PG-13 | 2h 49m | Action, Thriller | 2025
In “Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning,” star Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie shamelessly cater to the M:I fan club, as they should. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that when this franchise is on point, it’s undeniably true summer blockbuster material.
Billed as the final entrant in the almost three-decades-long series, “Final Reckoning” is front-loaded with flashbacks from the earlier films. It basically serves as its own greatest-hits summary, as is the case with many final franchise installments.
“The Final Reckoning” features the usual slew of genuinely jaw-dropping action sequences that arguably anchor Tom Cruise as the No. 1 entry in the action-star hall of fame. Cruise’s Ethan Hunt requests of the powers that be—in this case, Angela Bassett as an imperious, icy-but-compassionate POTUS—that he needs to be trusted “one last time.” He’s going to put a stop to the literal end of the world threat that lies at the heart of the film.
The Entity
That threat is an AI MacGuffin antagonist dubbed “The Entity.” It seeks to take over the world by manipulating global electricity and nuclear weaponry, which would bring about the end of the world as we know it. While ultimately metaphysical, The Entity is championed by a shadowy figure from Ethan’s past—Gabriel (Esai Morales). He first made his presence known in “Dead Reckoning.” Gabriel hopes to take ownership of The Entity.Long-running series regulars Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg continue to drive much of the film’s emotional core forward, with Pegg providing less comic relief than usual. Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff (both introduced in “Dead Reckoning”) carry the film’s necessary air of grace and femininity. There’s a variety of enjoyable extended cameos, one of which is Hannah Waddingham as a steely aircraft carrier captain.
It’s all about Tom Cruise, of course. No other star puts his money where his mouth is, his body on the line, or gives the insurance people panic attacks like Cruise does, due to his predilection for dangling off flying airplanes. There’s also a deep dive to a sunken submarine. This oxygen-deprived swim has echoes of the 1972 movie “The Poseidon Adventure.” These are the signature nerve-wracking set pieces of “The Final Reckoning.” Be prepared not to breathe easily for a good half hour.
That said, “Final Reckoning” occasionally tips into unintended campiness. The definition of “camp” is a conscious effort to be over-the-top and artificial, usually with a humorous or self-parodying effect. There are multiple extended sequences of Cruise sprinting with alacrity, arms vigorously pumping up and down like pistons, with utter sincerity and no apparent self-awareness or pretension. With no metaphorical wink-wink from director McQuarrie, when that’s done too many times, it automatically becomes a (no pun intended) running gag of rather pronounced silliness. Still, you’d be hard pressed to not find value in what Cruise and McQuarrie have created here.
Though “Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning” does have a sense of finality to it (especially with a beloved character saying his final sayonara), one can’t help thinking that maybe—just maybe—Ethan’s “last time” might just be showbiz blather. It’s not really showbiz, but “biz-show,” after all. M:I is bigly show, and therefore also bigly biz—plenty of moolah still to be had via this cash cow. We shall see.
Tom Cruise is soon to be returning to the high halls of prestige cinema (director Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s first English-language film in 10 years is up next for Cruise). Another M:I probably isn’t on his immediate dance card. But Cruise is the human embodiment of the Energizer Bunny, and it’s doubtful he’s tired of those adrenaline-junkie “Mission: Impossible” stunts. Cruise is the action star equivalent of Tom Brady; he’s the G.O.A.T. This ”Final Reckoning” may not be final.
