The first part of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning delivers the expected impossible stunts, as well as lots, LOTS of perfectly sequenced Tom Cruise sprints.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Synopsis
The IMF—not the money fund—has faced many deadly enemies in the past, but none are as ruthlessly efficient as the Entity, a sinister AI that has turned sentient. Reunited with Ilsa Faust and together with his trusty companions, Ethan Hunt joins the race to retrieve two mysterious keys, seemingly the only devices capable of controlling or destroying the Entity. Their adversaries include the CIA, Alanna Mitsopolis the White Widow, and Gabriel, a hated equal of Ethan.
Snappy Review
A lame joke to start with. I think what’s truly impossible and amazing about the Mission: Impossible movies is how Tom Cruise can continue to look so good and run so perfectly after nearly 30 years in the franchise.
🙂
Yeah, yeah, lame joke; on with the movie review. Like preceding episodes, “Mission Impossible 7” is a hybrid between science-fiction, espionage, and action, once again with a grim take on current global insecurities too—AI being the big villain this time round. Twisty and energetic, the plot deftly serves up one after another betrayal too, which is a requisite of any mainstream spy series nowadays.
The stunts are also nothing short of stupendous. By that, I don’t just mean the action sequences are wildly inventive and energetic, they are also well-choreographed, immaculately conceptualised, and sensibly timed. Breakneck in execution but never forgetting aesthetics or the need for breathers. Never forgoing a dash of comedy too.
There is moreover a certain thoughtful ambiguity to the story, one that places this episode slightly apart from its predecessors. (And by that, perhaps why it’s a two-parter?) The big villain is the most formidable adversary Ethan Hunt has ever gone up against. But coldly ruthless as the Entity is, it doesn’t, as yet, seem interested in destroying or dominating the world. Everything it does in the movie is but to ironclad its survival.
This could drastically change down the road, though. Given the style of the franchise, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Entity adopts a wholly different identity in Dead Reckoning Part 2. Perhaps it might even become benevolent?
I’m very curious to know and what that means is that I’ll definitely watch the concluding episode at the cinema, perhaps on release day too. For a 27-year-old movie franchise to be able to excite me this way, while retaining its lead, I think that is quite the cinematic accomplishment.
Of course, I definitely look forward to more perfectly filmed Tom Cruise runs too. (Sorry, can’t resist!)
Check out my other snappy movie reviews.
