When it comes to the late stages of Tom Cruise’s career, credit where credit is due: at 62, he’s the only outspoken actor in Hollywood who respects both the filmmaking process and the audience’s desire for big-screen spectacles.

If more industry figures adopted Cruise’s mentality, Hollywood might not have languished as it has over the past 10 to 15 years. That said, the recent trajectory of the Mission: Impossible franchise raises questions about whether Cruise’s relentless pursuit of jaw-dropping stunts—bordering on a death wish or a pact with his Scientology circle—has begun to overshadow the films themselves.

Watching Cruise perform gravity-defying feats is undeniably thrilling, but one must ask: are these stunts enhancing the story or merely serving as a gimmick? Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One was intended as the first of a back-to-back series, with both films slated for release in quick succession.

However, after Dead Reckoning Part One underperformed at the box office in 2023, Paramount pushed the second film back a year and rebranded it as Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. This delay and retitling raise doubts about whether the franchise can end on a high note.

In The Final Reckoning, Ethan Hunt and his team continue their battle to secure a key that can stop a rogue AI program, The Entity, from unleashing global chaos. The Entity, which arrogantly calls itself God and operates through a messenger named Gabriel, is hell-bent on triggering Armageddon, threatening nations worldwide. Ethan, driven by a desire to destroy rather than control this apocalyptic force, emerges as the only man capable of saving humanity.

The film is steeped in Gnostic themes, framing good and evil in striking ways. The Entity serves as an evil, god-like figure—an Antichrist archetype—opposed by Ethan, who consistently defies a fate that The Entity claims is “written.” This not-so-subtle plot point may go unnoticed by casual viewers but resonates deeply with those attuned to its philosophical undertones. 

However, the film struggles to live up to the high bar set by 2018’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout, widely regarded as the franchise’s peak. Dead Reckoning Part One felt like a step down, and the two-year wait for The Final Reckoning only amplified audience skepticism about whether the first film’s cliffhanger justified the delay.

The decision to split this story into two films feels questionable, especially given the staggering production costs. The Final Reckoning reportedly cost nearly $400 million, while Dead Reckoning Part One neared $300 million, totaling almost $700 million for the pair. For Paramount, these films needed Avatar-level box office returns to avoid becoming a financial sinkhole.

Yet, the bloated budgets seem driven more by Cruise’s unchecked ambition than by narrative necessity, raising concerns about whether the franchise has grown too big for its own good. Fans of Ethan Hunt will get plenty of him in The Final Reckoning, but some stunts push the boundaries of believability to the point of absurdity.

Even the characters within the film acknowledge how nonsensical the plot twists are for everything to align in Ethan’s favor. While the movie demands that you suspend disbelief—a hallmark of the series—it delivers the kind of escapist entertainment that’s increasingly rare in theaters. For longtime fans, this may be enough, as the franchise has always thrived on spectacle over substance.

Still, The Final Reckoning is a mixed bag. The effort in front of and behind the camera is undeniable, with Cruise’s commitment to practical stunts and director Christopher McQuarrie’s polished action sequences shining through.

Yet, compared to earlier entries like Ghost Protocol or Fallout, this film feels like a step backward. The franchise’s scale has ballooned, and Hollywood’s open secret is that no one can say “no” to Tom Cruise. His star power gives him carte blanche at Paramount, allowing him to push boundaries that might have been better restrained.

The Final Reckoning is a cinematic experience, particularly in premium formats like IMAX or 4DX, where the adrenaline rush of Cruise’s stunts is palpable. However, once the thrill fades, the film lacks the replay value of its predecessors.

The story feels overstretched, and the emotional stakes don’t hit as hard as they once did. While Cruise’s dedication to entertaining audiences remains admirable, this final chapter suggests that even his boundless energy can’t fully salvage a franchise showing signs of fatigue.

For those who’ve followed Ethan Hunt’s journey, The Final Reckoning delivers enough spectacle to satisfy, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that the series peaked years ago. As Hollywood continues to churn out safe, formulaic blockbusters, Cruise’s insistence on pushing the envelope is both a blessing and a curse.

The film entertains, but it also underscores the diminishing returns of a franchise that may have outstayed its welcome.

2/5

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