Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1

Tom Cruise's quest to save movie theaters continues with the newest installment of the long-running Mission Impossible franchise. Continuing the trend of 2023 sequels, MI7 is part 1 of two parts meaning that the movie already conveys to the audience that it is going to feel incomplete due to what we see only being half of the complete narrative. The MI movies have remained one of the few movie franchises that seem to only get better after each installment, and after what many (including myself) call "one of the greatest action movies of the 21st century" in MI6, Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise had some big shoes to fill. Of course, as of now, it doesn't seem like they met the high bar they set a few years ago as the story does feel incomplete as it was warned to us by the "Part One" title. Character threads are left with no conclusion, the emotional stakes never reach a true climax, and the movie doesn't have a particularly concrete ending. But, what we do get is quite satisfying in its own regard.

The main pull in every Mission movie, actually every Tom Cruise movie, is what stunt will he do next. The 61-year-old Scientologist is adamant about creating the perfect immersive experience for the audience by doing his own stunts, and it's this commitment to the craft that elevates him and his movies into the upper echelon of filmmaking. MI7 is no different. McQuarrie and Cruise's passion for the franchise is felt throughout every scene and is especially evident in the action set pieces themselves. Whether it's a high-speed car scene in Rome, a midnight chase sequence in the streets of Venice, or jumping off a cliff from a motorcycle and free-falling onto a train, the MI team's ability to create action sequences at the highest level consistently is what sets this film franchise apart from all the rest. It truly is the peak of action filmmaking. The actual action itself is further elevated by the careful direction of McQuarrie and the gorgeous cinematography making the actual filming locations seem like characters themselves with their own personalities and functions in the story.

On the topic of characters, at this point with movie number 7, the audience has varying levels of familiarity with the recurring characters of the franchise but regardless of how familiar you are, the movie still causes you to care about each and every one of them. Simon Pegg's Benji, Ving Rhames' Luther, and Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa all feel like a tightly knit family that would do anything for one another. The new cast of characters also carry their weight but the scene stealer is easily Hayley Atwell's Grace. Every scene she's in is carried by her charisma and electric chemistry with Tom Cruise, something that I'm sure will continue in the later films. The only character that felt slightly out of place was the *physical* antagonist Gabriel, played very well by Esai Morales. While the character himself feels menacing and is enjoyable to watch, his inclusion into the film as well as his supposed connection to Ethan's past, does feel a little bit forced at times.

Luckily, due to the strength of the story, these minor bumps don't detract too much from the overall film. Contrary to popular online discourse, I am of the opinion that Dead Reckoning has the strongest story of all the Mission Impossible movies, at the very least due to the potential of where the story could go and the implications it has for the rest of the series. Perhaps it is too early to tell, but if the McQuarrie and Crusie duo continue delivering as they have been, then the Dead Reckoning story will be the strongest in the series by a country mile. A big part of this is attributed to the timely nature of the film. With the ever-growing presence and impact, AI is having on the world, the concept of the true villain of these movies not being a crazy person wanting to rule the world, but a cold-logical AI that effectively has the power of foresight, is not only the biggest threat the team has faced thus far but also not out of the realm of possibility in the world we live in today. This made me, as an audience member, feel real tension in every scene in the AI was a part of as I could feel the danger of what would happen if this AI actually existed...assuming it doesn't already.

Ultimately, above all else, Tom Cruise delivered on what he's said has been his mission for quite some time now and that's create a reason for people to keep movie theaters alive. There is no feeling quite like sitting in a packed theater, watching a movie on the biggest screen possible, and sharing the same emotions as the strangers around you for the full 160 minutes. Whether you're laughing together, or watching a senior citizen jumping off cliffs together, the movie theater is a unique experience that should be preserved and Tom Cruise is leading those efforts in a way that makes the occasional pacing issues and lack of narrative completion seem like a minor gripe. Even though it may not be as good as Fallout, Dead Reckoning Part 1 is still one of my favorites of the series and is an incredible movie that has me all the more excited for MI8 and even more excited for an excuse to go back to the movies.

Star Rating: 8.5/10

I would also like to acknowledge how much self-restraint it took me to not make a single joke about being on "Cruise Control" or "choosing to accept this mission". This is an accomplishment and I deserve a review award of some sort for not taking the easy joke that was right in front of me the whole time.