The once-thrilling Mission: Impossible franchise concludes with The Final Reckoning, a film that, despite its grand ambitions and substantial budget, fails to deliver the excitement and coherence longtime fans have come to expect.
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, this eighth installment sees Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team confronting “The Entity,” a rogue artificial intelligence threatening global annihilation. While the premise holds potential, the execution is marred by a convoluted plot and an overemphasis on dialogue at the expense of action.
A culturally “woke” film that includes an overtly diverse cast, including a Black female U.S. president and prominent female military officers. While representation can enhance storytelling when done organically, some viewers may perceive these choices as tokenistic, detracting from the story’s authenticity. Chronicles Magazine notes the presence of a “black lady president and conspicuous Girl Boss naval officers,” suggesting a forced inclusion that doesn’t meaningfully serve the narrative.
In my opinion, a persistent anti-biblical bias is interwoven throughout the movie. For example, characters who proclaimed that judgment is coming—uttering phrases such as “It is written”—are portrayed as members of a cult. As the world teetered on the brink of global nuclear catastrophe, Cruise’s character is elevated as humanity’s only hope. Following an improbable intervention to stop the rogue AI from wiping out all life, the film’s narrative ultimately proclaims, “It is not written,” implying that the collective good will of mankind—not divine order—will determine the future of those the Bible refers to as created in the image of God.
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Critics have noted the film’s excessive exposition and lackluster pacing. The Guardian describes it as suffering from “excessive exposition and underwhelming action sequences,” leading to a disappointing and anticlimactic end to the franchise. Similarly, Chronicles Magazine criticizes the film’s reliance on lengthy dialogue, stating it is “extremely dialogue-heavy, with constant, hectoring explainers of the stakes, both moral and material.”
The film’s 170-minute runtime further exacerbates these issues, resulting in a viewing experience that feels bloated and indulgent. The Houston Chronicle remarks that the film is “nearly three hours of your life that you will never get back,” highlighting the tedious nature of the storytelling.
Financially, The Final Reckoning has underperformed relative to its massive budget, estimated between $300 million and $400 million. As of May 29, 2025, the film has grossed approximately $231.4 million worldwide, raising serious concerns about its profitability.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning attempts to close the franchise with grandeur but ultimately collapses under the weight of its own narrative confusion and misplaced ideological priorities. While Tom Cruise’s dedication to the role remains evident, the film’s missteps overshadow his performance, leaving audiences with a finale that lacks the clarity, excitement, and grounded storytelling of its predecessors.
