Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Review: An Absolute Blast!

Since 1996, the Mission Impossible franchise has brought generations of people to the theaters to experience nail-biting adventures with all of the best elements of a summer blockbuster. The franchise has stayed consistent in its releases, giving us a new film every four to six years since the first instalment.

However, this is the first time the franchise has set up a part one and two story that will continue into 2024. This gets one thinking about what sort of villain is so destructive, so powerful, and so difficult to control that it requires two films to defeat. Buckle up because Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is like no other mission Ethan Hunt has accepted before.

Ethan (Tom Cruise) and his crew consisting of Luther (Ving Rhames), Benji (Simon Pegg), and Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) find themselves on a deadly hunt for two halves of a key that unlocks an unknown source of power known as “The Entity” that has the ability to control more than they could ever understand. This piece of artificial intelligence goes rogue and begins to threaten all major defense, military, and intelligence networks. Unlike others who wish to obtain the key to control this power, Ethan understands that it must be destroyed and thus begins yet another impossible mission.

Like every Mission Impossible film, Dead Reckoning Part One features outrageous sequences of action as we ask not only how the characters achieved such sequences but how such sequences were filmed. Every film has the “big stunt” and Tom Cruise’s ability to drive off a cliff with his motorcycle was a sight only the franchise could pull off and only Tom Cruise would have the guts to do. This movie does a great job of bordering the line between reality and insanity with its stunts, making them seem so incredibly unlikely but never “impossible.” Like the others, it knows how to have a blast with its action while also maintaining an intriguing storyline with memorable characters.

The story settles for a new type of villain not yet examined in the series, amping up the stakes. Having Ethan and his team “fight” against artificial intelligence feels all too real and terrifying. The Entity is something that can not be reasoned with, does not possess human emotion, and relies on algorithms. It is “everywhere and nowhere,” as the film explains, making it Ethan’s hardest mission yet. Christopher McQuarrie’s decision to incorporate such a villain plays on modern human fears of technology in a way that feels timely. The film feels darker in tone but never fails to keep the audience’s spirits up knowing that Ethan never fails to successfully complete a mission, right?

This movie allows all of its characters to shine, including new addition Grace (Hayley Atwell), an ally Ethan picks up along the way. The connection between the gang of characters is never sacrificed for the story, making every decision Ethan makes of the utmost importance, especially when it comes to protecting the lives of his friends. Action sequences mean nothing if the decisions made don’t allow personal sacrifice to be made. The Mission Impossible series has always done a fantastic job balancing these elements.

Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One flies by despite its two hour and forty three minute runtime. It is an absolute blast and is one of the last great blockbuster franchises we have left. It knows how to maintain what we all love while also continuing to push the limits.

‘Mission Impossible 7 – P1’ Rating – 4/5

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