Genre(s) – Action, Thriller
Director – Christopher McQuarrie
Writers – Bruce Geller, Erik Jendresen, Christopher McQuarrie
Cast – Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, Angela Bassett, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny
Runtime –170 Minutes
My Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆
It’s over two and a half hours of death-defying stunts, nuclear threats, and Tom Cruise giving more emotional range than I expected.
Tom Cruise started this whole Mission Impossible saga at 33 and is now knocking on 63’s door, yet is still out there doing barrel rolls on biplanes like the laws of physics politely excuse him. You have to respect that, don’t you?
Plot Summary of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (Spoiler-Free)
Let me try and summarize the plot in a way that makes sense to those of you who skipped the last one or, like me, forgot everything except the motorcycle cliff jump.
The movie picks up two months after Dead Reckoning Part One (don’t worry, they explain the important bits in the first 20 minutes like a good sequel should). Ethan Hunt and his ever-loyal team are still on the run, holding on to a cruciform key that everyone wants. It unlocks something buried at the bottom of the ocean on a Russian submarine called the Sevastopol. No, it’s not treasure. It’s worse. It’s the kill switch for a rogue artificial intelligence known as The Entity, which is now casually trying to hijack the world’s nuclear systems.
Governments want to control it. One dude named Gabriel wants to exploit it. Ethan wants to smash it. But because this is Mission: Impossible, nothing goes according to plan. The team splits up: some go hunting for coordinates, some face torture, and some just get caught in a variety of countdowns, ticking clocks, and double-crosses. The fate of the world’s basically hanging by a thread, which seems like a Tuesday for these people.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Short answer? Yes. Longer answer? Hell yes. 8/10.
This isn’t just another Mission: Impossible. It feels like a culmination, a reckoning (pun fully intended), and for maybe the first time in the franchise, it feels like the movie is aware of what it’s built up over the last 25+ years.
Cruise, still sprinting like the IRS is behind him, gives a performance that isn’t just physical. He’s carrying emotional baggage now – loss, regret, responsibility. He’s not just trying to stop the bad guy, he’s wrestling with what it’s all cost him. The film leans into this with surprising grace.
But don’t worry, it’s still bananas. You’ve got chases, gunfights, and Cruise doing stunts that make my knees ache in sympathy. There’s a submarine sequence that could give James Cameron a heart attack and an aerial set piece that defies both gravity and common sense. And all of it is somehow shot beautifully, like they let an art student storyboard it but then gave it a blockbuster budget.
Director Christopher McQuarrie once again proves he knows how to pace an action movie. The plot, while ridiculous, keeps moving. The stakes are clear. The tone stays serious but never veers into self-parody. And the dialogue, while occasionally clunky, keeps the human drama front and center. Also, this one’s got thoughts. Big ones. About AI, responsibility, the cost of choosing to care when the world keeps trying to numb you.
The cast is solid all around. Simon Pegg brings the nervous energy. Ving Rhames remains the team’s grounding presence. Hayley Atwell’s Grace brings a nice arc, showing how terrifying it is to be drafted into a life where one wrong step gets you nuked. Esai Morales, as the villain Gabriel, is a mix of cold and smug, which works for someone working for a sentient algorithm. And shoutout to Pom Klementieff, who has one of the coolest looks and most unpredictable roles in the whole movie.
Yes, the runtime is generous. It could use a trim. But, I was never bored. The countdowns-within-countdowns, the layered missions, the moments of quiet in between the chaos – they all build toward a sense of actual weight.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is 100% worth watching. Not just because it’s a well-made action film, but because it dares to ask what all this saving-the-world stuff really means.
What I Liked (And What I Didn’t Like)
Pros
Cruise still has it
He may be aging like a determined cyborg, but Cruise shows no signs of slowing down. His commitment to these stunts is absolutely insane, and it pays off. Watching him hang off planes and dive into ocean wrecks is not just exciting, it’s kind of inspiring.
The submarine set piece is worth the ticket
There’s a long underwater sequence in this movie that had me gripping the armrest like it owed me money. No music, minimal dialogue, just tension, danger, and physics-defying survival. It’s easily one of the best sequences in the entire franchise.
