MOVIE REVIEW – Nearly three decades after launching the Mission: Impossible franchise, Tom Cruise pours every ounce of himself into Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. And honestly, we wouldn’t expect anything less from the last true movie star—a man who’s driven, quite literally, to keep the cinematic flame alive. While this is unmistakably a Cruise production from top to bottom, it also serves as a heartfelt salute to those who’ve kept the engine running: the fans. Crafted by movie lovers for movie lovers, The Final Reckoning is a cinematic cheerfest—even when the gags occasionally miss the mark.

The weight of expectations hanging over The Final Reckoning is enormous, and even a well-oiled duo like Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie feels the pressure. Every Mission: Impossible entry is a rollercoaster, but this one overflows with emotional callbacks and high-stakes nostalgia. This film isn’t just another chapter—it’s Cruise’s personal victory lap, possibly his most extravagant send-off yet. And while the globe-spanning action makes for a slow-burn opening, once the plot gains momentum, there’s no looking back.

It’s a familiar trope: Ethan Hunt eventually ends up going solo. But The Final Reckoning digs deeper, shining a spotlight on the emotional consequences of his decisions. Ethan’s ongoing moral struggle—his refusal to trade lives like poker chips—is the emotional engine that drives the film, enriching the already jaw-dropping set pieces. We don’t come to Mission: Impossible for lectures, but this one delivers a quietly powerful message: maybe, just maybe, the good guys still stand a chance.

Fan Service Without Sacrificing the Thrill

Stuffed with references that go all the way back to the franchise’s origins, The Final Reckoning doesn’t shy away from being a full-on tribute. Ethan is forced to reckon with ghosts from the past—both people and choices—and while the stakes are sky-high, his core heroism remains unshaken. We’ve seen him leap off cliffs and cling to speeding trains, so the challenge here was clear: show us something we haven’t seen before.

Thankfully, McQuarrie and Cruise dodge redundancy with flair, remixing familiar stunts and cranking them up a notch. The film cleverly nods to what made the series iconic, while still finding fresh ground. And while Cruise is a force of nature, he’s backed by a sharp ensemble. Hayley Atwell shines as Grace, bringing charm and unpredictability to the mix, while returning players Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames ground the team with their usual chemistry. Newcomers like Tramell Tillman and Hannah Waddingham also manage to make a mark, reminding us what Ethan’s fighting for—and why it matters.

Following up Dead Reckoning – Part One—arguably the franchise’s high-water mark since Ghost Protocol—was always going to be a tall order. And truthfully, The Final Reckoning doesn’t quite maintain the same tension. The mystery-laden buildup of its predecessor is replaced with the heavy lifting of payoff and resolution. Meanwhile, the film’s main threat—the AI known as the Entity—feels strangely absent. Where it once lurked in every frame, here it becomes more of a conceptual menace than an active force.

Does the World Still Need Ethan Hunt?

The film’s biggest set piece—a long-teased, high-stakes sequence involving a sunken Russian submarine—delivers in spades. It’s tense, kinetic, and a masterclass in blockbuster filmmaking, proving once again why Mission: Impossible remains the gold standard of the genre. We all knew Cruise would go big for what might be his final bow, and this moment doesn’t disappoint. It’s the kind of filmmaking that earns your forgiveness for any narrative wobble along the way—because let’s face it, few filmmakers even try this hard anymore.

That said, the film’s emotional weight sometimes threatens to tip the balance. The story constantly reminds us—subtly and not-so-subtly—that this might be Ethan’s swan song. Though Cruise and McQuarrie have avoided officially calling this the end, the film is laced with farewell vibes. And yet, it also leaves just enough wiggle room. Who are we to say the world’s done needing Ethan Hunt?

Not the Best Mission, But Certainly the Most Human

The Final Reckoning knows how to be funny without slipping into self-parody. It doesn’t wink at the audience or undermine its stakes—instead, it lets the humor breathe naturally. Cruise never breaks character for a cheap laugh; instead, the film laughs with us, not at itself. When the action cranks back up, it’s all-in: the music, the sound design, the pacing—it’s cinematic immersion at its finest. If movies exist to whisk us away from reality, this one absolutely nails it.

One of the most fascinating things about the Mission: Impossible saga is how it’s evolved in sync with our real-world fears—from Cold War paranoia to digital-age surveillance. The Final Reckoning is thrilling, sure—but it’s also strangely comforting. For nearly three hours, it lets us believe there’s someone out there like Ethan Hunt, always choosing the right thing when it matters most. That idealism, paired with top-tier filmmaking and committed performances, sets it apart from flashier but shallower franchises.

Cruise Control: A Fitting End to an Era

When the inevitable franchise rankings drop, it’s hard to say exactly where The Final Reckoning will land. What’s clear is that it represents decades of work—and the twilight of a kind of moviemaking we may not see again. Whether you’ve been riding with the series since the beginning or just want to see what the fuss is about, this is one ride worth taking. You don’t have to be a die-hard fan to enjoy The Final Reckoning, but make no mistake—it was made for those of us who are.

– Gergely Herpai “BadSector” –