Perched high among my most anticipated films of 2025 is the latest Mission: Impossible extravaganza – “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning”. This is the EIGHTH feature in the Tom Cruise led action spy film series and the fourth consecutive M:I movie written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie. The film has been teased as the potential swan song for Cruise’s long-running protagonist Ethan Hunt. As a proud fan of the franchise, I went in hoping that wouldn’t be the case.

Undercut by the cultural phenomenon that was “Barbenheimer”, the previous M:I installment (2023’s “Dead Reckoning”) made just over $570 million. That’s over $300 million less than 2018’s “Fallout”. Its underperformance combined with its enormous budget led to the film not reaching the box office numbers needed. Still “Dead Reckoning” was rightfully praised by critics and fans, setting the table for this latest entry – the biggest, grandest, and longest Mission: Impossible to date.

Cruise is at his charismatic and death-defying peak in this latest adventure for IMF agent Ethan Hunt. Picking up after the events of “Dead Reckoning”, we find Ethan hot on the heels of Gabriel (Esai Morales), a former liaison to a rogue information-consuming artificial intelligence known as the Entity. The megalomaniacal Gabriel is determined to gain control over the Entity while Ethan wants to destroy it in hopes of avoiding a nuclear apocalypse.

To carry out his mission, Ethan will once again rely on the help of his longtime friends, Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg). Also back in his fold is Grace (Haley Atwell), a skilled thief turned IMF operative, and Paris (Pom Klementieff), a former assassin for Gabriel who switched sides after Ethan saved her life. But slowing him down CIA director Eugene Kittridge (a returning Henry Czerny) and his right-hand man Briggs (Shea Whigham) who see Ethan as a reckless threat.

As the Entity quickly gains control of the world’s nuclear systems, the President of the United States, Erika Sloane (Angela Bassett) goes against her cabinet and gives Ethan the resources he needs to carry out a secret mission in the North Pacific Ocean. Inside of an old Russian submarine lying at the bottom of the icy Bering Sea is a module containing the Entity’s source codes. When combined with a “Poison Pill” created by Luther, the module will give whoever possesses it the power to control the Entity and in turn world. But the Entity has its own plans that involve wiping out humankind.

Despite clocking in at just under three hours, “The Final Reckoning” zips by and features very little downtime. Written by McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen, the story is loaded with high-stakes buildup and strong payoffs. And while it takes itself more seriously than (perhaps) any other Mission: Impossible installment, it makes perfect sense considering the gravity of everything in play. McQuarrie and Cruise want us to grasp the magnitude and urgency. Together they put a ton of effort into submerging us in the perilous world they create. It works brilliantly.

But of course what would a Mission: Impossible movie be without the fearless Cruise once again putting it all on the line? “The Final Reckoning” has lots of great action. But it’s two jaw-dropping set pieces that will have people talking – one in the wreckage of a submarine lying at the bottom of the sea; the other involving two biplanes weaving through a canyon before climbing to 10,000 feet. Both easily sit among the very best action sequences ever to be put on screen. It may be tempting to dismiss that as hyperbole, but it’s far from it. Trust me when I say you’ve never seen anything like them.

While “The Final Reckoning” is a terrific entry into the Mission: Impossible franchise, it’s not without a few small blemishes. There’s a surprising early reveal (I won’t dare spoil it) that I’m still trying to make sense of. And there are a couple of threads that really could have used more time and attention. But aside from those ticks, the story had me riveted to the screen. The thrilling setup, the propulsive pacing, the cool callbacks, Fraser Taggart’s eye-popping cinematography, the nerve-shredding final act, the unexpected humanity at the core of it all – there’s so much to love.

“Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” is everything you want from a big-budget blockbuster, delivering an exhilarating big screen experience that reminds us of why we go to the theater. Cruise and company give it their all to create yet another insanely entertaining spectacular that accomplishes its mission to wow audiences. It’s a gloriously satisfying cap on arguably the greatest and most consistent action franchise of our time. It also happens to be one of the best movies of the year.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS