Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning Review + Full Series Recap (1996–2025)
Hello, I’m Real Foodie.
Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on a movie I’ve been waiting for what feels like forever: Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Final (2025).
When the first film came out in 1996, I was just a teenager. Now, I’m a full-fledged adult writing a review for the final installment. How time flies!
From that iconic theme song to jaw-dropping stunts (shoutout to Limp Bizkit’s version in MI2), this franchise has spanned nearly three decades. The latest entry wraps it all up in a truly epic way.
📌 What you'll find in this post
- Brief plot summaries of Mission Impossible 1–7
- A detailed breakdown of Final Reckoning (Part 2)
- Top highlights & character arcs
- Audience and critic reactions
🎬 Basic Info
- Title: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (Final)
- Release Date: May 17, 2025 (South Korea, early release)
- Runtime: 169 minutes
- Director: Christopher McQuarrie
- Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby
- Genre: Action / Spy / Thriller
Mission Impossible 1–7: Full Recap
1. Mission: Impossible (1996)
Ethan Hunt becomes a fugitive after a failed mission in Prague. He uncovers that his own superior, Jim Phelps, betrayed the team.
2. Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)
Ethan tracks a rogue IMF agent planning to release a deadly virus called Chimera. He teams up with thief Nyah and saves the world just in time.
3. Mission: Impossible 3 (2006)
Ethan’s fiancée Julia is kidnapped by arms dealer Owen Davian. The film introduces the mysterious "Rabbit’s Foot" and explores Ethan’s emotional side.
4. Ghost Protocol (2011)
After the Kremlin is bombed, IMF is disavowed. Ethan and his team must stop a nuclear war with no official support.
5. Rogue Nation (2015)
Ethan goes off-grid to expose the Syndicate, a rogue spy network. He meets MI6 agent Ilsa Faust, who becomes a key figure going forward.
6. Fallout (2018)
Nuclear weapons are stolen, and Ethan is forced to team up with CIA agent Walker (who turns out to be a traitor). Julia reappears, and emotional closure is reached.
7. Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)
The threat is now AI – an entity called “The Entity.” Ethan loses Ilsa Faust and must prevent global powers from seizing control of this all-knowing AI.
Final Reckoning (2025) – Plot Overview
In the aftermath of Ilsa's death and the events of Part One, Ethan goes rogue once again – this time to destroy The Entity, not control it. Alongside hacker Luther, techie Benji, and thief-turned-ally Grace, he seeks the only thing that can override the AI: a two-part key.
The journey leads him deep into a Russian sonar station, where he learns the key leads to a sunken submarine named Sevastopol – the origin of The Entity. In a high-stakes underwater sequence, Ethan nearly dies but is rescued by his team. In the final act, he retrieves the virus-like “poison pill” that can disable the AI – and escapes with his life.
7 Things That Make Final Reckoning Special
1. AI as the Villain
This time, the villain isn't human – it’s an artificial intelligence capable of simulating outcomes and manipulating digital truth. It's timely, and terrifyingly plausible.
2. The Death of Ilsa Faust
Ilsa’s sacrifice hits hard. It’s personal for Ethan, and shifts his mission from tactical to emotional. "No one else dies" becomes his new code.
3. Complex Plot & Alliances
Multiple countries, agencies, and double-crosses. CIA, IMF, rogue operatives – it’s a geopolitical web. Add Grace’s shifting loyalty, and the tension never lets up.
4. Real Action, Real Stunts
Tom Cruise literally rides a bike off a cliff – for real. The train fight, the submarine infiltration, and zero CGI skydives bring old-school action to a modern audience.
5. The Symbolism of the Key
The key represents control over AI – but also, philosophical control over our future. Ethan refuses to use it. That decision speaks volumes.
6. Grace: A New Protagonist?
Grace evolves from con artist to potential IMF successor. Her growth arc is one of the film’s strongest, and her chemistry with Ethan adds emotional depth.
7. Nostalgia & Franchise Closure
From the train scene callback to classic music cues, this film honors the past while pointing toward the future. It feels like a goodbye letter to fans.
🎟️ Audience & Critical Response
In Korea
Opened #1 at the box office. Audiences praised the action and Cruise’s performance. Some found the runtime (169 minutes) and plot a bit heavy without knowledge of previous films.
Globally
Standing ovation at Cannes. Rotten Tomatoes: 81%. Metacritic: 68/100. Variety called Cruise “the last great action star,” while The Guardian said the film “lacks emotional depth despite its technical brilliance.”
✅ Final Thoughts
Final Reckoning isn't just another sequel – it’s a philosophical closure to a 30-year journey. Ethan Hunt remains one of the most iconic action heroes, and Cruise delivers every moment with sincerity and sweat.
If you can, catch it in IMAX. And if you're a longtime fan? Watch from MI1 again. It’s worth it.
Thanks for reading – see you in the next mission.
Good bye, Ethan.
