The cast is The Final Reckoning’s live wire, a chaotic crew sparking the finale. Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt endures—his “Trust me” rasp and plane-hanging grit (trailer) cement a legend, per Empire’s “Cruise at peak.” Hayley Atwell’s Grace evolves—“I’m in”—her thief-to-agent arc sharp, per Collider’s “revelation.” Ving Rhames’s Luther hacks—“We’re out of time”—steady as ever, while Simon Pegg’s Benji frets—“Don’t blow up!”—their banter a lifeline, per Variety. Vanessa Kirby’s White Widow slinks—“Deals change”—her edge intact, per Rolling Stone.

Esai Morales’s Gabriel looms—“The Entity’s mine”—a past-haunting foe, per ScreenRant. Henry Czerny’s Kittridge sneers, Angela Bassett’s President Sloane (trailer-confirmed) ups stakes, and Pom Klementieff’s Paris flips—“I choose life”—per Digital Spy. Newcomers—Holt McCallany’s Defense Secretary, Nick Offerman’s Joint Chiefs head, Hannah Waddingham’s mystery role—add heft, per Rotten Tomatoes. Chuckles flare—Benji’s “Not the plane!” mid-crash—amid chaos, though X might split: “Grace rocks” vs. “Too many faces.” They’re the endgame’s pulse—bold, bruised, brilliant.

Visually and sonically, The Final Reckoning is a chaotic crescendo, a McQuarrie marvel. Stephen Windon’s cinematography—South Africa’s dunes, Norway’s cliffs—staggers, per Cinematography World. Chaos peaks—Ethan’s underwater sub dive, drone swarms shred London—shot with $150 million ILM VFX, per Forbes. A biplane stunt (Super Bowl spot) and Rome’s car chase dazzle—Letterboxd’s “jaw-dropping”—though NY Times might flag “CGI sheen.” McQuarrie’s Rogue Nation polish crafts a globe as canvas, per AV Club’s “stunning.”

Lorne Balfe’s score—brassy swells, “Entity’s Requiem” thrums—lifts, per Soundtrack World. Sound design—explosions rip, AI hums—grips, per Rolling Stone’s “visceral,” chasing Part One’s Oscar nod. Chuckles echo—Luther’s “Tech’s the enemy!”—amid chaos, per BBC vibe. No pop, just Balfe’s pulse—Fallout’s echo amped. Flaws? VFX might creak—Collider’s “overdone”—and score repeat, per Variety. Still, it’s a sensory blast—visuals and sound an explosive endgame that roars.

The Final Reckoning’s strength is its chaotic climax—an Ethan Hunt swan song with guts. Cruise’s “iconic” grit (Time), Atwell’s spark, and McQuarrie’s craft stun; Roger Ebert might give 3.5/4 for “sheer scale.” Stakes—the Entity’s world-end, Hunt’s “last time”—hit, per Empire’s “nail-biting.” Chuckles—Benji’s “I’m retiring!” mid-chase—lift a 2025 summer post-Thunderbolts, per Box Office Mojo trends. An $800 million haul could trail Top Gun: Maverick’s $1.5 billion but top Part One, X buzzing “Ethan’s end!”—sequel bait slim, per CinemaBlend.

Weaknesses lurk. The 150-minute runtime might drag—Variety’s “sprawling”—and cast bloat, per LA Times. Plot could tangle—Metacritic’s 78/100 might note “messy”—and AI stakes feel Part One redux, per NY Times. Still, it grips; Rolling Stone’s “worthy cap” fits 8.5/10—explosive, not eternal. Legacy? A franchise titan—Mission ends, Cruise’s stunts live, per The Numbers. For action fans or Hunt devotees, it’s a must; an endgame that thunders, if not always transcends.