It has been seven films and yet "Mission: Impossible" is still the franchise that still keeps on giving. The consistency since "Mission: Impossible III" has been spectacular to say the least and at this point, the franchise has its own Mission: Impossible formula that just works. From frenetic car chases, death-defying stunts, and that Tom Cruise running shot, "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" keeps its traditions intact and a whole lot more. At this point, the franchise is in cruise control and we actually don't mind it.
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) one again receives a mission request to track down a special key that grants its possessor the power to control over a powerful rogue A.I. called the Entity. With control of the world's information and digital systems, the future and the fate of the world is once again in the hands of Hunt and the IMF. But the task is easier said than done as they do not only need to face the Entity but also a mysterious, all-powerful enemy that has close ties to Ethan's tumultuous past.
How many times has Ethan Hunt gone rogue and saved the world? We won't say that "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" doesn't offer anything new but it still works on the same core story beat that we almost see in every film. The biggest difference here is that this film has a nostalgic feel to it. That opening scene in particular felt like an late 90s to early 00s action film release and certain shots felt like they could have been in earlier "M:I" films. We wouldn't conclude that "Dead Reckoning" films are Tom Cruise's last films for the franchise but if it ended with these two films, "Part One" builds up that opportunity and window quite well for Cruise. Ironically, one of the film's key antagonists, a rogue A.I., is not nostalgic but relatable and timely. With the recent issues of fake news and the popularity and possibility of A.I. being used to spread disinformation faster than ever before, the film's premise isn't as silly as it may sound and it felt like it was possible to happen in real-life.
Additionally, "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" didn't disappoint where it matters most and it was its action. We won't deny that some of these sequences went a little bit too long (which could have trimmed down the film's long running time at two and a half hours) but we appreciated how most of these sequences relied heavily on practical effects and not CGI. There's just this certain quality of doing stunts in real-life that CGI still cannot capture and this film delivers a boatload of amazing action set pieces. Some of these are already expected like that big jump over a mountain but there were others that really surprises us especially that alley fight in Venice. Even if you're just in it for the action alone, "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" won't disappoint as the film was well-paced with little lag time from one action scene to the next. Our biggest issue with the film was probably it's human antagonist played by Esai Morales. It seemed like his character just came out of nowhere considering how a huge impact he has on Ethan Hunt's IMF career. And while the film ends well even with its cliffhanger, this is still a Part One release so just expect to have some major story threads be left unresolved by the time the credits roll. Overall, "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" proves that with a lot of time, love and care for what they do and a lot of thought given to what entertains audiences, a franchise can deliver consistent quality each time.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One Movie Review: Cruise Control
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