Review: Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the IMF team are back for seventh installment in the “Mission: Impossible” film series. Our JP gives his quick thoughts on “Dead Reckoning Part One.”

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
(Paramount Pictures)

  • Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
  • Written by Christopher McQuarrie, Erik Jendresen
  • Based on Mission: Impossible by Bruce Geller
  • Produced by Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie
  • Starring Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Mariela Garriga, Henry Czerny
Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames
Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

Studio Synopsis:

In Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, and dark forces from Ethan’s past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission – not even the lives of those he cares about most.

J.P.’s Take:

Next to long-running sagas such as James Bond, Indiana Jones, or even “The Fast & Furious” franchise, “Mission: Impossible” spans decades and comes forth with a 7th installment. This time around, however, the focus doesn’t fall squarely on Tom Cruise’s iconic character, Ethan Hunt. It’s the entire Impossible Mission Force (IMF) team that is being divided and conquered. And what “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One” utilizes is the newsworthy headliner of A.I. to generate thrills and spills.

Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise
Hayley Atwell (right) and Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

What better plot device to spring from than A.I.? As this is a sign of the times, the story convincingly draws us into a world imbued with machine thinking and with humans at the mercy of its detrimental effects. This highly evolved form of A.I., they call “The Entity,” begins to lure the IMF team into some sticky situations, causing mistrust between them. “MI7” is not without its death-defying stunts and nail biting action sequences — because there’s plenty to go around — but there is also a romance that strikes up with an old flame, as a new love interest also enters the picture.

Not expected are the comical moments that arise at the most inopportune times. I chuckled like a dorky kid at the mini car chase scenes. The characters are sentimental, which deepening the connection with the audience without becoming schmaltzy, and giving the story a human touch to an otherwise absurd scheme.

Pom Klementieff
Pom Klementieff in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

The villains are defined as familiar faces, such as Esai Morales as Gabriel and Vanessa Kirby as Alanna Mitsopolis, a.k.a “White Widow,” who are reprised. Newcomer Pom Klementieff joins the crew as the vicious assassin named Paris.

The idea of A.I. becoming the most formidable weapon ever created can get under your skin. Even though this subject is presented to the utmost, its extreme nature doesn’t upset the cliffhanger ending. Honestly, I’m ready to see “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two,” scheduled to be released in the United States on June 28, 2024, by Paramount Pictures.

Tom Cruise and Vanessa Kirby
Tom Cruise and Vanessa Kirby in Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning – Part One from Paramount Pictures and Skydance.

Official Site: Mission: Impossible

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