Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Review: Faith, Folly, and a Hollow Mission

Ethan Hunt and the IMF are called to stop a dangerous artificial intelligence known as “the Entity” from slipping beyond human control. Old friends return, new allies complicate the mission, and the fate of the world rests on choices no one should ever have to make.

At its core, this story tries to warn us about putting too much faith in human inventions, especially the idol of technology. The Entity represents a man-made attempt at godhood, promising knowledge and power without conscience. Scripture reminds us that such “wisdom” is folly. Unfortunately, the movie itself falters by presenting evil so abstractly that it becomes hollow. Without a face or a soul to fight, the conflict feels strangely empty. What it does remind us, however, is that when humanity grasps for ultimate control, it only exposes how much we need God’s wisdom instead.

McQuarrie directs with his usual flair for spectacle, but this time the heart is missing. The story is bloated, the villain unbelievable, and the stakes so exaggerated that they stop carrying weight. The decision to push Grace into the spotlight while diminishing Ilsa’s role weakens the entire film. Instead of deep character stakes, we get a lot of noise, exposition, and running. At its best, the series has always balanced humanity with spectacle—this time the humanity is left behind.

Tom Cruise remains fiercely committed, but he can’t cover the cracks in the story. Rebecca Ferguson, though sidelined, brings far more emotional gravity in her limited screen time than Grace ever manages in the whole film. Hayley Atwell is miscast here—her character feels shoehorned in, irritating more than intriguing. Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg, usually the franchise’s soul and humor, are underused to the point of fading into the background. Esai Morales plays the role he’s given, but with the Entity overshadowing everything, his menace doesn’t truly matter.

While the film avoids graphic content and earns its PG-13 mainly through violence and peril, its intensity and long runtime may wear down younger viewers. Families with teens who enjoy action might still sit through it, but those looking for a meaningful story will be left wanting. Fans of the series will watch for Cruise’s daring stunts, but many may walk away disappointed by the lack of heart.