Cruise fans rejoice! Another summer where the ageless action star releases a big-name movie. The last blockbuster season saw Top Gun: Maverick absolutely dominate the big screen. For this summer and the next, we are treated to Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Parts One and Two. I want to guess that having a two-part/two-movie release signals that this is it for the franchise once Part 2 comes out, but who knows? Never say never again. Honestly, I wouldn’t object to more IMF action.
I look forward to almost exclusively Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, and Tom Cruise new releases. So I don’t get very hyped often anymore, but I did for this one, and expectations were high as I love MI:6 Fallout (probably my favourite or second favourite MI movie), so following that might be an…impossible mission.
The good thing is that this film is not set up to be a flop. It has Tom Cruise, one of the last old-school movie stars that will fill seats just from his name alone, and it’s truly remarkable when you think of it: A 61-year-old actor who specializes in the action genre is one of the world’s biggest box office draws. Perhaps it shouldn’t be so amazing; he displays intense passion for film, has kept in tip-top shape, and strives to put on a show the right way. Enough with the Cruise gushing; I’ll save that for the next Tom Cruise Tuesday.
What I liked:
Ethan Hunt and his IMF gang are after two halves of a key that leads to control of this superpower AI “entity” that infiltrates all of the vast digital realm and has a mind of its own. After the same keys are many different parties, some with links to Hunt’s past. I find the film’s storyline to be very fitting in regards to the current discussion around AI (i.e., Chat, GPT, etc.) and its implications on everyday life. It’s a different type of villain, the invisible kind. I mainly enjoyed that type of plot because it creates great action when you have all these different types of groups all vying for the same thing. Like the movies Rat Race or It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, World. In this case, the stakes are just a tad higher.
I also liked the familiar face they brought back in Kittridge from MI:1. Bringing back old faces keeps the franchise’s separate movies linked, and a dose of nostalgia is always nice.
The visuals are a wonderful treat. It might even be the best thing about the movie. Just when you think they have been everywhere, the gang touches down in a different part of the world. The locations are similar to other movies yet still fresh-looking, and having car chases down ancient roads is just so fun. The MI movie crew never disappoints in the filming location department.
I have two critiques of the movie. The first is the introduction of a villain from Ethan’s past, pre-IMF. The actual character and the actor portraying him are fine. It’s that the flashback/storytelling were not 100% clear. During the scene, I was trying to remember what MI movie he was from, but later it was made known that it was before Ethan joined the IMF. Did I miss some dialogue at the start? I thought not. Another person after the movie was telling me how they would have to rewatch the earlier ones because they couldn’t remember that bad guy. So perhaps that flashback could have been clearer. I know they were considering shooting one with de-aging technology but opted against it. Which I’m glad they did. It seems as though they were unsure of how best to tell that part of the movie.
The second critique I have is that a few action sequences were too long and stretched out. I wrote this review with a day in between watching the movie, so there is time to stew on opinions and to get rid of impulse reactions. I still think they could have trimmed the sequences a little, but what was definitely not helping was the cinema fatigue I had. I understand the volume has to be cranked up to make it more intense, but after a while I start to wear out from the volume levels. I know if I watch the movie at home on the TV or tablet, I probably won’t care about the length of the car chases or the other action the movie has. I understand this type of movie is best enjoyed on the big screen, but couldn’t they turn down the volume ever so slightly? Or maybe I just needed a nap before…
In closing, I thoroughly enjoyed another Cruise picture from the MI franchise. I look forward to seeing where they take this AI storyline and what other amazing stunts they have in the works. Dead Reckoning Part 1 easily makes it into the top half of the Mission Impossible movies. I’d place it a notch below Fallout as of now, but another viewing may change that.
Rating: 8/10
In any case, Dead Reckoning Part 1 is a fantastic action flick, and if you haven’t already, go check it out. Just make sure you’re buckled in before the show starts!