When it comes to popular film franchises that began as being mediocre but remarkably improved in quality with each new installment, one would be hard pressed to name a better franchise than that of the Mission: Impossible series. First launching in 1996 with Tom Cruise as the main lead, the series has proven itself to be one that gets progressively better with age while finding new and daring ways to thrill audiences. With Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One, Paramount Pictures continues that trend with the stage being set for an epic two-part story that's designed to retire Cruise's character Ethan Hunt with a bang. Given how terrific the previous entry, Mission: Impossible- Fallout was, the bar was raised high for the newest installment to do better. Shockingly, it manages to not just do so but absolutely exceeds expectations in delivering the series biggest and strongest entry yet.
Marking the seventh installment in the Mission: Impossible series, Dead Reckoning Part One has Ethan Hunt and his IMF team matching wits with a powerful rogue AI known as "the Entity." Dead Reckoning's plot is one that stays true to the series traditional concepts regarding world-threatening stakes combined with epic set-pieces that outdoes anything that's been seen before previously. Combined with an electrifying performance from Tom Cruise, a fantastic cast, stellar writing, directing, and what audiences have is an exhilarating action experience that's a must see.
Along with Reckoning's impressive stunts and high-octane action, the film is energized by its hugely-talented cast who all deliver phenomenal work. With Ethan Hunt, Cruise continues to prove that he was born for the role as he commands the screen while displaying the appropriate amount of seriousness and intensity required with playing the character. Hayley Atwell is equally terrific as thief and Ethan's newfound ally, Grace, with the actress portraying her character as being ambiguous in terms of where her loyalties lie. Her chemistry with Cruise feels natural with both making for an excellent on-screen duo. Returning are franchise favorites including Ving Rhames as Hunt's best friend and member of his team, Luther with Simon Pegg as IMF technical field agent, Benji, and Rebecca Ferguson as Hunt ally and disavowed MI6 agent, llsa Faust. As far as new franchise faces go, Vanessa Kirby impresses as black-market arms dealter, Alanna, who goes by the alias "white widow", along with Esai Morales as powerful terrorist and adversary of Ethan, Gabriel, who appears to be working with an all-powerful AI system called Entity, in order to rule the world, Pom Klementieff as French assassin, Paris, who works for Gabriel. Other notable performances include the return of Henry Czerny from the first Mission Impossible as former director of the IMF, Eugene Kittridge, Shea Whigham as US intelligence agent, Jasper, whose tasked with hunting Ethan, and Cary Elwes as Denlinger, the Director of National Intelligence.
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie who previously helmed Fallout, he once again knocks it out of the park with delivering a fast-paced popcorn blockbuster, that's filled with tons of impressively-staged action sequences including a stunning car chase and train crash sequence which adds to the films level of peril. Everything from typical yet well-choreographed hand-to-hand combat and characters being incapacitated by knockout gas, is present here with the violence shown being intense yet never gruesome. The film is well-shot with cinematography that captures the films breathtaking locations, although the shaky cam effect used during the hand-to-hand combat sequences makes the action difficult to see at times. At 163 minutes, Dead Reckoning is one of the best-paced action movies ever with the film balancing its three key action scenes while feeling like its own self-contained story despite being part one. Lorne Balfe, who composed the score for Fallout, returns to provide music for both parts of Dead Reckoning with him once again delivering fine work that goes hand-in-hand with both the films action and emotional core.
With Reckoning's writing, the plot emphasizes the importance of doing the right thing even if no one else is aware of it. Themes regarding courage, perseverance, and loyalty are strengthened through Ethan's bond with his group. The story is one that demonstrates how greed and longing for global domination can ultimately push people to do irrational things. As with any previous Mission: Impossible film, the script is full of twists and turns which the audience mostly don't see coming. The newer characters introduced are appealing and fairly well-developed with the reemergence of old faces such as Kittridge, being a welcomed Easter egg to the earlier part of the franchise. With each Mission: Impossible allowing Cruise the opportunity to perform an insane daredevil stunt that becomes each films trademark moment, Dead Reckoning's story doesn't disappoint here with Cruise big motorcycle moment which involves him diving off a cliff and parachuting onto a train being one that's undoubtedly exciting and living up to its hype. Whereas the Mission: Impossible franchise relies heavily on plot and character formulas regarding preventing world domination and the struggle over power, Dead Reckoning finds newer ways to make what's already familiar feel exciting again with its story touching upon the hotly debated concept of AI.
The most remarkable thing that can be said about this franchise is how it's managed to stay relevant over the last three decades with much of it being attributed to the pure devotion of its main star. As excellent of an action spectacle that Dead Reckoning makes itself out to be, it's the maximum , dedication, and heart that Tom Cruise puts into making the film, that makes the franchise one that's worth revisiting with each new installment. Cruise presents himself as being someone who knows better than anyone else on what makes a fantastic action movie and doesn't disappoint here as he delivers his all. For longtime fans of the series, Mission: Impossible-Dead Reckoning Part One is an adrenaline-filled mission that they should choose to accept with it amounting to being the ideal summer action flick.
Final Verdict: A Must See
Images Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
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