Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning Review: Thrilling But Flawed

Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning feels like a wild victory lap for Ethan Hunt and his crew, packed with jaw-dropping stunts, ear-splitting sound design, and globe-trotting scenery that feels almost too good to be true. But for every incredible action scene, there is some overcooked cheese slowing things down. While the second and third acts deliver fun and excitement, the first act and some character choices leave you scratching your head. It is a dramatic, energetic, slightly corny ride that still manages to thrill.

The Good

Thrilling Action Sequences

This is where Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning absolutely shines. The action scenes are anxiety-inducing in all the right ways. From frantic fight scenes to Tom Cruise sprinting like his life depends on it (because it kinda does), every moment feels like a masterclass in how to film thrilling physicality. The plane stunt is cool, but the submarine sequence? UNBELIEVABLE. It is beautifully shot, gorgeously choreographed, and reminded me of the rotating hallway in Inception, except underwater. Pure cinema magic.

Old School Spy Vibes Meet Modern Tech

There is something charming about seeing a classic hero like Ethan Hunt deal with today’s tech nightmares. The movie blends espionage nostalgia with modern-day threats, especially when tackling the dangers of AI. While the AI threat is more of a backdrop than the real heart of the movie, it adds a timely layer to the chaos. I saw this in Dolby Surround and let me tell you, I felt every explosion, every spin of the submarine, and every frantic footstep. This movie would look and sound absolutely killer in IMAX. The soundtrack never lets up, creating a relentless atmosphere of intensity that grabs you and does not let go.

Situational Humor Done Right

For all its dramatic posturing, Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning actually finds surprising moments of humor. Ethan getting constantly “recruited” into missions mid-chase? Hilarious. The movie does a good job of sneaking in laughs without totally breaking the tension.

The Bad

Heavy-Handed Drama

The drama is thick. Like, slap-you-in-the-face thick. Characters repeat the stakes (“the fate of the world!”) so often it feels like they are worried we will forget. It makes the first act a slog, and sometimes the intense score makes everything feel more exhausting than exciting. This movie leans hard into Marvel-style cheese. From awkward character motivations (Pom’s character loyalty switch feels unearned) to dialogue that hammers the same points again and again, it loses some of the slick cool factor that made previous Mission Impossible films sing.

Ving Rhames‘ character dying felt unnecessary and frustrating. It stood out not just emotionally but because nobody else on the team died. It is a rough choice that left a bad taste, especially when so much of the movie is trying to be crowd-pleasing. Angela Bassett shines as the President, but she barely gets room to breathe. Tramell Tillman is fun to see but sticks a little too close to his Severance character type. The movie tries to land big emotional beats with the team disassembling and character deaths, but they do not hit as hard as they should. Even the “will they or will they not” tension between Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell‘s characters fizzles out without a payoff. For an “Endgame”-style movie, it just does not feel like a true ending.

Final Verdict

Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning is a mixed bag. It delivers on spectacle with incredible action, mind-blowing sound, and old-school spy nostalgia. But it also weighs itself down with overly dramatic storytelling and cheesy moments that pull you out of the excitement. It is worth seeing on the biggest, loudest screen you can find, but do not expect it to outdo the previous Mission Impossible movies.