Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Movie Review (Spoiler Free)

This supposed final mission for agent Ethan Hunt has great action, yet it is simply too long, struggling to tell a smooth story. Does it hold up to the rest of the franchise?

Genre: Action / Adventure / Thriller

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales, Greg Tarzan Davis, Angela Basset, Shea Whigham, Henry Czerny, Tramell Tillman & Ving Rhames.

Run Time: 169 min.

US Release: 23 May 2025

UK Release: 21 May 2025

German Release: 21 May 2025

Here we are, reaching the end of the line… or so we are told. I guess we will need to await the final global numbers to figure out if Tom Cruise can be persuaded to come back in his infamous role. This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, being an absolute fan of the franchise, having seen all the spy entries since my childhood. As such, I am saddened to say that this last chapter did let me down. It is not that the M:I flicks end on a bad instalment, but on a weak one! Too big, too convoluted, too ambitious for its own good. 

So, follow me into my review for Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, should you choose to accept this invitation.

Two months have passed since Hunt obtained the key for the Entity, an artificial intelligence threatening to plunge the world into chaos. Having infiltrated every intelligence network around the globe, the IMF team is on a race to find the sunken submarine and the AI’s source code to stop it.

Dead Reckoning’s biggest flaw was an undeniable pacing issue, which is brought over to this second part. The first seventy to eighty minutes drag incredibly, as McQuarrie retells the complete plot of the first part, modifying things from previous movies, to create a sensation of interconnectivity, which, for the most part, I liked, though some things came out of the blue, feeling forced. It also turned the intriguing idea of an armed race to control the “Entity” into a “Skynet” doomsday scenario, which felt out of place for a Mission: Impossible film.

The first half could have been easily trimmed down to half its runtime, as much of it looked like choppy filler. That said, once the set pieces have been put in place, it picks up with incredible speed. The stakes feel as high as never before, as time, which is of the essence, is running out fast. Emotional scenarios play out well, giving the protagonist a vulnerability that hasn’t been witnessed from Hunt up to this point, with the final sequence being cathartic.

Emphasis lies again on the action, even if the director and co-writer Erik Jendresen tried to include a story-driven narrative in the first half, which felt very clunky in places. Nonetheless, the suspense is felt from the first picture popping up on the screen, never letting down, even winding up to extreme levels during the second half, so much that I was on the edge of my seat during the final showdown! 

The dialogue is exposition-heavy, adding too much repetition in specific lines, juxtaposing the urgency in the tone of characters. However, it doesn’t fail at adding the quips, plus signature trade mark humour we are all used to by now.

This being the second part of Dead Reckoning, the action spectacle is again filled with an amazing cast, bringing some back from past installations, as well as including magnificent performances.

I don’t know how often I have talked about Tom Cruise in these reviews… Surely more than I can account for. The truth is that I can only repeat myself; he is giving it his all again! From physical performance to charming acting, Cruise doesn’t disappoint once. Character-wise, the agent’s loyalty to friends is underlined, making it very clear that Hunt’s inability to lose people close to him is what ultimately led us to the scenario we are in. 

Hayle Atwell returns as Grace, filling in for Rebecca Fergusson as a potential romantic interest for Hunt. Though the two have convincing chemistry, the hinted attraction between them is never truly explored. Even more disappointing is that Grace is more of a damsel in distress than an actual functioning agent when it comes to combat segments. Pom Klementieff, on the other hand, is more capable as the assassin-turned-agent Paris, yet her role is criminally underwritten. 

Ving Rhames returns as Luther Stickell in what is the most emotional part of the movie, giving his role a heartfelt twist. Simon Pegg comes back as well, as Benji, the comedic, tech-savvy field agent, plus Ethan’s loyal friend.

Essai Morales makes a comeback as Gabriel, a villain tied to Hunt’s past, though not much else is explored about him. He is a one-dimensional, power-hungry baddy, lacking any intrigue. However, Morales played him so over-the-top, one can’t stop loving to hate him. Finally, I wanted to praise Tramell Tillman, who plays a secondary submarine captain. He has barely any screen time, yet left a lasting impression.

Camera-wise, the eighth chapter delivers once again a grand display on screen, offering trademark globe-trotting scenes, paired with clear-framed action sequences. Kinetic camera movement is being used anew to maintain the energy-driven action set-pieces, while long, looming shots are used for tension-filled, quieter parts. Natural lighting helps ground the bigger-than-life outline. 

Unfortunately, the first half is a poorly edited, choppy mess, as it intercuts segments from the previous films, disorienting audiences even more, with a set of montages as it explains the heritage of the “Entity”. 

Practical effects are, as always, prioritised to VFX, rooting this mission even further. Convincing computer effects are used when representing the AI, as well as its scenario of global destruction. Other than that, CGI is used to polish up the picture. The stunt work by Tom Cruise himself is nothing but jaw-dropping: be it the sequences in a tumbling submarine, or his dangling from a flying biplane… this is pure entertainment!  

Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey replaced Lorne Balfe as composers, giving the titular music a new spin, plus adding a tension-filled soundtrack to the blockbuster.

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Verdict: Ethan Hunt’s last mission is a fun time, no doubt there, though a disappointing one. The script issues that plagued its predecessor are even more blatant in this sequel, as it tries to tie together all previous instalments. It is too ambitious for its own good, creating a muddled first half that contains severe pacing problems, reflected in the cinematography. Gabriel is still a boring villain, though Morales does play him lovably hateful. Amazing is the emotional note added to the narrative, the action, the stunts and the camera work. In the end, my summing up for Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is as follows: I liked it, but I didn’t love it, and I certainly don’t think that it's worth fifteen to twenty Euros on IMAX. If you can catch it at a matinee price, go see it in cinemas; otherwise, I would recommend you wait for it to come out on streaming. I’ll give it an entertaining 7.5 out of 10. 

So, have you seen the latest mission in cinemas? Are you planning on seeing it at all? Let me know in the comments below & also let me know which one is your favourite Mission: Impossible flick. Thank you so much for reading!