Expertly engineered to thrill, the high-octane Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is as good an excuse as any to make the trek to theaters.
Don’t call Tom Cruise a daredevil. Obsessed, sure. Intense, definitely. Excessive, yes. But his interest in performing the crazy action stunts he has become known for isn’t solely driven by the thrill he gets from it. If you believe what he says, it is all for maximizing the entertainment value of his films. I believe him. He has found a way in today’s technology-obsessed world to stand out and make people pay attention. In a time when seemingly anything is possible, he somehow does the impossible and we can’t look away. That is the essence of something with entertainment value; blowing our minds when we thought we’d seen it all.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
Directed By: Christopher McQuarrie
Written By: Christopher McQuarrie, Eric Jendresen
Starring: Tom Cruise, Haley Atwell, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson
Release Date: July 13, 2023
Enter Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, the latest film in a series of films that has fully embraced the stunt-forward approach. This franchise has increasingly separated itself from its competition because it not only emphasizes expertly-choreographed and intensely-exhilarating stunts, but because it showcases them in a competent and engaging manner. Equally important is the way the series seems to keep raising the bar. Every new iteration the stakes are higher, and the adventure reaches a new zenith. No series can match the entertainment value, technical proficiency, and above all, the consistency of the Mission: Impossible franchise.
The latest film continues this trend. Dead Reckoning – Part One builds upon the already lofty heights of its predecessors without feeling like it reaches too far, or is going through the motions. In everything it does, audience involvement is front and center. The filmmakers have done an excellent job of balancing the series’ trademarks with exciting new ideas and concepts. More so than any of the other Mission: Impossible films of the last decade, it echoes the original 1996 Mission Impossible both in storyline, locations, and some returning characters; but does so with the no-limits insanity of the last 3 films. As a potential lead in to the final film in the series, it does an excellent job of honoring both the past and present of M:I films without ever feeling like it is retracing its steps or stretching too far (cough, cough…Fast X).
The homage to the original film and television series starts with a plot that evokes cold-war paranoia more so than the post-9/11 counterterrorism efforts of the most recent films. An accident in a Russian submarine unleashes a rogue AI which quickly renders obsolete the cyber security efforts of the world’s most advanced nations. Espionage networks wrestle for control of two keys which can be used to contain the AI and allow control over it. Ethan Hunt and the IMF are tasked with tracking down the keys, but an expert thief swipes one and soon finds herself at the center of a deadly struggle for control. In the background the AI, known as “The Entity”, makes its own plans to ensure its survival, manipulating Ethan’s efforts and bringing back a haunting figure from his past to stop him once and for all.
While verging on a sci-fi doomsday plot, the use of an AI as the overarching protagonist of the film works to create new challenges for the IMF crew. First is the fact that they can’t rely on computers to do their work. In previous films computers were often used to sort of fill-in plot holes or assist with carrying out missions. It was easy for someone on the team to just “hack” into something to help them disguise their intent or foil an adversary. Not so in this film. The team has to take a more blunt approach, with special focus on doing things “analog” to prevent the AI from stopping them.
But more importantly the inclusion of the AI provides a more mysterious and shape-shifting threat to Ethan than he has faced before. While a trademark of the series was the fact that Ethan’s antagonists were often obscured in the first place, Dead Reckoning Part One’s is a step above. Like James Bond going to space in Moonraker, it’s an example of a typically repetitive franchise chasing current events and popular trends in cinema to do something a little different. Although I was somewhat let down by the fact that this film didn’t really continue the overarching plot of the last three films, the heightened sense of danger and opportunity for more creative conflicts makes up for that narrative decision.
Writer/director Christopher McQuarrie continues to bring intelligent and well-balanced writing to help afford the expertly choreographed action. He continues to show an impressive attention to detail and highlights the stunt work in a way that makes it exciting without feeling overwrought or conspicuous. This film stands out from the previous installments by conveying a wider variety of colors and textures into its cinematography, and by making use of a physical “comedy” style. McQuarrie shows his commitment to audience engagement with a number of incredible sight gags and incorporating these into the action sequences in creative and daring ways.
All of this makes Dead Reckoning Part One feel like a blend of very new and very old action films. It is as much on the forefront of modern cinema with its John Wick type stylish fight sequences as it is bringing back vaudeville-type comedy stunts showcased in early black-and-white films. The film echoes its technology-eschewing protagonists by placing them in scenes and sets of antiquity. Everything about the film’s production is a hybrid of old and new. Apart from echoing the approach of the 1996 film, there’s an electric version of a classic Fiat 500, and the film’s breathtaking finale takes place on a steam locomotive. McQuarrie is pushing the franchise to new places, but not significantly and not out of desperation. I’m not sure if it results in a more artistic product, but it certainly feels fresh while not venturing too far away from the series’ successes so far.
In the center of it all is Tom Cruise, as ageless as ever. His committed approach continues to deliver impressive and entertaining results. His chemistry with McQuarrie comes through with ease – we see how both the actor and director are on the same page to pull off these complicated sequences with flawless execution. More importantly, they incorporate the audience into everything that they do. It never feels like the film is just flexing its muscles trying to show off its capabilities. The audience is along for the ride. Cast and crew are united in their commitment to this cause, which makes for a film that is ceaselessly viewable.
This is not a sequel of diminishing returns. Despite an aging star and repetitive approach it still feels new, and exciting. The plot is more fictitious than what the series has tried so far, and there are certainly valid complaints to be had about a convoluted plot and clunky dialogue; but that doesn’t really matter. The reason you watch a Mission: Impossible film is for the edge-of-your-seat thrills, and Dead Reckoning Part One brings them. Go to theaters to watch Tom Cruise do insane things for the sake of your amusement – you will not be disappointed.
