For Agent Ethan Hunt, a New Enemy is Everywhere and Nowhere

Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise in 
"Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning -
Part One"
Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com

While it can be said that director Brad Bird helped reinvigorate the “Mission: Impossible” film series with the fourth film, “Ghost Protocol,” you can’t deny that director Christopher McQuarrie took it to another level with the fifth and sixth films, “Rogue Nation” and “Fallout.”  Displaying some of the most thrilling action sequences of the series, McQuarrie and franchise star Tom Cruise brought this series to a whole new place that was very different than what it was when the first film, directed by Brian De Palma, was released in 1996.

Now, McQuarrie returns to the director’s chair for the seventh installment, “Dead Reckoning - Part One.”  These films keep topping themselves, and with a devoted performance from Cruise, a thrilling story, and a continued emphasis on delivering first-rate action, you’ll be in awe of what this 27-year-old franchise can still give audiences.

The story follows the IMF (Impossible Missions Force) as Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his fellow team members face off against a malevolent AI program known as “the Entity” and the competing nations who’ll do anything to have its power.  

Cruise has been in this series from the beginning, and even with all of the time that has passed, Cruise still manages to show how committed he is to the role by doing all of his stunts.  This emphasizes his unwavering vitality that shows why his film stardom has lasted for decades.  When you view one of his star vehicles, you know you’ll be seeing his movie-magic devotion unfold, and that couldn’t be more evident than when he laughs in the face of fear as a means to impress us with what he can do.  Whether it’s hand-to-hand combat, accomplished weapons work, or driving a motorcycle off of a cliff, you should never bet against Cruise and his penchant for big-screen greatness.  However, in between the action set-pieces, there are some small emotional beats Cruise displays that show the toll this job has taken on Ethan, particular his first scene where Cruise gives us a rather mellow reintroduction to Ethan.  Here, Cruise shows an agent who’s seasoned from the physical and psychological demands of his work, but still knows the resilience that it takes to do what his character’s been doing for so long.

Hayley Atwell makes for a superb addition to the series as Grace, a professional thief who becomes a new ally of Ethan’s.  With this character, Atwell exhibits a screen presence that shows she’s a great fit for this series.  She has terrific chemistry with Cruise, displaying an ingenuity that matches his as she unwittingly gets pulled into the world of the IMF.  Right from Cruise and Atwell’s first scene, you know that their on-screen connection is going to be a highlight of the film.

Backing up Cruise and Atwell is a collection of memorable supporting performances.  In terms of those who return from previous films, there are Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg as Luther Stickell and Benji Dunn, respectively, playing Ethan’s humorous fellow agents; Rebecca Ferguson, who became a series standout with her first appearance in “Rogue Nation,” as Ilsa Faust, another ally of Ethan’s; Vanessa Kirby, who entered the series in “Fallout,” as the icy, quietly merciless arms dealer Alanna Mitsopolis; Esai Morales as Gabriel, a terrorist who’ll stop at nothing to gain control of the Entity; Pom Klementieff as Paris, an assassin who comes after Ethan; and Henry Czerny makes an enticing return as Eugene Kittridge, the former director of the IMF who we last saw in the first film.  These movies have always done well with brining back characters that we love and characters who are new to us, and this installment isn’t an exception.

The screenplay by McQuarrie (who wrote the previous two films) and Erik Jendresen builds a story that gives Ethan and his team their biggest threat yet, as well as some impactful emotional moments peppered throughout.  Despite this movie being billed as a “part one,” it still feels like a full movie, all while setting up what we can expect for part two, which is due for release in June 2024.  At over two and a half hours, this is the longest movie in the series, and the narrative uses that time to flesh out the stakes of the film, bringing us to several locations around the world and getting to know the new characters who Ethan encounters.  As with the other films in the series, the narrative offers layer upon layer of mystery as we try to figure out what all of the characters want and what their decisions mean for the bigger picture.  And, with the length of the action sequences that are written, McQuarrie and Jendresen give us plenty of time to see everyone take on whatever life-threatening obstacles come their way in between the tense verbal interactions of the characters.

As a director, McQuarrie has become the best thing to thing to happen to the “Mission: Impossible” movies.  With the films extended action sequences, you’ll sit in your seat stunned at what he and his team are able to accomplish.  He collaborates with cinematographer Fraser Taggart (a newcomer to the franchise) and the two of them capture all of the white-knuckle boldness of the actions scenes, which are some of the finest in the series.  Whether it’s a horseback chase through the Arabian Desert, a car chase through the crowded streets of Venice, or a staggering set-piece on the Orient Express, your adrenaline will spike.  There’s also a terrific fight sequence in a tight alleyway that offers plenty of thrills, as well.  Through all of this, McQuarrie maintains the tradition of these films employing practical effects for their action scenes, and you’ll be more than awestruck at what this installment delivers.

However, the highlight of the film is the extended Orient Express segment in the finale.  What the filmmaking team is able to accomplish with this is astonishing.  And, just when you think you’ve reached the end of this sequence, there’s more to it that’ll keep you rigid in your seat as you wait to see what will happen to the characters who are involved.  It’s a spectacular finish that only a “Mission: Impossible” movie could pull off.

McQuarrie also re-teams with editor Eddie Hamilton, who worked on “Rogue Nation” and “Fallout.”  As before, Hamilton formats the flow of the scenes in such a way where, even amidst the abundance of action that takes place, you can still make out what’s happening.  The action scenes in the “Mission: Impossible” films thrive on their ability to not lose the comprehensibility in the middle of the thrills, and that’s certainly the case here with Hamilton’s work.

With “Dead Reckoning - Part Two” not set to come out for almost a year, it’s going to feel like forever as we wait for it.  However, given how well McQuarrie, Cruise, and their team set the pieces in motion for the next installment, I think they’ll have this series stun us like never before.  Trust me, that won’t be impossible.

Grade: A