Critics’ reviews

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025)

18 reviews from 18 publications. Critics’ score 64: 4 positive, 3 mixed, 2 negative.

Back to our review of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

64
Positive
4
Mixed
3
Negative
2
The Telegraph
21 May 2025
85*

This is a dazzlingly ambitious finale in which Ethan Hunt faces a challenge of biblical proportions. The critic singles out the tense submarine raid and climactic dogfight sequences, including a mid-air plane jump, as masterful and real-feeling action.

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Empire
14 May 2025 · John Nugent
80*

The film serves as a fitting victory lap with two of the franchise's best set pieces, including an extraordinary biplane sequence, though the lengthy setup is exposition-heavy.

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Total Film
14 May 2025 · James Mottram
75*

It wraps up the franchise spectacularly with Tom Cruise at his peak amid stunning stunts and real jeopardy, though the main villain falls short as a compelling antagonist.

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Vulture
14 May 2025 · Bilge Ebiri
65*

The film suffers from excessive solemnity, endless callbacks, and portentous exposition in its first hour that weigh it down, but it recovers with inventive, silent stunt sequences like the submarine infiltration and biplane climax that showcase Cruise's physicality. Overall it's a messy but entertaining entry undermined by franchise mythology overload.

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Evening Standard
14 May 2025 · Nick Howells
35*

The film offers a sentimental, nostalgic tone with solid underwater action but lacks the expected explosive payoff and a standout stunt to match the prior entry, leaving it feeling like an incomplete celebration.

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Los Angeles Times
15 May 2025 · festival review · Amy Nicholson

Stunts thrill but the endless exposition and over-editing stifle momentum, turning dialogue into bullet-point plans. The cast, including delightful turns from Pegg and others, keeps it watchable for fans despite the flaws.

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RogerEbert.com
23 May 2025 · festival review · Brian Tallerico

The film stumbles in a clunky, repetitive first hour heavy on exposition and self-seriousness that undercuts the franchise's usual fun. It recovers with spectacular underwater and aerial action sequences that deliver breathtaking stunts.

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Sight and Sound
23 May 2025

The critic highlights the film's spectacular practical set-pieces in a flooded submarine and biplane chase as Ethan defies gravity once more. It notes the story's sense of providing closure to the series while questioning whether this is truly the end.

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The Hollywood Reporter
14 May 2025 · festival review · David Rooney

The critic finds the film convoluted with too much exposition, recaps, and callbacks that make long stretches dull and self-serious, bordering on self-parody. The standout elements are the bold, original stunt sequences, including a destabilized sunken submarine and a biplane chase, thanks to Cruise's commitment.

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The New York Times
14 May 2025 · festival review · Manohla Dargis

Cruise defies mortality and gravity once more in an enjoyably unhinged entry that pits Ethan Hunt against an all-powerful AI threatening planetary destruction. The film benefits from a strong ensemble keeping the nonsense grounded amid the escalating stunts.

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Variety
14 May 2025 · Critic's Pick · Owen Gleiberman

The most enveloping entry since Ghost Protocol, it makes the impossible elating through high-stakes doom and Cruise's unmatched stunt work in the thrilling climax. A few patchy moments are outweighed by the visceral set pieces.

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Deadline
14 May 2025 · festival review · Damon Wise
80*

The critic finds the film holds up as a stand-alone despite callbacks, with spectacular action sequences on a submarine and in a biplane chase that top previous entries. It wraps up storylines with a showman's flourish but leaves the door open for more, dwelling on the hero's burden in a serious tone.

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The Wrap
14 May 2025
60*

The review notes spectacular stunts like the biplane chase but criticizes the convoluted script, self-referential plotting, and excessive adulation of Cruise. It delivers what fans want in action and callbacks but ends on an adequate note overall.

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/Film
14 May 2025 · 5/10 · Chris Evangelista
50

The film is too messy, overlong and inert despite strong action sequences. It feels like the series is running out of steam even as it delivers a jaw-dropping finale stunt.

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Polygon
14 May 2025 · Matt Patches
35*

The critic calls the film a disaster overall, criticizing its excessive flashbacks, leaden dialogue, convoluted plotting, and boring stretches that make it feel like a clip-show finale. They single out the climactic plane stunt as the greatest sequence Cruise has ever committed to film.

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Collider
14 May 2025 · Ross Bonaime

The critic views it as a bloated but mostly fitting celebratory send-off to the franchise that praises everything the series has accomplished. They single out the action sequences, particularly the climactic plane stunt, as a brilliant showcase for Cruise.

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Den of Geek
14 May 2025 · 3 out of 5 · David Crow

The film strains the franchise formula with self-importance and less playfulness than prior entries, functioning more as a reluctant swan song than a true finale. It still delivers as a stunt spectacular with charming team moments and standout sequences like the biplane climax.

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NME
14 May 2025 · 4 · Lou Thomas

It offers an epic farewell with spectacular stunts that hark back to silent-era spectacle, including standout submarine and biplane sequences, plus fan-pleasing callbacks. An overly long opening stretch of dialogue-heavy scenes delays the thrills.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate