The first reactions to Mission: Impossible franchise, The Final Reckoning is set to be the last tale in Ethan Hunt's action-packed adventures, which continues with the Entity threat from the 2023 installment. Although Dead Reckoning underperformed at the box office, the eighth installment hopes to reverse this narrative as it prepares for a Memorial Day weekend release. It will compete against the Disney live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch in 2025's first big box office battle.

Now, the first reactions are in for Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning. Several movie pundits noted that the movie is "less action-heavy than you may expect." But the action, according to many, featured "mind blowing stunts" and other impressive work. Some took issue with the pacing, with one reactor commenting that it had a "poorly paced first act." That said, some still loved the film. Check out some of the responses below:

Some were extremely positive about the film, including @itsisaacjoel, who said that the film had "a career best performance from Tom Cruise."

@EpicFilmGuys also enjoyed the movie, saying that it was "a vastly satisfying conclusion to a 30-year story arc." They also piggybacked off on praising Cruise.

Some were less positive about the film as a whole, including @apat10, who thought that the movie's recall of older Mission: Impossible films was "nostalgia-bait." Overall, they felt it was an "underwhelming conclusion."

@erichardman01 mentioned that the movie is "less-action heavy than you may expect," but still said that "when the action is happening, it's jaw-dropping."

@AJMAC2000 took more kindly to how the film plays with nostalgia, referencing "fun callbacks" and noting that it has an "emotionally rewarding payoff."

"Oddly light on action" was the main gripe of @metaplexmovies who liked the movie despite it being "a maximalist mess."

@GeeklyGoods noted that the movie had a "poorly paced first act," though still ultimately appreciated its action.

@GermainLussier echoed the sentiment that the movie is "oddly the least action forward entry in the franchise."

Others also took issue with the pacing, with @bradshankar saying that the movie "drags in the middle."

Still, some fans loved Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, like @EthanSimmie, who said, "The Final Reckoning is everything you want out of an action movie and oh so much more."

What This Means For Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

Some Of The Reactions Are Surprising

It is not surprising that the conclusion of a 29-year-long-running action franchise would receive some mixed responses. After all, some audiences have dedicated nearly three decades to watching these movies. Some of the specific complaints are surprising, including the fact that The Final Reckoning is less action-packed than previous installments. This could be due to the movie already having a 2-hour and 49-minute runtime, which may indicate more dedication to setting up the narrative and dynamic, especially as it's seemingly marked as Cruise's swan song.

Another unexpected element is that Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is exposition-heavy. The movie's predecessor was billed as part one, and The Final Reckoning was originally subtitled as Dead Reckoning: Part Two before being rebranded. As such, it was expected that Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One would have been the place to deliver exposition, and that the sequel would not have needed as much time for setup. Still, it's worth noting that these are only early reactions, and the first reviews won't be available until closer to the release.

Our Take On The Mission: Impossible First Reactions

Mission: Impossible Fans Will Still Want To See This Movie

Though mixed first reactions can raise concerns regarding a movie's prospective box office performance, those who have been watching the franchise for decades might not be as affected by reviews when deciding when to go to the theater. While these reactions are mixed, it remains to be seen what the full reviews will ultimately say about the film. It is still possible for the reception to impact the box office, but I expect The Final Reckoning's Memorial Day weekend box office to still be fairly high as it heads for its May 23 release date.

Source: Various, See Above