Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 Movie Review

Mission Impossible is a rare beast; since 2006, the series has only gotten better with every new film; each has been more thrilling, expansive and exciting than the last, pushing the boundaries on all fronts. With Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, we have a two-part offering; while it doesn’t match what came before, this thrill-ride is well worth taking.

Some time after Mission Impossible: Fallout, a super intelligent AI has flipped the world of espionage on its head. The Entity can manipulate any nation, hack any agency and even make people invisible from security channels. An all-important key, broken into two parts, is the only way to control the deadly threat and Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) sets out to retrieve it with his loyal friends Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), Luther Stickel (Ving Rhames) and Benjie Dunn (Simon Pegg) in tow. Dead Reckoning’s tone is immediately set by a large exposition dump; with intelligence agencies abandoning their digital tech and Ethan’s team being hunted by multiple factions, the stakes have never been higher and the movie makes great use of both disinformation and misdirection to fuel its story. The switch between action and dialogue remains intact, but this entry is always moving forward as the IMF agents race from one nation to the next while always keeping the audience filled in on new developments. The narrative successfully juggles many returning faces including Alanna Mitsopolis (Vanessa Kirby) alongside the newcomer Gabriel (Esai Morales) who fill in the antagonist slots. As the first part of a duology, it also lays out key objectives while keeping up anticipation for the inevitable follow-up.

With the characters being put under greater pressure, most of the cast do a great job of conveying the danger. Tom Cruise is at his usual best; his physicality never fades as he races through both urban and rural locations. Ethan has a greater sense of desperation in this sequel, getting the audience more attached to him and his team. Luther and Benjie are also tested as their technology is often hijacked and used against them, but they are still very supportive all the way through. Unfortunately Rebecca Ferguson doesn’t have much to do this time around; Ilsa is hiding out in the desert in the film’s prologue and the story hints at a growing bond between her and Ethan, something that is rarely capitalised on. Instead the focus pivots to Hayley Atwell’s character, who is still a good addition to the cast. She plays a master thief named Grace who gets entangled in the mission, eventually proving her worth and overcoming personal anxieties by the end. Vanessa Kirby and Esai Morales both do great work as the villains; they are both incredibly conniving and dastardly. The agents are all heavily defined by their allegiances and seniority, something the movie points to frequently.

After years of setting lofty standards for the action genre, Dead Reckoning does find some friction when it comes to the big set pieces. There are no faults in the stunt-work and choreography whatsoever, but you may feel a sense of repetition and obscurity in places. The chase through Rome is very similar to Paris from MI:6 with the added gimmick of handcuffs. The sequence is very well executed, but the sense of momentum and intensity has been lowered. Another fight scene in a narrow passage feels very experimental and it shows in the camerawork which has trouble keeping steady at times. Other moments fare better, especially the grand climax on a moving train; some audiences will have already seen the dangerous cliff dive performed by Cruise. The film follows this up with a fast-moving blend of negotiations and hand-to-hand combat. It also looks and sounds just as good as any other high-budget blockbuster; a lavish party in Venice boasts some brilliant lighting from both technical and candlelit sources while Lorne Balfe’s soundtrack adopts a more gloomy, sinister tone. The franchise remains at the top of the pack when it comes to presentation.

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One is just as rip-roaring and entertaining as previous outings, but it does take a step down from Fallout. Some characters are short-changed and several action scenes can feel like lesser imitations. Still, this seventh entry deserves your attention, especially if you’re a big fan of the series.

Rating: 4/5 Stars (Great)