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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Euronews Culture's Film of the Week: 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning'
Over the course of three decades, the Mission: Impossible franchise has given us some of the most consistently enjoyable cinematic thrills out there. Thanks in large part to Tom Cruise's devotion to sprinting and pushing the envelope when it comes to making impossible stunts possible, the series has managed to become a blockbuster singularity which has bucked the inevitable downslope trajectory most franchises succumb to. But it seems that even an anomaly as impressive as Mission: Impossible must face its reckoning. If 2023's Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One felt like the M:I franchise finally hitting its diminishing return phase, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is proof that the series has truly jumped the shark. We pick up where we left off in 2023. The parasitic AI known as The Entity is still at large and has infected global cyberspace. As we're repeatedly told: 'Whoever controls The Entity controls the truth.' Having failed to stop the gaping digital sphincter in Dead Reckoning Part One, Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his team have 72 hours before it gains full control of the world's nuclear arsenal and wipes out humanity. Thankfully, Hunt has always been 'the best of men in the worst of times.' He is 'the chosen one' who can "deceive the Lord of Lies." Yes, these are direct quotes from this ludicrous new adventure, one whose scale and tone have more in common with the worst chapters of The Terminator and The Matrix films than it does with the franchise's espionage roots. Considering this supposed last instalment wraps up the storyline left hanging in the previous adventure, it's hardly surprising that the eighth M:I film shares its predecessor's bum notes – notably a jumbled script, laughably portentous dialogue, and one of the most forgettable villains (Esai Morales returning as Gabriel) in the franchise's run. Not content to simply ride out this already anticlimactic wave, The Final Reckoning adds a crushing sense of dourness hitherto absent from the series, as well as hefty exposition dumps that make the first hour of this 2h50 runtime an absolute slog to get through. And then there's the copious Ethan Hunt mythologising. Our hero is more end-of-times messiah than secret agent here, a grating development galvanized by endless po-faced talk of destiny. It's a shame that it should end this way, as the inherently promising AI antagonist had so much going for it. It taps into modern fears regarding the alarming proliferation of artificial intelligence and the correlation with the rise in disinformation. The execution may have been dumb in Dead Reckoning, but there was hope for some redemption – especially when Entity 'fanatics' are mentioned at the start of The Final Reckoning. The IMF team vs a cult devoted to a digital overlord? Sign us up. Sadly, The Final Reckoning doubles down and makes The Entity a doomsday soothsayer and a manipulator of stakes straight out of a Michael Bay movie. It's genuinely baffling how producer / star Tom Cruise and director / co-writer Christopher McQuarrie thought this would be a fitting swansong to the Hunt era. They proved beyond a doubt with Rogue Nation and series high note Fallout that they had finessed the winning formula; here, everything they built is thrown out the window in favour of a lunatic devotion to callbacks and self-congratulatory flashbacks. By harking back so frequently to past M:I instalments and cackhandedly retconing certain plot points (not quite to the same extent as 007's Spectre, but close enough), they create a clumsy Greatest Hits compilation that falls into the Marvel-shaped trap of attempting interconnectedness at any cost. Which begs the question: When will directors and studios realise that not everything has to be uselessly intertwined? Most of all, if you're going to rely on the relentlessly frustrating storytelling device of using clip montages, the current film better be as deliriously entertaining as the past adventures you're visually referring to. Otherwise, you're just reminding audiences of films they'd rather be watching instead. By the time this instalment's two major set-pieces arrive – a terrifically shot submarine sequence and our indefatigable superspy hanging off a biplane with the fate of the planet still in the balance – the sluggish pace has taken hold and no impressive showdown can make up for it. Worse, the finale lacks the courage to commit to a send-off befitting the film's title. Unlike The Final Reckoning, the James Bond franchise had the cojones to cap off the Daniel Craig tenure with a surprising twist. Love it or hate it, killing off 007 in No Time To Die was bold move. No such luck here, despite ample opportunity to end with an emotional splat / bang. It's with a heavy heart, especially considering the impressive run of tightly wound and thrilling adventures the M:I franchise has delivered, that this legacy-obsessed victory-lap feels like this series' Die Another Day. If the long-running franchise isn't dead yet, what's needed is a Casino Royale–shaped, ground-level spycraft reboot. For now though, Ethan Hunt is done running, punching, swimming, flying and cheating death at every turn. Should his retirement be permanent, it's a shame that the fuse fizzled out with The Final Reckoning, which ranks at the bottom of the eight-film run. Because for all the early-00's nonsense that characterised M:I-2, there was never a dull moment in John Woo's silly ballet of slo-mo doves soundtracked to Limp Bizkit. Tom Cruise deserved a stronger swansong. Instead, audiences get the first mission they should choose not to accept. is out in cinemas now. Check out the video above for more thoughts on this final instalment of the series.
