Tom Cruise doesn’t just push boundaries—he vaults over them, sets them on fire, and then outruns the explosion. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth and supposedly final installment in the franchise, is no exception. Clocking in at a blistering 2 hours and 53 minutes, this isn’t just a movie; it’s an endurance test—one that rewards the patient with some of the most audacious stunts ever filmed. But does it justify its runtime, or does it collapse under its own ambition?
From the dizzying Rome car chase to the cliffhanger ending that redefines “edge-of-your-seat,” we dissect the highs, lows, and sheer insanity of Cruise’s farewell to Ethan Hunt. Buckle up—this review is as relentless as the film itself.
Table of Contents
A Franchise on Steroids: When Bigger Isn’t Always Better
The Final Reckoning doesn’t just raise the stakes—it launches them into orbit. The plot, a convoluted web of AI threats, rogue agents, and apocalyptic MacGuffins, feels like Christopher Nolan remixing Fast & Furious. The first act is a sensory overload: a 15-minute motorcycle chase through Istanbul, a HALO jump with no CGI (because Cruise), and a fight scene inside a toppling train that makes Uncharted look like child’s play.
Yet, for all its spectacle, the film struggles with pacing. At nearly three hours, the middle sags under exposition dumps and callbacks to previous films—necessary for franchise diehards but exhausting for casual viewers. Director Christopher McQuarrie’s signature tight storytelling occasionally buckles under the weight of fan service. Still, when The Final Reckoning soars, it’s pure cinematic adrenaline.
Tom Cruise vs. Physics: The Stunt That Broke the Internet
Let’s address the elephant—or rather, the helicopter—in the room. Cruise’s much-hyped “cliffside free fall” isn’t just a stunt; it’s a statement. Shot in one take without a stunt double, the sequence sees Hunt clinging to a cargo plane’s open hatch before plummeting into a ravine, only to be caught mid-air by a trailing helicopter. The behind-the-scenes footage (inevitably leaked online) shows Cruise rehearsing the jump 73 times over six months. Does it advance the plot? Barely.
Is it the most insane thing ever committed to film? Absolutely. This is Cruise’s MO: practical effects at any cost, even if it means the audience forgets what’s happening narratively because they’re too busy gasping. The finale, a 30-minute showdown on a collapsing dam, ups the ante further—think Mad Max: Fury Road meets Inception’s hallway fight, but with more explosions.
Who Shines (and Who Gets Lost in the Chaos?)
Hayley Atwell, returning as Grace, steals every scene she’s in—her chemistry with Cruise crackles, whether they’re trading quips or dodging bullets. Pom Klementieff, meanwhile, leans into her role as a psychotic assassin with gleeful abandon, delivering a performance so unhinged it borders on parody (in the best way).
But not everyone fares well. Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa Faust, once the franchise’s emotional anchor, is sidelined for most of the runtime, her arc feeling frustratingly truncated. And while Esai Morales makes for a suitably menacing villain, his motivations—something about AI and “the end of free will”—get drowned out by the noise. The real MVP? Simon Pegg’s Benji, whose comic relief remains the franchise’s secret weapon.
The Verdict: A Flawed but Fitting Finale
The Final Reckoning isn’t the tightest Mission: Impossible film—that honor still belongs to Fallout—but it might be the most ambitious. It’s bloated, self-indulgent, and at times exhausting, yet when it clicks, it’s unmatched spectacle. The final 45 minutes alone, a relentless cascade of practical effects, emotional payoffs, and one last Cruise sprint, justify the ticket price. Is it a perfect sendoff? No. But in an era of sanitized, CGI-laden blockbusters, there’s something noble about a film that literally risks life and limb to entertain.
| Metric | Detail | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime | 2h 53m | Longest in the franchise |
| Stunts Performed by Cruise | 4 major, 12 minor | All without CGI |
| Countries Filmed In | 7 | From Norway to Namibia |
| Injuries On Set | 3 (minor) | Including a broken rib (Pegg) |
| Post-Credit Scene? | Yes | Teasing a potential spin-off |
FAQs
Q: Do I need to watch the previous films to understand The Final Reckoning?
A: Ideally, yes—especially Fallout and Dead Reckoning Part 1. But if you’re here just for the stunts, you’ll survive.
Q: Is this really Tom Cruise’s last Mission: Impossible?
A: Officially, yes—but the post-credits scene hints at a possible Hayley Atwell-led spin-off.
