Now Playing - The Movie Review Podcast · Venganza Media, Inc.

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

·2 hr 1 min·3 clips
Enter your code. Retinal scan required. Agent confirmed.
Now Playing's retrospective review of Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning (MI8). Arnie attended the Dallas premiere and shares wild stalking story of trying to locate Tom Cruise, eventually seeing him briefly via elevator and video. Hosts analyze why the movie underperformed: cost $300-400M, only made $600M globally (money losing after theater cuts). They discuss forced 'Part Two' to 'Final Reckoning' rebranding suggesting lost confidence, movie relying too heavily on exposition recap instead of stunts, and Tom Cruise at 60+ aging out of summer box office. Plot involves Ethan hunting AI 'Entity' antagonist, but Character development is weak. Hosts praise past Mission films for stunts but find this one excessively talky with retelling of previous film content. Honest assessment: franchise showing signs of diminishment despite Cruise's continued commitment.

As heard by us

An insider-heavy farewell that is sharpest for listeners already deep in Mission: Impossible lore.

Now Playing's Mission: Impossible retrospective lands on The Final Reckoning, with Arnie, Stuart, and Brock bringing memory, backstage lore, and a fair amount of dry skepticism.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play if you want one last Mission: Impossible argument with the volume turned up.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on