For close to three decades, the Mission Impossible franchise has struck a chord with the audience with its mastery over the action-thriller genre. With every new movie comes a certain level of expectation that brews within the audience as Ethan Hunt and his team engage in daring fights against all odds. Six movies (and a lot more reality-defying stunts) later some may wonder if the franchise can further rise up to the expectations.
Yet, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One is all that you expect it to be and more— an action-packed thriller that makes even the deadliest of stunts seem possible. Tom Cruise once again cruises his way back to the hearts of the fans as Hunt in the seventh installment of the franchise directed by Christopher McQuarrie.
This time around the villain, too, has evolved with time. When Entity, an out of control, powerful AI experiment poses a threat to the world's high and mighty, it is up to Hunt to put a stop to it. The stakes are higher as every global power is in a race to weaponise it. The solution to the problem lies within a key and Hunt and his trusted allies—Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames)—embark on a mission to retrieve it. But their plans are disrupted when Grace (Hayley Atwell), a quick and stealthy thief comes into play. What follows next, in classic Mission Impossible style, is a series of chases and stunts. New characters join the run while some old faces return.
Needless to say, what holds the movie together is undoubtedly its action sequences. Cruise is irreplaceable as Hunt, with his natural charisma and dedication. He has once again proven that age is not a barrier when it comes to his infamous stunt scenes. Set against the scenic backdrop of the Alps, the climax sequence is sure to leave the audience in awe. Atwell also displays a commendable performance with the right amount of vigour and energy needed to match the film’s overall pace. The duo together establish a wonderful dynamic.
While the movie scored with the action, there were instances where it did not. With a runtime of nearly 163 minutes, it is quite a challenging task to keep the audience engaged. The movie lagged at times due to overuse of expositions and some character arcs were almost predictable. The main villain is a stateless and moral enemy but Esai Morales’s Gabriel brings in the villainous element to the plot. But there are many questions unanswered as to how the character returned and his encounter with the Entity. These we can only hope to be answered in Part Two.
Setting aside its shortcomings, if you are here solely for the action and thrill of it, then Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One is indeed a must watch. The audio-visual experience that the movie offers is fitting of a big screen viewing. The movie perfectly sums up the essence of all its predecessors. To quote from the movie, 'the key is only the beginning', and once again it is time for another round of wait and speculation until Part Two next year.
Movie: Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Esai Morales, Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny.
Rate: 4/5
