Like its predecessors, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One does the impossible by living up to and surpassing everything that came before it. And with its timely warning against the dangers of rapidly developing AI, it proves itself to be the most relevant installment in the franchise yet.
Overall Score: 10/10
Image: Paramount Pictures
I don’t know how they keep doing it, but they’ve done it again. Tom Cruise and writer-director Christopher McQuarrie have delivered yet another fantastic Mission: Impossible movie that once again somehow manages to top everything that came before it in every way imaginable.
Canonically taking place after the events of Fallout (the previous Mission: Impossible film), Dead Reckoning Part One finds IMF agent Ethan Hunt and his team going up against new foes and old allies in a mission to bring an end to what could be the biggest threat to humanity yet: AI gone rogue.
All right, let’s start with the obvious. Most of us watch the Mission: Impossible movies for their fun and terrific action. If that’s what you seek with this latest installment, I can tell you right now that you won’t be disappointed. Dead Reckoning Part One has all the spectacular set pieces and thrilling action sequences we’ve come to expect from this long-running franchise. Car chases through the streets of Rome? Check. A race down the famous Spanish Steps? Check. A quick drive at 100 mph while handcuffed to another person? Check. Every one of these sequences is expertly shot, well-choreographed, and impeccably acted out, and much like those that came before them, they collectively prove that the Mission: Impossible series is still one of the best when it comes to action.
Ah, but what about Tom Cruise’s famous death-defying stunts? Well, again, Dead Reckoning Part One also excels in that department. As seen in some of the previous movies, the actor has already scaled a very tall building, hung from the side of a plane mid-takeoff, and climbed up to the cockpit of a helicopter via a single piece of rope. Now, if you thought that those feats were crazy, think again because here, Cruise does at least two very notable insane stunts: One, he rides a motorcycle off of a cliff, and two, he hangs on for dear life as a train he’s on slowly falls off its tracks and into a river below. Of course, this is all done in typical Tom Cruise fashion, meaning everything is done practically and with as few visual effects as possible. It’s another testament to the man’s fierce devotion to audiences worldwide and his undying determination to deliver the absolute best entertainment out there, and ultimately, it solidifies his status as an action star like no other (with the exception, of course, of the legendary Jackie Chan).
Moving on, Dead Reckoning Part One also features a slew of entertaining and top-notch performances, and chief among them (obviously) is that of Tom Cruise. While we’ve already established (via discussion of his amazing stunts) that he’s more than physically committed to the role of Ethan Hunt, I should note that Cruise also brings a welcome range of emotions to his performance as the character. Throughout the film, he skillfully portrays Hunt’s confidence, concern for others, determination, shock and bewilderment, anger, and even sadness. But perhaps what’s most surprising is that Dead Reckoning Part One allows Cruise to show off his severely underutilized comedic chops. Some of the biggest laughs you’ll have while watching the movie will come from Cruise’s brilliantly timed reactions to the various ridiculous situations he’s put in, and seeing just how good he is will almost certainly make you wish that he regularly starred in as many comedies as he does action flicks.
However, Cruise isn’t the only one who gives a terrific performance here. Returning co-stars Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, and Vanessa Kirby are all excellent as usual in their respective roles. Meanwhile, newcomers Esai Morales and Pom Klementieff are both delightfully fun and menacing as Dead Reckoning Part One’s villains. But really, it’s Hayley Atwell who’s the undisputed standout. In scene after scene, she wows us with her phenomenal acting and physical commitment, able to deftly switch between being witty and illusive to a badass action heroine. Furthermore, it’s impressive to see her hold her own while going up against Cruise and all of the franchise’s other veteran cast members. And though the future of the Mission: Impossible movies are still somewhat up in the air, I think we can all agree that it would be great to have Atwell stick around as a permanent (or long-term) key player.
But ultimately, what sets Dead Reckoning Part One apart from its predecessors (and what I like most about it) are the things it primarily deals with. What happens if the development of AI gets out of control? What happens if AI goes rogue? And what happens if everyone seeks to use AI as a means of world domination? Look, ideas like these aren’t exactly anything new to Hollywood blockbusters. But the fact that a big franchise like Mission: Impossible has decided to tackle them at a time when real-world AI is developing at frighteningly rapid speeds couldn’t have been more appropriate. Just as the film clearly wants to say, experts and governments should act now to regulate the capabilities and development of AI as quickly as possible. Humanity is heading down a dangerous path, and if we’re not careful, our reckless actions could end up being what leads us to our doom.
All in all, Dead Reckoning Part One is a highly entertaining and surprisingly relevant summer blockbuster, another major win for Tom Cruise and his brand of filmmaking, and another solid entry in the ever-awesome Mission: Impossible film series. If you still haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor and head out to the nearest theater to watch it ASAP. I promise it’s a mission that — should you choose to accept it — you won’t regret.
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