Whether you’re drawn to the film’s old-school stylistic presentation, the jaw-dropping stunts practically designed and executed, the intensely beautiful sequences that only get more and more adrenaline pumping as the seconds go by, or maybe just that Tom Cruise now represents something of a messiah for the traditional cinematic experience – well, Mission: Impossible has become something special.
Since Ghost Protocol, the series has not only succeeded in shaping a solid and interesting narrative framework, but it also manages to put its heart-pounding action sequences into wonderfully practical relief. Like the John Wick and Top Gun: Maverick movies, this is analog blockbuster entertainment in the digital age. Not only that, the movies constantly got better and better with each chapter.
So it was with a worried look on my face that I sat in the dark of the cinema for the first 20 minutes of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, because while the opening sequences are usually meant to act like a powerful rhythm that sets the tone, it’s a slightly messy affair that tries to put different stylistic elements together on slightly shaky ground without the punch you’d expect.
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But that worry was quickly dispelled, as this is one of the most intense, well-crafted, epic, and memorable blockbuster experiences… well, since Fallout. It’s basically three or four long sequences in places like Abu Dhabi and Venice, four sequences that continually build intensity and presence through one magnificent piece after another, and one twist after another.
Dead Reckoning is almost Mad Max-like in that it kicks the metaphorical vehicle into high gear relatively quickly, only stopping momentarily to give the viewer a moment to catch their breath. Almost three hours disappear like the dew of a summer sun, and you never get bored, like never.
Cruise is, as always, in good spirits. He has a gravitas, dedication and love for the Ethan Hunt character that’s few matched in the blockbuster sphere, and while some will no doubt be slightly put off by the whole pulp identity, it’s all so incredibly built that you constantly smile.
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It’s surrounded by performances that are nothing short of fantastic, and Hayley Atwell in particular does a brilliant job as the new character Grace, who instantly became a permanent fixture in the memorable cast of characters. Villain Esai Morales is a bit of a different story, and while he has the tight, enigmatic persona of a good action villain, he’s more Mads Mikkelsen’s Le Cipher than Javier Bardem’s Raoul Silva.
Combined with a fantastic score from composer Lorne Balfe, incredible stunts across the board, and Cruise in top form, Dead Reckoning is perfect summer entertainment, held back only by a slightly slow start before the film really kicks off.
Like Fallout, Rogue Nation and Ghost Procotol, Mission: Impossible is the most cohesive movie series on the market today, and there’s no reason to believe Cruise and company won’t be ready to impress in the year. next when Dead Reckoning Part Two concludes the series as we know it.
2023-07-11 23:03:27
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