release in theaters Friday, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association for “bloody images, action, brief language, and sequences of strong violence.” Running time: 179 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.