Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Two years after the events of the Fourth Great Ninja War, the moon that Hagoromo Otsutsuki created long ago to seal away the Gedo Statue begins to descend towards the world, threatening to become a meteor that would destroy everything on impact. Amidst this crisis, a direct descendant of Kaguya Otsutsuki named Toneri Otsutsuki attempts to kidnap Hinata Hyuga but ends up abducting her younger sister Hanabi. Naruto and his allies now mount a rescue mission before finding themselves embroiled in a final battle to decide the fate of everything.
The Last is a visually impressive entry in the Naruto franchise, with some of the best animation the series has produced — fluid fight choreography and striking lunar imagery elevate the cinematography well above average. The central romance between Naruto and Hinata is handled with genuine emotional care, giving the film a distinct tonal identity compared to prior Naruto movies. However, the antagonist Toneri is fairly underdeveloped and the overall plot structure follows familiar shonen movie beats — a new villain threatens the world, the heroes go on a rescue mission, climactic battle ensues. Novelty is limited given how derivative the formula is despite the romantic framing. The ending resolves the long-teased Naruto-Hinata relationship satisfyingly for fans but offers little surprise narratively.