India Today
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Tom Cruise sets Guinness World Record for parachute stunt in Mission Impossible 8
Hollywood actor Tom Cruise has added another major milestone to his already action-packed career. The actor has officially been awarded the Guinness World Record for the 'most burning parachute jumps by an individual'. This comes after his jaw-dropping stunt in his latest film, 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning'.Known for doing his own daring stunts, Cruise took things to a whole new level for the final instalment of the 'Mission: Impossible' franchise. According to reports, he jumped out of a helicopter 16 times with a flaming, fuel-soaked parachute. The stunts were filmed in Drakensberg, South Africa, after weeks of preparation by Cruise and his the intense shoot, Cruise even carried a 50-pound camera rig on his body to capture close-up shots while performing the dangerous mid-air sequence. He jumped from over 75,000 feet, detached the burning chute mid-air, and deployed a backup parachute - all while being filmed in real-time. Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday praised the actor, saying, 'Tom doesn't just play action heroes - he is an action hero! His focus on authenticity and fearlessness sets him apart.'Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' marks the conclusion to the long-running spy series, which began back in 1996. The story continues from 'Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning', with Cruise's character, Ethan Hunt, trying to stop a powerful AI known as The Entity from falling into the wrong film also stars Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby, Hayley Atwell, Esai Morales, and Pom Klementieff, among others. It hit theatres on May 23 and is being hailed as a high-octane farewell to the iconic Reel
News18
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Mission Impossible 8 Box Office Day 17: Tom Cruise Starrer Sees Drop On 3rd Monday
Last Updated: Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning, featuring Tom Cruise, made only Rs 1.25 crore on Day 17, which is the lowest daily collection so far. Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning has successfully finished 17 days in theatres across India. Tom Cruise 's huge fan following always looks forward to his movies as he's known for doing his own stunts, which makes him a true action star. Despite clashing with other releases, the Christopher McQuarrie directorial stayed strong at the box office. It is now close to earning Rs 100 crore in India, which is a big milestone for a Hollywood film. But the film's latest Monday earnings dropped compared to the weekend. According to reports, the action thriller made only Rs 1.25 crore on Day 17, which is the lowest daily collection so far. According to Sacnilk, The Final Reckoning made a decent amount on its third Monday, as the total collection now stands at Rs 91.70 crore. This includes earnings from all language versions, English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. After a slightly slow second week, Cruise's movie picked up the pace by earning Rs 3.65 crore on Saturday and Rs 3.75 crore on Sunday. These numbers show that the movie has managed to bring back the audience's interest. So far this year, very few Hollywood films have done well in India, but The Final Reckoning seems to be changing that trend. In India, it seems other Hollywood releases like Final Destination: Bloodlines and Lilo & Stitch live action may have been affecting the response to Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. This added competition might be slowing down the film's box office performance, especially in its third week. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the film marks the final chapter in the Mission Impossible series. Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt, the brave IMF agent known for going on the toughest missions. He is joined by his trusted team, played by Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny and Angela Bassett. This time, the team faced a dangerous mission involving a powerful AI known as The Entity. As this threat grows stronger, Hunt and his crew must do everything they can to stop it before it ends the world. Released in India on May 17, Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning also stars Esai Morales, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Tramell Tillman, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Mark Gatiss and Charles Parnell. First Published:
Pink Villa
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning Day 15 India Box Office: Franchise's struggles to hit blockbuster mark continues with Rs 70 lakh 2nd Monday
Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning has earned Rs 80.70 crore at the Indian box office by Day 17, a figure that falls short of the high expectations set by the franchise and its massive scale and star power. Speaking about the Tom Cruise starrer's exclusive second Monday haul, it pulled in Rs 70 lakh net, which can be defined as decent at most and well below what industry insiders, makers, and fans must've preferred. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the film is the eighth and final installment in the Mission Impossible series. It welcomes Cruise back as the iconic IMF agent Ethan Hunt, alongside his teammates played by Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, and Angela Bassett. The story revolves around Hunt and co. trying to stop a rogue AI called The Entity from unleashing global chaos. Though the film boasts a reported production budget of USD 300 to USD 400 million, its reception worldwide has been lukewarm. Industry experts are being cautious when quoting its lifetime figure, as it looks like the entry will have a tough time even breaking even at the box office. The aforementioned production cost, for the record, ballooned after schedule delays caused by the SAG-AFTRA strike and the scale of the endeavor, which required filming across locations like the UK, Malta, South Africa, and Norway. Marketing expenses also make up a large chunk of the cost. In India, it looks like franchise fatigue is keeping viewers from flocking to theaters. Competition from another Hollywood release, Final Destination: Bloodlines, could also be hurting MI8's run in the region. In conclusion, Mission: Impossible 8 remains a decent performer in India but misses the blockbuster mark it would have desired. If the current trajectory holds, The Final Reckoning may end up under Dead Reckoning's Rs 106 crore net in the market.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Review: I Choose To Accept Tom Cruise's Blockbuster Finale As An Explosive Kickoff To Summer Movie Season
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. On May 22, 1996, audiences accepted a mission that seemed impossible: a successful modern adaptation of a classic TV series. Tom Cruise and the Mission: Impossible franchise have long outlasted the original fad that gave it life, with almost 30 years under the belt of this Paramount Pictures franchise. But as we're commonly reminded, all good things must come to an end – which is part of why the eighth chapter in this series has been given the subtitle The Final Reckoning. That reality is bittersweet, because while this does feel like a big goodbye to Ethan Hunt, the story that's employed to bid this farewell is going to leave you wanting more. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning Release Date: May 23, 2025Directed By: Christopher McQuarrieWritten By: Christopher McQuarrie & Erik JendresenStarring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Tramell Tillman and Angela Bassett, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Charles Parnell, Mark Gatiss, with Rolf Saxon, and Lucy TulugarjukRating: PG-13, for sequences of strong violence and action, bloody images, and brief 169 minutes Two months after the events of Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has once more gone into hiding. Refusing several requests to rejoin the fight against The Entity's malicious A.I. antics, the governments of the world are on the brink of all out war. With Ethan's Impossible Mission Force team still assembled (Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Pom Klementiff, and Ving Rhames) and nemesis Gabriel (Esai Morales) also remaining on the board, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning boils down to a four-day window that could spell nuclear armageddon. Anyone wondering if director Christopher McQuarrie's fourth entry in the Mission lexicon can be enjoyed without prior knowledge is in for a bit of a paradox. While The Final Reckoning does have tons of callbacks, flashbacks, and exposition that gives you the Cliff's Notes version of Ethan's exploits up to this point, having experiencing those previous adventures does lend depth to all of the shocking turns. That's something very important to consider, as our eighth and final joyride with superspy Ethan Hunt tries to tie up a whole lot of loose ends in its almost three-hour running time. Which is both a blessing and a curse, due to all of the moving parts this continuity has integrated over the last three decades. Let's just put some good news on the table right up front. As someone who's followed Mission: Impossible's movies from the beginning, I can confidently say that this is a proper finale to Tom Cruise's spy game. Even better still, I'm very happy to report that The Final Reckoning is a vast improvement from Dead Reckoning, despite being cut from the same story cloth. Following its slightly more convoluted predecessor, this picture starts in high gear, and doesn't let up until it crosses the finish line – which is something I'll always commend a nearly three-hour movie for being able to do. Perhaps it's the supposed finality of this eighth Mission that inspired Christopher McQuarrie and co-writer Erik Jendresen in plotting