After almost 30 years of Tom Cruise dodging bullets, scaling skyscrapers, and sprinting like his life depends on it, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning swings into theaters as the eighth—and supposedly last—chapter of this epic action saga. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie with Cruise back as Ethan Hunt, this follow-up to 2023’s Dead Reckoning Part One wants to wrap things up with a bang while keeping us on the edge of our seats. Does it pull it off? Well, sort of. The Final Reckoning nails the jaw-dropping stunts and tugs at the heartstrings, but it gets weighed down by a messy, overly serious story that forgets the fun that made this series so great.
The Setup: Big Stakes, Big Nostalgia
Jumping in two months after Dead Reckoning, the movie throws Ethan and his IMF crew—Luther (Ving Rhames), Benji (Simon Pegg), and new face Grace (Hayley Atwell)—into a race to stop the Entity, a creepy AI that’s messing with the world through fake news and the threat of nuclear chaos. Their job? Grab the Podkova, a gadget with the Entity’s source code, from a wrecked Russian sub, then pair it with the Poison Pill to shut the AI down. Oh, and they’ve got to deal with Gabriel (Esai Morales), a bad guy from Ethan’s past who’s got a grudge and wants to hijack the Entity for himself.
The movie kicks off with a cool montage of clips from all seven earlier Mission: Impossible films, like a love letter to fans. It’s packed with nods to the past, bringing back minor characters from the 1996 original and tying into stuff from Mission: Impossible III. If you’ve been with the series forever, it’s a treat, but if you’re new, good luck keeping up with all the references.
Stunts That Wow, a Tone That Drags
Let’s talk about what works: the action is bananas. Two scenes steal the show and might just be the best in the whole series. There’s an underwater bit in a sinking sub where Ethan swims through floating torpedoes and crumbling rooms—it’s tense, quiet, and totally gripping. Then there’s a wild biplane chase at 10,000 feet, with Cruise hanging off the wings in crazy winds. These are real stunts, barely any CGI, and you can feel the insanity of Cruise, at 62, putting it all on the line. They’re the kind of moments that make you whisper, “How is this even possible?”
But here’s the catch: the movie’s almost three hours long (170 minutes, yikes), and it feels it. The first hour is a slog, stuffed with so much explaining, recapping, and deep thoughts about fate and choices that it’s hard to stay hooked. The Entity is a cool idea for a villain, but it’s just not as scary as, say, a ticking nuke. Gabriel’s not much better—his big connection to Ethan falls flat, and he ends up feeling like a cartoon bad guy.
Also, where’s the fun? This series used to have a twinkle in its eye, like it was in on the joke of how wild it was. Think Ghost Protocol or Rogue Nation. But The Final Reckoning goes super serious, all doom and gloom with lines about truth dying and war coming. It’s a bummer, and it misses the playful vibe that made these movies such a blast.
Heart, Nostalgia, and a Bit Too Much
On the flip side, the movie gets Ethan right. He’s not just a stunt machine; he’s a guy who cares about his team and carries a lot of baggage. His scenes with Grace have real spark, and the stuff with Benji (who steps up big) and Luther (who’s got some quietly awesome moments) hit you in the feels. The loss of Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust from the last movie hangs over everything, which adds depth, though you miss her energy.
The nostalgia is a big part of the vibe. Flashbacks, old characters, and ties to the early films make it feel like a proper goodbye. But sometimes it tries too hard to make Ethan this legendary hero, and it starts to feel a bit much, like the movie’s taking itself way too seriously. It loses some of that zippy, heist-movie charm from the old days.
Looks Great, Feels Long
McQuarrie’s direction is slick, and the visuals are gorgeous—think icy Arctic waters and big, open skies. The music’s solid, though I wish they’d leaned harder into that classic Mission: Impossible theme. The editing, though, could’ve used some tightening. The underwater scene is amazing but goes on a bit, and the whole movie would’ve been sharper if they’d trimmed 20 minutes or so.
So, Is It a Good Goodbye?
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is a weird one. It’s got some of the best action the series has ever done, and Tom Cruise is still a total legend, carrying the weaker bits with his charm and guts. But the story’s too packed, and the heavy vibe makes it less fun than it should be. It’s not as tight as Fallout or Rogue Nation, but it’s got enough heart and wow moments to leave fans happy, even if it’s not the perfect ending.
If this is really Ethan Hunt’s last run, it’s a solid send-off, just not a home run. Catch it on the biggest screen you can find—those stunts are worth it. Just don’t expect the same light, zippy thrill of the series’ glory days.
Rating: 3.5/5