Tom Cruise's Final Reckoning becomes the lowest-rated M:I film

It is the end of an era. The death-defying stunts, the rubber masks, the spine-snapping choreography, all of it was meant to come together in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Tom Cruise’s cinematic swan song as Ethan Hunt. But instead of a standing ovation, it has gotten… well, a shrug.

Tom Cruise’s Final Reckoning becomes the lowest-rated M:I film | Credit: X

Tom Cruise’s Last Mission becomes the lowest-rated film of Mission Impossible franchise

After debuting at the 78th Cannes Film Festival to what some described as an “electric” audience response, complete with a five-minute standing ovation and only a few sneaky exits, the film hit the review circuit and quickly stumbled. With a Rotten Tomatoes score that initially climbed up to a respectable 88%, it has now nosedived to a lukewarm 81%. For perspective, that is the lowest rating the franchise has seen since 2006’s Mission: Impossible III, and this is supposed to be the final mission.

Mission Impossible 3 | Credit: X

The film sees Ethan Hunt going head-to-head with a sentient artificial intelligence ominously known as The Entity, which is apparently smart enough to threaten nuclear annihilation but not smart enough to escape a Cruise-led manhunt. From hanging off biplanes (because why not?) to exploring eerie submarines underwater, the action is turned up to eleven. But according to a chunk of critics, the storytelling dial was left somewhere around… four.

Mission Impossible 4 | Credit: X

Some top reviewers were not pulling any punches. One noted that while the visuals were "undeniably grand", the story buckled under the weight of its own self-importance. Another said the film tries to tie up its legacy with fireworks but ends up lighting a dud.

Compare this to the high-octane goldmine of earlier entries:

2011’s Ghost Protocol hit a gleaming 94% with jaw-dropping stunts like the Burj Khalifa climb and that chef’s kiss Kremlin sequence.

2015’s Rogue Nation also sat pretty at 94%, bringing in the franchise’s breakout star Rebecca Ferguson and an espionage aesthetic that made it feel like Bond’s cooler cousin.

And then there was 2018’s Fallout, a cinematic hurricane with a near-perfect 98%. HALO jumps? Check. Helicopter chases? Oh yes. Brutally choreographed brawls? You bet. It was called “the best action movie of all time” by more than one critic.

Tom Cruise’s Final Reckoning becomes the lowest-rated M:I film | Credit: X

Even last year’s Dead Reckoning Part One flexed with a 96% score, although some critics pointed out that Cruise’s age and the exposition-heavy plot were beginning to show a few cracks.

Now, The Final Reckoning feels like a bittersweet end. Some die-hard fans are still rallying behind it, calling it a “worthy goodbye” and claiming that Cruise has “earned his rest”. But the buzz has undeniably dulled. For a franchise known for constantly raising the bar, this finale feels like it is just barely hanging on.

Ethan Hunt’s last ride was meant to be explosive. Instead, it fizzles out in a puff of CGI and ambitious intent. Whether you call it a misfire or a misunderstood masterpiece, one thing is certain, the Mission has finally met its match… and it is its own past.