The AI storyline is actually clever
We’re not just dealing with “evil computer” tropes here. The film taps into real-world fears about losing control, letting machines make decisions, and the scary convenience of automation. It hits close to home without turning into a TED Talk.
Grace’s arc adds needed perspective
Hayley Atwell’s character isn’t a seasoned agent. She’s scared, overwhelmed, and very human, and her presence makes the team’s sacrifice feel real. It’s refreshing to watch someone in these movies who isn’t automatically good at kung fu and hacking.
Minimal comic relief, maximum tension
Don’t get me wrong, I love a laugh. But the movie wisely keeps the humor to a minimum this time. When someone does crack a joke, it lands better because it doesn’t feel like a Marvel reject.
McQuarrie’s direction is tight
The man knows how to stage action. More importantly, he knows how to slow things down just enough to let you breathe. The pacing works, even in a long film. It never overstays its welcome.
The emotional stakes feel real
This isn’t just about stopping the end of the world. It’s about what it costs to keep stopping it. The wear and tear on Ethan, the moments of doubt, the question of whether it’s all worth it.
Cons
It’s a bit too long
Yes, I liked the film. But two and a half hours is pushing it. Especially when you start to feel the rhythm slow around the two-hour mark. I get it, Cruise wants value for money, but a few scenes could’ve been trimmed without losing any impact.
Gabriel is a bit undercooked
He’s menacing, sure. But we don’t get enough of what makes him tick. For someone who’s supposed to be the human mouthpiece for The Entity, he spends a lot of time smirking and not much time explaining his worldview.
Not enough time with Luther
Ving Rhames is great, and his scenes are meaningful, but we don’t get nearly enough of him. He feels sidelined for much of the movie. If this is really the last one, give the man his due.
Some flashbacks feel forced
There are a few attempts to tie things back to the original movie, and while I appreciate the sentiment, some of it feels a bit hey, remember this? It borders on nostalgia-for-nostalgia’s-sake.
The Entity itself is kind of vague
I know it’s supposed to be unknowable, but come on. Give me a bit more explanation. How does it do that? Why does it want this? Sometimes it just feels like magic wrapped in binary code.
Who Might Like Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
If you love action movies that actually respect your intelligence, this is for you. If you’ve stuck with the franchise since the ’90s, this one will reward your loyalty. And for fans of Cruise’s insanity, spy stories, high-stakes tension, and people whispering “You have 30 seconds” into earpieces will be very happy.
Also, if you’re worried about AI slowly replacing everything, this movie might double as therapy.
Who Might Dislike Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
If you hate long movies, don’t like thinking while watching explosions, or still haven’t forgiven Cruise for the Oprah couch thing, you might want to sit this one out. Also, if you haven’t seen Dead Reckoning Part One, you might feel a little lost. The film does its best to catch you up, but there’s a lot going on.
Final Verdict: Did I Enjoy Watching Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning?
Absolutely. It wasn’t just a fun action movie, it was a genuinely interesting look at what it means to fight for something bigger than yourself. It had moments that reminded me why I fell in love with movies in the first place. It also had Tom Cruise defying science again, which is just good value.
This film is for fans who want closure, big spectacles, and a touch of philosophy. It’s a film that tries really hard, and that effort shows. The fact that it ends on a note that feels both complete and wide open is kind of beautiful. And yes, I’ll be there if they make another one. Cruise could be 70, in orthopedic sneakers, doing parkour in a retirement home, and I’ll still be in the front row.
It’s not just about impossible missions anymore. It’s about what makes the impossible worth doing.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Trailer
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Film Facts
- The film has an estimated budget of $300–400 million, making it one of the most expensive movies ever made.
- Filming took place in the United Kingdom, Norway, Malta, and South Africa.
- The appearance of Jim Phelps Jr. links back to the franchise’s very first film in 1996.
- Tom Cruise trained in deep-sea diving techniques for six months to prepare for underwater sequences.
- Gabriel’s plane was designed to resemble a modernized version of the Chimera virus jet from MI:2
- Tom Cruise has starred in Mission: Impossible for nearly three decades, making it the longest-running Hollywood spy franchise with the same lead actor.
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