Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025) Review: A Towering Send-Off With Some Turbulence

⭐ Rating: 4 / 5

Spoiler-Free Review

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning closes Ethan Hunt’s decades-long saga with a globe-trotting, IMAX-sized barrage of stunts, spectacle, and spycraft from director Christopher McQuarrie. Tom Cruise returns as Hunt, joined by Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, and Henry Czerny as the IMF team pursues the rogue A.I. “Entity” first unleashed in 2023’s Dead Reckoning Part One. The title change from “Part Two” to The Final Reckoning landed alongside the 2025 marketing push and May 23 U.S. release.

McQuarrie again frames Cruise in audacious, practical set-pieces—shot across England, Malta, South Africa, and Norway—that lean into scale and clarity over CGI noise. The early going, however, takes its time: the first hour lays thick exposition around the Entity and the keys to stopping it before momentum really kicks in. When it does, the film delivers the series’ calling cards: precision teamwork, identity games, and momentum-building chases that escalate from street-level to sky-high.

Performance-wise, Cruise is magnetic, but it’s Hayley Atwell who once again steals scenes with fizzy, improvisational energy opposite Hunt’s relentless focus. Morales’ antagonist remains icily composed, while Pegg and Rhames bring warmth and continuity. The score (now credited to Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey) trades Balfe’s thunder for a tighter, thriller-leaning pulse; it’s less iconic, but it supports the clockwork tension.

Critically, reaction has ranged from praise for the jaw-drop factor to frustration with the dense setup. Some outlets called it an awe-packing capper; others argued the series’ trademark snap is softened by talky detours about the AI threat. In short: big, bravura filmmaking with a baggier middle.

What Works

Cruise & Atwell, in lockstep: Star power and playful chemistry anchor the emotional stakes while keeping the caper energy high.

Practical, legible action: McQuarrie’s set-pieces prioritize geography and escalation, rewarding IMAX viewings.

Classic IMF rhythm: Masks, misdirection, and team dynamics click in the back half.
Areas That Falter

Exposition drag: A heavy information load in Act 1 slows the fuse before it burns.

Abstract villainy: The Entity’s threat can feel more conceptual than character-driven, blunting menace between set-pieces.

Overlength: At nearly three hours, a leaner cut might have landed harder.

Box Office & Cultural Impact

The film premiered in Tokyo (May 5, 2025) and played out of competition at Cannes (May 14) before its May 23 U.S. release, opening to a franchise-best day and helping fuel a record Memorial Day frame even as it finished #2 for the weekend. As of August 2025, it has grossed about $598M worldwide—a strong number, though shy of the sky-high expectations attached to its sizable budget.

Final Verdict

The Final Reckoning doesn’t top the pure kinetic highs of Fallout, but as a summation of 30 years of IMF derring-do, it delivers: big-screen scale, meticulous craft, and a heartfelt farewell to a movie-star-as-stuntman myth. The talky setup won’t be for everyone, yet the back-half fireworks and character grace notes make this a worthy (and very large) last mission.


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