Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, the eighth and final chapter in Tom Cruise’s iconic action franchise, delivers a spectacle that dazzles on the big screen. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, this nearly three-hour epic aims to tie up three decades of Ethan Hunt’s globe-trotting heroics with jaw-dropping stunts and a heavy dose of nostalgia.
The story picks up where Dead Reckoning Part One left off, with Ethan Hunt (Cruise) racing to stop the Entity, a rogue AI threatening global annihilation. The plot revolves around retrieving a key and a device called the Podkova from a sunken Russian submarine, a mission that spirals into a series of betrayals, nuclear threats, and philosophical musings about choice and destiny. McQuarrie, co-writing with Erik Jendresen, leans heavily into callbacks to earlier films, with montages and returning characters tying the franchise together.
What makes this film is Cruise’s unparalleled commitment to physicality. The film’s two major set pieces—a nerve-wracking underwater sequence in a derelict submarine and a death-defying biplane chase over South African landscapes—are among the franchise’s best. The submarine scene, in particular, is a masterclass in tension, with Cruise navigating a claustrophobic, unstable wreck filled with floating torpedoes. The biplane sequence, where he dangles from wings at 140 mph, is a heart-pounding testament to his daredevil ethos, blending practical stunt work with emotional intensity. These moments remind us why Cruise is still the last true movie star.
Visually, the film is stunning, with McQuarrie’s use of real-world locations—London, Norway, South Africa—lending authenticity to the high-stakes chaos. The underwater and aerial sequences are shot with a clarity that maximizes their impact.
Ultimately, The Final Reckoning is a film that soars when it embraces its roots as a stunt-driven thrill ride but falters slighty when it tries to be something grander. It’s a testament to Cruise’s enduring charisma and McQuarrie’s technical prowess that the movie remains engaging. Whether this is truly Ethan Hunt’s final mission…only time will tell.
Email:neill@outloudculture.com
