Following almost three decades of high-octane thrill rides, globe-trotting espionage, and death-defying stunts, Tom Cruise is back as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth and allegedly last installment of the long-running franchise. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie for the second time, the film intends to give Ethan Hunt’s career a thunderous curtain call. But while it attempts to have gravitas and showmanship, its critics are radically polarized about whether or not the film comes together with a fulfilling ending—or collapses under the burdens of its own aspirations.
A Tale of Two Reactions
Some view The Final Reckoning as a brash, apocalyptic thriller that takes the franchise into more philosophical waters. Others believe it’s a dark, exposition-filled misstep that substitutes gloom for importance. The mixed reactions reflect the film’s bold tone, one of the most divisive aspects of the movie.
The Darkest Mission Yet
This eighth entry follows in one blistering review by ditching the escapist entertainment and playful energy that characterized previous ones. Rather than provide a resolutely bleak and apocalyptic outlook, it produces a relentlessly dark one. Largely filmed in dark tunnels, underwater caverns, and bunker-like spaces with dim lighting, the movie is visually and emotionally desolate. Beginning with a statement such as “Truth is vanishing, war is coming,” the film presents nearly three hours of heavy-handed ideas regarding nuclear war, artificial intelligence, and the end of civilization.
Gone is the punchy banter, replaced by philosophical musings and gravelly monologues in dimly lit rooms. The once-thrilling pace of the franchise has been swapped for extended scenes of exposition—often interrupted by flashbacks, flash-forwards, and confusingly edited narrative digressions that seem more designed to mask plot holes than enhance tension.
Arguably most disappointing, this review contends, is the way in which the movie forsakes smart spycraft and lighthearted gadgetry for a generic and sometimes irrational plot. The setup revolves around the Entity, an out-of-control AI with the ability to initiate worldwide nuclear devastation. Ethan’s assignment is to join together two MacGuffins—a poison-pill USB drive and the source code of the AI, embedded in a submarine—to close down the system. But the journey toward this confrontation is filled with decisions by characters that are illogical and against common sense. One such glaring instance: Ethan never guards the crucial thumb drive, allowing it to be hilariously stolen from under his nose by villain Gabriel (Esai Morales).
Even the highly touted airplane trick—Cruise holding onto a biplane in mid-air—is reminiscent of earlier set pieces, and one cannot help but compare it to the helicopter chase through Fallout and the cargo plane sequence in Rogue Nation. Having nothing new to bring to the table, the critic summatively concludes, the movie puts an end to the franchise not with a boom, but a confused whimper.
A High-Flying, Emotional Crescendo
On the flip side, another review hails The Final Reckoning as a pulsating, emotionally gripping, and appropriately operatic finale to the series. Although conceding its grimmer tone, this reviewer finds it a movie that ratchets up the stakes in a genuine manner—embracing the doomsday threat of artificial intelligence with genuine commitment.
Tom Cruise again shows why he’s Hollywood’s last real action hero. In the action climax biplane sequence, Cruise not only does a jaw-dropping aerial stunt but infuses it with raw, emotional acting. As Ethan hangs off a wing at dizzying heights, it’s not a display of daredevilry—it’s a moment of character, capturing Hunt’s desperation, fear, and plain willpower. No stunt double could ever match the reality Cruise brings to such moments, the reviewer writes.
While earlier entries tipped into slick capers and light-hearted dishonesty, The Final Reckoning turns up the stakes, casting Ethan Hunt as a man literally weighed down by the fate of the world. The danger of the Entity—an advanced AI with nuclear goals—isn’t a gimmick, but a serious metaphor for how much humanity relies on (and has lost control of) technology.
As long as 2 hours and 49 minutes, the movie is defined as immersive, its “churning slow burn” erupting into moments of real awe. Though not the most lighthearted in the franchise, its ambition is credited by the review, likening its gravitas to the great spy thrills over popcorn movies. Flashbacks and references to earlier movies give a sense of full circle to Ethan’s journey, calling back to the theme of a man who never fails to “figure it out.”
Verdict: A Divisive But Ambitious Finale
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning isn’t an action blockbuster in the classical sense, and maybe that’s precisely what it aims to do. Whether it’s the braver or dumber mission of the franchise will rely on what audiences find they want from a Mission: Impossible film.
For some, the heavy tone of the film, its talky scenes, and overcomplicated plot will be a letdown—particularly after the lighter Dead Reckoning Part One. For others, its brazen willingness to delve into dark themes, its painstaking stunt work, and Cruise’s single-minded dedication to physical performance propel it to an electrifying send-off.
What’s clear is that The Final Reckoning tries to be more than just another sequel. It seeks to reflect on the series itself, Ethan Hunt’s evolution, and the changing world around us. Whether it succeeds or not is a mission audiences will have to accept—or not.
Also Read: Final Destination: Bloodlines Review – Death Has Never Been This Fun, or This Clever
