Review: Mission: Impossible - Final Reckoning (2025)

Trusting Ethan Hunt one last time

I don't write many film reviews on here, but the latest, and likely final, installment of the Mission: Impossible (M:I) franchise has been on my mind since I watched it. And I just can’t resist writing about it.

Discombobulated, disjointed, and incoherent are some of the many words that have been used to describe Final Reckoning. While I agree with almost every single complaint that people have had, I also had the time of my life watching Tom Cruise perform deadly stunts in a packed IMAX theatre. Despite its flaws, this film is ambitious and impressive. It has grit and is wildly entertaining from beginning to end.

Final Reckoning continues two months after the events of M:I - Dead Reckoning. Ethan Hunt’s most dangerous mission yet is to stop an artificial intelligence called “The Entity“ from destroying mankind.

Compared to previous films, this one isn’t as tightly structured. Hunt jumps through endless hoops to get to the Sevastopol submarine. These obstacles don’t necessarily enhance the plot or the characters in any way. Most M:I movies are unnecessarily complicated and convoluted, but this one takes it to the max. The first hour or so could’ve been streamlined.

It’s also exposition galore. I personally didn’t mind it, but it does hinder the momentum. There are also numerous references and callbacks to past installments, which is a nice walk down memory lane, but you’re also bombarded with flashbacks.

For the casual viewer, the flashbacks put everything into context. For the die-hard M:I fans, this may be irritating. The issue I had was that the film would repeatedly flash back to the same scenes again and again. The submarine blew up—we get it! Some of the editing was awkward as well.

My next biggest issue is the expanded cast (as if the film wasn’t bloated enough). In my opinion, these films are at their best when the team dynamic is strong and front and center. It’s why I adored Rogue Nation and Fallout. The rapport was good, and everyone had a specific role to play. Even Dead Reckoning had plenty of great moments between the IMF team members—moments that didn’t even include Ethan.

Final Reckoning is largely a one-man show. For the majority of the film, Hunt is on his own and away from his team. It’s hard to complain because Tom Cruise pushes boundaries and literally defies death. However, there’s a notable lack of character beats and banter. The very large supporting cast has small moments to shine here and there, but the characters are generally underdeveloped and underutilized. Aside from one fantastic monologue, Luther’s contributions were especially wasted in Final Reckoning.

As the scope of the film gets bigger, it not only strays from the character relationships and development but also from the original spy thriller elements. Previous films had clever fake-outs and misdirects. A fun and unique aspect of this franchise is the mask reveals. It’s always a pleasure to see someone rip off their face and reveal that it has been Ethan Hunt all along. It’s inherently silly but always thrilling. Final Reckoning has one mask reveal, and it’s extremely lacklustre.

While going bigger means introducing additional flaws, it also means bigger ideas, bigger sequences, and bigger thrills. And let me tell you, Final Reckoning delivers.

I was holding my breath during the entire underwater sequence. All my complaints washed away as the water rose and the aspect ratio changed and Hunt was completely submerged. He then swims to the bottom of the ocean to retrieve The Entity’s source code from a sunken Russian submarine. This is truly one of the greatest action set pieces ever. The tension and suspense were through the roof; you could hear a pin drop in my theatre. It’s remarkable what the production team accomplished.

And just when you thought Tom Cruise couldn’t be more deranged, he hangs off a biplane and somehow climbs onto another mid-air. The film (and franchise) ups the ante!

Final Reckoning is also the most emotional entry in the franchise. This final mission is personal for Hunt, which makes the stakes even higher. It’s the culmination of every mission he has completed and every person he has lost. It tests his unrelenting spirit.

As a viewer, it’s impossible not to root for him. Not when he’s living and dying in the shadows for those he knows and will never meet. This sentiment grounds and humanizes him amid these crazy, elaborate stunts. It puts his purpose and what he stands for into perspective. The film delivers plenty of heartwarming and full-circle moments with delightful callbacks to the first film.

More than anything, Final Reckoning is hopeful. It certainly ends that way. I found the film’s optimism really sweet. If this is truly the last Mission: Impossible film, it’s a nice send-off for everyone.

While there is much to pick apart about this film, overall, I found it to be a satisfying and epic conclusion to this three-decade franchise. I’m already prepared for a rewatch. And if there is ever another film, trust that I’ll be there!