Tom Cruise returns – one last time – as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, the adrenaline-charged finale to a franchise defined by its stunning stunts and high-stakes adventures. While most of the things that have made the franchise what it is over the last twenty years are here, this latest installment finds itself struggling with the weight of overreaching ambition, uneven pacing, and a narrative that strains under its intricacy.
Ethan Hunt and his team at the IMF face their most daunting mission yet in Mission Impossible - The Final Reckoning. A rogue artificial intelligence, known as "The Entity," threatens global security, capable of dismantling digital systems and manipulating the world's data. With entire nations scrambling to control its vast power, Ethan must ensure The Entity is destroyed before it falls into the wrong hands.
The mission takes Ethan and his returning team – including Ving Rhames as Luther, Hayley Atwell as Grace, and Simon Pegg as Benji, across continents, from high-stakes operations in bustling cities to perilous escapades in remote terrains - including a risky rescue inside a sunken submarine. Along the way, they are pursued by Gabriel (Esai Morales, La Bamba), a shadowy villain with ties to Ethan's past and a rival agency seeking control of The Entity for their own agenda.
As tensions rise, loyalties are tested, and the team faces moral dilemmas about the cost of their mission. Ethan is forced to confront the sacrifices and decisions he has made throughout his career, including his own humanity – a reckoning. Get it? After breathtaking set pieces, clever tactical maneuvers, and narrow escapes, the story culminates in a heart-stopping finale that questions whether any one person or organization can truly control such immense power.
It is classic “Mission Impossible” material for sure, as it returns to the suffocating paranoia the franchise is known for, But this time, it leans a bit too heavily into into babying us through its bloated narrative. Any momentum is ground to a halt. The patience of even the most die-hard M:I fans will be tested. Sure, it’s a good idea to catch everyone up, but the nearly three-hour runtime is simply too much. At times, it feels like McQuarrie and co-writer Jendresen assume we care more about the intricacies of the convoluted plot than we actually do.
On the flip-side, The Final Reckoning unequivocally succeeds with its breathtaking action sequences. Cruise, at 62, is unquestionably the franchise’s heart and soul, and here he delivers stunts that push the boundaries of believability.
One standout moment involves a plane performing barrel rolls at dizzying heights, with Cruise hanging on for dear life. Sure, we know the actor is wired to the plane, but the stunts are real and these awe-inspiring sequences demand to be seen on the biggest screen possible, showcasing not just Cruise’s physicality but also a commitment to jaw-dropping “Mission: Impossible” cinematic spectacle. It’s moments like these that remind you why the Mission Impossible series has cemented itself as one of the most exhilarating action/espionage franchises in film history.
This Mission, should you choose to accept it, is both a thrilling spectacle and a flawed conclusion to a beloved franchise. It delivers the high-octane action and awe-inspiring stunts we’ve come to expect, while simultaneously grappling with a bloated runtime and a narrative that isn’t quite as clever as it thinks it is. For adrenaline junkies and Mission: Impossible loyalists, there is enough here to justify the ticket.
MPAA Rating: PG-13.
Runtime: 169 mins
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Writer: Christopher McQuarrie; Bruce geller
Cast: Tom Cruise; Hayley Atwell; Ving Rhames
Genre: Action | Crime
Tagline: The Final Reckoning
Memorable Movie Quote: "I need you to trust me... one last time."
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Official Site: https://www.missionimpossible.com/
Release Date: May 23, 2025
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning..
