Because here’s the thing: Tom Cruise always makes it work. Somehow. He’s part action hero, part motivational speaker, part daredevil chaos gremlin. Even when the movie is kind of a mess (and The Final Reckoning is definitely that), there’s still something wildly watchable about him sprinting toward or off of certain doom.
This Movie Makes No Sense, and That’s Honestly Part of the Appeal
Is it good? I don’t know. Is it coherent? Also no. Is it 100% the most over-edited, bloated, emotionally confusing, AI-fearing, aggressively montaged movie I’ve seen this year? Yes. And I watched Madame Web.
And yet, I couldn’t look away. My brain definitely did some cartwheels trying to keep up with the pacing, but I was still there, popcorn in hand, whispering “What is happening?” every 11 minutes.
The movie opens with a 23-minute sequence that feels like it was edited by five different people on five different energy drinks. There’s a submarine. There’s espionage. There’s a lot of dramatic whispering about “The Entity” (which is either an evil AI or the spirit of Apple’s Privacy Settings- unclear). And by the time the actual Mission: Impossible theme kicks in, you’ve already aged three years and lost track of your popcorn.
Tom Cruise Is 62 and Still Sprinting From Explosions
Let’s talk about the real reason we’re all still here: Tom Cruise is still doing his own stunts at 62. He’s jumping off cliffs. He’s dangling from planes. He’s running like he’s being chased by his retirement plan. And he’s not faking it. There are no stand-ins. No CGI cheat codes. Just Tom, a harness, a prayer, and an insurance policy that probably costs more than the GDP of a small country.
And that’s why it works. The Final Reckoning isn’t held together by plot. It’s held together by Tom Cruise’s sheer, stubborn refusal to age like a normal person. It’s not just a movie- it’s a high-budget display of physical defiance.
So What’s It Actually About?
It's all about Ethan Hunt trying to stop a rogue AI (The Entity) from destroying the world. There’s betrayal, emotional monologues, callbacks to past missions, and a level of dramatic tension that suggests someone thought they were making Shakespeare for adrenaline junkies.
You won’t understand half of what’s happening- and that’s okay. The stunts are wild, the pacing is chaotic, and the flashbacks are like that friend who reminds you of your worst ex at brunch. Unnecessary, but oddly entertaining.
Final Thoughts: Tom, Please Go Buy a Farm
I loved it. I laughed, I gasped, I shouted “WHY?” at the screen, and I still had a great time. The Final Reckoning is the cinematic equivalent of eating cake for breakfast while skydiving- it makes no nutritional sense, but it’s undeniably thrilling.
And maybe this is the moment. Perhaps it’s time for Tom Cruise to step off the motorcycle, hang up the suit, and go open a farm. He could grow vegetables, raise goats, and finally stop sprinting. He’s earned that quiet life.
But if he does decide to make one more movie where he has to defuse a nuclear device hidden inside a sourdough starter on a volcano- fine. I’ll be there. Cheering. Popcorn in hand. Slightly confused. Fully invested.
Because at this point, my relationship with Tom Cruise is like this movie: intense, baffling, occasionally cringey, and somehow, I still want more.