what's being billed as the swan song for this iteration of this espionage saga. The former's love for the 1996 franchise started is still clear throughout various choices in the narrative at work, with a gigantic hat tip to Mission: Impossible III poised to also give loyal IMF fans another moment to gleefully snap and point at the screen a la Rick Dalton. If you've missed the days of the more fleshed out team-based dynamic previous missions have contained, then consider that another jewel in The Final Reckoning's crown. Series newcomers Hayley Atwell and Pom Klemantiff get to land outstanding moments of quippy dialogue and intense action, while Simon Pegg's return boosts his role in the team to a point where Benji Dunn even gets to throw hands. Wrapping it all together is a pleasant undercurrent of humor, which keeps our IMF agents moving in a style more akin to the halcyon days of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. Reintroducing that element also helps supporting cast members like Severance's Tramell Tillman make the most of their limited screen time. But that also ties into a slight downside to what the past couple of outings have been trying to do. Maybe it's because I've been invested in this series since the beginning that I find my own expectations for how Mission Impossible 8 would wrap to be slightly unfulfilled. Simultaneously, there are some instances where the dedication to the past is a little overzealous, with highlights featured in the opening montage being repeated at various points in the overall narrative. It's minor, and probably more suited for casual viewers who haven't owned a copy of Brian de Palma's original Mission: Impossible through three eras of physical media. But if you're a die hard for this saga, it really is a minor gripe when it comes to The Final Reckoning's well-paced thrill ride. Whereas Dead Reckoning felt like it flew a bit too fast when it came to setting up its narrative, Christopher McQuarrie's steady hand in co-writing and directing the sequel help right the ship. It's an apt metaphor considering Tom Cruise's voyage to the sunken wreckage of the Sevastapol is a prime example of the pacing. More recent Mission: Impossible adventures have made it a habit of advertising a massive practical stunt as the big draw, which has left the story a bit lacking in other places. There's still a pretty huge feat on display with Cruise's madness-inducing biplane chase sequence, and that moment is as fantastic as advertised. But the true star of the show is the submarine adventure, which pushes Ethan to even more extreme circumstances. The Sevastapol sequence couldn't have been placed at a more perfect point in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning's story either. Taking place in Act II, this moment galvanizes the final act with well earned urgency; which is only goosed along even further by the return of Angela Bassett as President Erika Sloane. As we frequently cut back to the President and her advisors as the weigh their options to beat The Entity, the film shifts into a small-scale remake of Sidney Lumet's Fail Safe. Considering Christopher McQuarrie loves to reference classics like Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much as much as he enjoys connecting previous Missions, the result helped me forget the fact that this cadre doesn't really get much development in the grand scheme of things. While the massive cast of players in The Final Reckoning don't all get proper setups and payoffs, cast members like Holt McCallany and Nick Offerman do their best to keep us invested, through a combination of gravitas and shorthand. If there's any one thing that makes the 'final' Mission: Impossible film worth seeing, it's that it's a timely story that doesn't go too wild with its message. The Entity's power of misinformation is better fleshed out in this conclusion, as we see the consequences it has on the larger world. Modern concerns over A.I., deep fakes, and fake news are reflected rather brilliantly here and in a way that doesn't preach to the audience. Once more, Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie's combined talents have given us a summer blockbuster worth showing up for. Come to think of it, the whole premise of rethinking reality and examining long held narratives a bit harder plays even better in The Final Reckoning, as one of the core questions asked in this tale cuts down to something the pickiest audience member may have asked long ago: is Ethan Hunt really good at his job? Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning has lit the fuse on summer movie season, and the resulting explosion is one that other legacy-adjacent titles are going to have to reckon with. The eighth outing for this action-adventure mainstay proves that stakes are back, humor is back, and Ethan Hunt has arrived for audiences to trust him… one last time. And to put a more familiar spin on things, I firmly believe that you should choose to accept this mission.
