Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Writers: Bruce Geller, Erik Jendresen, and Christopher McQuarrie
Stars: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames
Synopsis: Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands.
Whether you like him or not (I know a handful of people that don’t like him in the least), we must admit that Tom Cruise is one of the last action stars in the modern cinematic landscape – an assertive daredevil. In a time when there aren’t many Hollywood leading faces, even less in action movies, he stands out and sacrifices his life for our entertainment. It is kind of a masochistic experience if you ’d ask me, as we are enjoying his potential pain and injuries. But he loves doing it, and nobody can stop him from doing so. Amongst other life-dangering “activities” he has done, Cruise throws himself out of planes, climbs the tallest building in the world, flies jets. From Top Gun to Edge of Tomorrow, he has remained at the top of the action genre’s food chain for many decades. And he isn’t done yet.
Heck, there are even rumors about Cruise making a film in space. I don’t know if that will work out in the end. Yet, it will surely be something to look out for if he’s involved. His latest project is another installment in one of the most famous action franchises in the world – one that made his name as a stuntman and daredevil – Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. When Christopher McQuarrie arrived at the helm, he delivered what is easily the best of the franchise in 2018 with Mission: Impossible – Fallout. After the franchise’s 2010’s revival, these films have become action-genre staples, to the point where each one seemed to impress us even more on both its technical aspects, as well as the cinematic spectacle the genre provides.
It feels like they always have a challenge on their backs. They want to ensure the creation of not only great set pieces but also ones that we haven’t seen before. In addition, they want to use the least amount of CGI imaginable – focusing on the raw beauty of composition and choreography – so that its impact and “wow factor” leaves a significant impression on the viewer. It makes us worried and fascinated by Cruise’s addiction to making films for the biggest screen imaginable and McQuarrie’s innovation. Having said all of that, one question remains. Does the first piece of the two-part story live up to the hype and anticipation? Or does it derail?
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One centers around Ethan Hunt (Cruise) as he is faced against an inescapable adversary, one that seems to be attacking our own reality at this current moment to some extent: a powerful artificial intelligence gone rogue named The Entity. What’s so dangerous about this A.I.? As elaborated by Hunt’s boss, Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny), it can erase truth as we know it – manipulate all aspects of our reality in a fully digital world. Hunt doesn’t know how to face this situation, and certainly not by himself . So, he decides to get the IMF band back together to stop the people behind this devouring algorithm from fracturing existence, hence the beginning of a worldwide chase for two parts of a key that might disable The Entity. As we all know, things won’t be easy for Hunt and company. There are plenty of foes that are targeting him and his team in order to make sure the person behind the A.I. gets what he wants.
They have to fight against Gabriel (Esai Morales) – the messenger of the A.I. potential collateral damage and one of the best “baddies” the series has offered – alongside his comrade assassin Paris (a silent yet fascinatingly deadly Pom Klementieff). But, in return, Hunt gets help from people from his past, Ilsa Faust (an always fascinating Rebecca Ferguson), and newcomers to the decade-spanning franchise like Hayley Atwell’s scene-stealing Grace. We all must agree that one of the best things about the new Mission: Impossible films is their selection of badass women with powerful on-screen magnetism. Unlike many blockbuster franchises, M:I has always dedicated plenty of time to developing its characters so that they can have their moment in the spotlight no matter the stature of their role. However, when it comes to the women, they deliver their all in every scene they are put in. Some of the best parts of the respective action set-pieces are their input to them. There is no film without them. And McQuarrie and co-screenwriter Erik Jendresen know that – making sure their arcs, while leaving blank spaces for the next installment, are polished and carry an emotional weight.
Since its main antagonist is faceless, this leads to a more spy-games-centered feature compared to the other McQuarrie installments. Yet, these games that The Entity and its followers are choosing wound Hunt mentally since he’s being recognized as their primary target. Not only does he ponder about a future without humans if this mission fails, but also the fate of his loved ones. His gut says to follow the mission above all else. Meanwhile, his heart worries about what might happen to his team and allies. What does he deem more important? He has to make a choice; whether Hunt chooses one or the other, there will be a great sacrifice. While a regular audience might want to catch Dead Reckoning – Part One for its action and thrills, there’s a newly found tension rising because of his humanity and persona as an almost “superhero”-like figure. So when the popcorn entertainment arrives, the viewer feels this nail-biting tension caused by our connection with Hunt and the other characters.
McQuarrie switches the constant adrenaline rush of Fallout with a more dread and fear-focused narrative about the possibility of loss over one’s own personal vows. Although there were glimpses of these emotions during the other Mission: Impossible films, it is more present here. It feels like a change of pace.. And for a seventh installment of a franchise based on a television series, you have to give props to Tom Cruise and the company for maintaining the quality and surprising us at every end. Of course, another of this film’s most significant revelations is its death-defying action set pieces, particularly the train sequence in the last act. Full of the genre’s spectacle, everybody gives it their all – you see their commitment to making every second of it feel realistic. You can feel the force and impact in every crash, bruise, punch, or kick.
Like John Wick: Chapter 4, this film basks in the viewer feeling the lead’s pain. This is something that many films of the action genre fail to do. This is why the ones that make sure you feel the suffering are those you think about the most. And I’m glad to say that Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is one of those. There’s beauty in the multi-million-dollar creations. You just need people like Cruise and McQuarrie who want to give the audience an experience like no other.
