Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning truly echoes its fourth word. It ties together 29 years of Mission: Impossible to deliver a pulsating action blockbuster that reflects present-day perils with evolving threats. Be it through the connections to many of the previous seven films or some visuals of a younger and leaner Tom Cruise, this film has an element of finality. Do not get worried, the Hollywood icon has not officially confirmed or denied these speculations. It is just us trying to read between the lines. While doing so, do not forget to savor the stunts. 

Mission: Impossible seems to be the code name not just for these films. It seems to be Tom Cruise choosing to accept some new stunt, performing it successfully, and saying, “Mission: Impossible?” Remember that insane leap off a cliff whilst riding a motorcycle in Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning? If you thought that was the peak, you are highly mistaken. Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning sees Ethan Hunt head down to the depths of the Bering Sea and hang off a biplane. Why? 

To show us that he can, and to up the stakes as he stops a highly evolved supervillain. Yes. Just as the film series and the stunts have evolved, Ethan’s opponents have gotten far more sophisticated. No disrespect to the likes of Solomon Lane, Kurt Hendricks aka Cobalt, and John Lark (played by Henry Cavill, who too was "nervous" about keeping up with the action superstar), but The Entity had Hunt looking like the hunted after their first interaction. This was not someone he could fight. 

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For the physicality aspect, we do have Esai Morales’ Gabriel. That is not much of a match, with his battle against Ilsa Faust (Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning) being the highlight of his appearances in the series. His absence from the film for a large portion gets quite noticeable. The reasons behind the same are specified and believable. We are not complaining, though. We did not miss him as there was stunt after stunt and spectacle after spectacle. Do these serve as a gloss over a wafer-thin story? 

Perhaps those who approach the film with an incorrect preconceived notion may find this a problem. There are going to be death-defying sequences in Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning, much like every other installment in the franchise, and you are not going to get a supremely layered story akin to Skyfall. Also, the stunts do fit the story and the journey, credit to the director-editor combination.

Director Christopher McQuarrie and editor Eddie Hamilton, with their meticulous efforts in visualising and cutting each of these sequences, created a gripping and cathartic cinematic experience. Picture this. A hall of over 300 cinephiles feeling an increased heartbeat, having a sharp intake of breath, clasping their hands over their mouths, and then relaxing after that experience. (Was there applause at some places?) That is all down to the above-mentioned duo, the crew, and Tom Cruise. At one point, you may wonder if he is a superhero. Is he really?

It may be plausible, as he does his own stunts. And without a stunt double—though Ryan Reynolds once joked that Cruise could be his— there is no restriction on the type of shot that makes it to the final cut. This allows things to just be that much more real. You will notice it as you see Cruise’s flesh rippling against the strong wind currents. The superstar’s dedication seems to have rubbed off on his co-stars, with Pom Klementieff’s Paris doing her own stunts too. Paris’ lack of dialogue works well too. Brutal honesty with tensions at the nuclear level is a very Marvel innovation, but it works. And speaking of Marvel…

Hayley Atwell’s Grace is a standout in this film, as her character evolves from mere thief to someone who can hold her own. Did you imagine the pickpocket serving as an underwater rescuer? We did not, which made it all the more surprising to witness that scene on the ice. But that is what plots do with certain characters receiving faster-than-usual evolutionary arcs. 

Tramell Tillman, Ving Rhames, and Angela Bassett are the other standouts in the cast with short and powerful roles. The trio commands their limited screen time, which makes you want more. But this film is all about Ethan Hunt and a tribute to Mission: Impossible. And that brings us to one concern: maybe writers Christopher McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen tried a bit too hard. 

Tying in a series of films with no intended connection at the time can seem forced. You may be among the ones who will recreate the Leonardo DiCaprio still of ‘pointing at the TV’ from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. These ‘Once Upon a Time in Mission Impossible’ moments allow for a raising of the stakes, but it definitely screams out DESPERATE. If not desperate, just overly convenient that everyone seemed to converge for The Final Reckoning. 

Here is a little something, though. You can head into Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning without having watched 6 of the previous films. Thank you, flashbacks! The one? Duh, you need to watch the seventh as it is part 1. 

Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning is a high-stakes film that bookends (?) an action cinema franchise. It can hit close to home for those invested in current affairs. A world teetering on the edge? Possibly. That may have been a feeling with every film in this series. Ethan Hunt’s last mission reminds us why this saga has remained impossible to ignore. 

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Mission: Impossible- The Final Reckoning releases on May 23, 2025!