by Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is back for one final mission in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, which premieres at Cannes on May 14, before arriving in theaters on May 21. Ahead of its theatrical release, but before the official reviews are released, the first reactions from critics have been unleashed onto social media. The Final Reckoning will bring the long-running action franchise to a close after almost two decades. But has it done enough to finally re-title the franchise to Mission: Possible? Or has Ethan Hunt come up short on his final adventure?
The social media reaction embargo has ended, and platforms like X (formerly Twitter) have been flooded with reactions to Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. Fans who are anxious about director Christopher McQuarrie sticking the landing on the final entry have little to worry about, as the first reactions are very positive, although not entirely perfect. “The ageless Tom Cruise thrills in an action-packed, blockbuster opus of insane stunts, epic set pieces, and tired cliches,” wrote MovieWeb’s Julian Roman. “Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning hilariously has more countdowns than New Year’s Eve.”
Brandon Davis of The Phase Hero Podcast agreed, writing, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning has pacing issues but when it literally takes flight, the movie soars. Tom Cruise delivers a tense and thrilling third & final act. Love letters to the franchise are caked in, for better and worse. Last 45 mins are exceptional.”
The Final Reckoning being a great but imperfect movie was an opinion held by many critics. “#MissionImpossible – The Final Reckoning is a solid addition to the franchise!” wrote Collider’s Perri Nemiroff “I struggled with some of the mission details and callbacks to past installments, but that didn’t stop the movie from successfully sparking one heck of a build that culminates in a super tense big finish.”
Unsurprisingly, the stunts steal the show in The Final Reckoning. For the film, Tom Cruise hung from an upside-down biplane, submerged himself underwater in a submarine, and completed a third mysterious stunt which hasn’t been revealed. The folks over at GeekTyrant loved The Final Reckoning, writing, “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is an action movie masterpiece! It’s a masterclass in filmmaking, and one of the best movies of the year! Non-stop tension! I freakin’ loved it!”
‘Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ Has Its Flaws
The beauty of art and cinema is that they’re subjective. While many could overlook The Final Reckoning‘s shortcomings, some critics couldn’t see past the film’s flaws. Andrew J. Salazar of Discussing Film was one such critic. “Didn’t really enjoy THE FINAL RECKONING,” their reaction began. “It’s got McQ’s best and worst tendencies, i.e. stunning visuals bogged down by an overtly complex script that introduces so much that goes nowhere. Obviously feels like they were filming this without a script.”
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning releases in US theaters on May 21. The official reviews will be released on May 14, following the film’s worldwide premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. At the time of writing, there are no plans to continue the franchise beyond The Final Reckoning. But, that could always change in the future
