A Triumph in Filmmaking.
The Mission Impossible franchise has always tried to out-do itself with its filmmaking, especially with its action set-pieces and its latest instalment is no exception. It's safe to say that Dead-Reckoning Part One is an excellent piece of filmmaking and it's not just because of its set-pieces.
Now for this review i am going to be as spoiler free as possible, the things i talk about have been featured in set-pieces and known to the public but either way, if you want to know nothing at all. Come back and read this review later.
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Let's get into it.
After the events of Mission Impossible Fallout, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has resumed work with the IMF, training new recruits and taking on impossible missions. He is tasked with retrieving two halves of a key. But what does this key unlock? You’ll have to watch to find out, but it's safe to say a mission ensues. The plot also deals with AI as a major concept through a form known as ‘The Entity’ that Ethan has to try and deal with. With his team, Ethan must retrieve the Key, find out what it unlocks and stop his enemies controlling the entity before it's too late.
This film is relentless, but in all of the best ways. From the outset it grabs you with its first scene and doesn't stop until its final moments. It is truly remarkable how the film continuously builds tension whether that be through its story, action, characters or even its score. As mentioned the film utilizes the real-life growing concept of AI and uses that as a form of antagonist. I thought this to be genius as it really can reference real life today. It's almost nerve wracking knowing this could be a reality.
It’s no secret that this movie is Part One of Two and by the end of the movie you are clear why that's the case, whilst it wraps up the story it’s trying to tell in this particular film, it's clear more is to come. A good way to compare it would be Avengers Infinity War and Endgame, whilst they were separate movies and could watch them on their own, it was all one story. I will say that because of the scope of this overall instalment, the plot does find itself being quite complicated towards the end but when it comes to the grand scale and when these two movies are both released, that could work in its favor.
Let's look at the casting and characters for this film. Every main character is on top form. From returning characters such as Ethan (Cruise) Benji (Pegg) and Co to new characters such as Grace (Atwell). Each character brings a new and interesting dynamic to emphasise the film's scope and story. Standouts for me were Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell as Ethan and Grace. The pairing of the two is fantastic and so much fun. Cruise brings back this beloved character but gives him new challenges so that he's interesting and constantly evolving whereas Atwell steals pretty much all the scenes she is in. She is extremely charismatic and her character easily keeps Cruise’s on his toes. I would have liked to see more of Benji and co though, what we got was still fantastic! Esai Morales as antagonist Gabriel as well as Pom Klementieff as Paris were also great additions to the cast.
Mission Impossible is nothing without its set-pieces and once more this film is no exception to that rule. They are staggeringly well executed. Returning director Chris McQuarrie (Rogue Nation & Fallout) puts us in the heart of the action in each set-piece. You can see both McQuarrie and Cruise have put a lot of time and effort into making sure each action sequence is the best it can be in terms of quality and story and that easily comes across on screen. What also helps is that it all looks and feels practical. You’re not removed from the situation because of CGI or effects.
Each action sequence stands out for its own reasons but for me one in particular i have to speak about, which is the chase in Rome. Whilst this could have just been a simple chase that lasted a couple of minutes ends up in an extended sequence, involving multiple cars, a motorbike and two hand-cuffed protagonists. All the while, the camera is within each car so you feel as if you are sitting with these characters on the chase with them. You can see every move has been thought out in plenty of detail before its execution. This film is truly remarkable with its action and filmmaking, its going to set the bar very high for anything to come afterwards. I don't want to talk about any other sequence as you need to experience it for yourself without spoilers.
Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is a triumph in filmmaking. The Story is solid, its cast is stellar and its action is truly next level. It really has set the bar high when it comes to filmmaking and I cannot wait to see how they top this in Part Two next year.
My Ranking: 4.5/5 Stars
Have you seen the film yet? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below.
Thanks for reading, more soon.
Until then,
Stay Safe, Look After Each Other,
Harry