Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Since the third release in 2006 with the Mission: Impossible franchise, every film has been on a sort of upward trajectory guaranteeing audiences a highly entertaining slice of Tom Cruise action. Granted some had their flaws but the good always prevailed over any qualms and combined with the huge sky-high success that was Top Gun: Maverick, fans were left eagerly awaiting the seventh instalment. But the production got off to a rocky start for Cruise, the cast and  returning director Christopher McQuarrie when Covid interrupted filming and resulted in a considerably higher budget than what was forecasted. Had Cruise finally met his match or would Ethan Hunt live to run another day?

This time the story follows the hunt for a unique key that could unleash all kinds of terror if it falls into the wrong hands while Ethan finds himself tested by an old advisory from his past. Once again, he is reunited with Luther, Benji and Ilsa as they embark on a globetrotting adventure, which sees the film on a lighter mood than its predecessor, Fallout in 2018, and one that thankfully shows almost no sign of any production problems that you might expect given all the drama off the screen. 

McQuarrie proves to be a master again of combining action and story together across a near three hour first in a two part story which flies by. I feel part of this is how he handles each scene and paces the flow of the story steadily which ensures there aren't moments that lull or that might seem out of place in a film that is very easy on the eye. Not just in terms of visuals but also editing. McQuarrie and Cruise have surrounded themselves with the best in the business and it really shows once more.

But I wish I only had praise for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, I really do. As much as it is entertaining, I found Esai Morales' villain to feel forced as he is introduced via a weak flashback hinting at Ethan Hunt's history before joining the MIF. Now we are seven films in, this felt like too late of an addition and dare I say, reminded me of the all too forgettable Jason Bourne in 2016 which tried something similar. The actual motivation on the antagonist's side is quite loose as well but never once hindered my enjoyment and Morales is still a great addition to the cast as the smooth talking Garbiel out to put a stop to Ethan. 

I also felt McQuarrie didn't quite handle Alec Baldwin's death scene all that well in Fallout as that film quickly rushed on as if the scene never happened and the character might make a miraculous return. Without spoilers, something similar happens here and it lacked a certain impact to the story making me again question whether a twist was coming later on and so I just didn't buy the scene. Coupled with a weak motivation for the antagonist, McQuarrie falls short on his last film which set the bar so high. 

On to the positive, Cruise is as good as ever in this role balancing the action with the drama with the comedy and, of course, some mighty impressive stunts. He does suffer somewhat with a less personal story compared to previous outings and is reintroduced in a disposable opening sequence but once the story is moving he really shines as the leading man. Meanwhile the returning cast are great but it was particularly fun to see Henry Czerny return after so many years as the morally dubious Kittridge. As for newcomers, Hayley Atwell makes for a fine addition to the cast who brings a lot of fun chemistry to the screen with Cruise, most notably during a great car chase through Rome. 

This is a Part One that delivers a very fast and exciting story which satisfies while managing to steer clear of the pitfalls which often plague an unfinished story. It does however falter in a few areas I did not expect but not enough so to in the slightest damage the franchise which still remains one of the most enjoyable to be seen on the big screen. A good time will be had by all who have enjoyed Ethan Hunts adventures until this point.