Much like how every Mission Impossible film begins with the self-destructive electronic mission statement that instructs the highly-skilled Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) on whether he chooses to accept the next dangerous mission that catapults him into the realm of sexy espionage, action spy thrills, I imagine—somewhere in the universe—some benevolent force must have instructed Tom Cruise that his sole mission, should he choose to accept, was to arrive on Earth and become not only one of Hollywood’s last remaining movie stars but to put himself in some of the most extreme death-defying action sequences constructed by man for the sake of our entertainment. For the last 30 years, Cruise has successfully maneuvered his way through Hollywood mishaps, media scrutiny, and death to emerge as one of the last disciples of not just theatrical movie-going but the lost art of blockbuster movie-making.
“They don’t make them like they used,” laments some general audiences burnt out by Hollywood’s most recent bloated releases that have managed to fall into financial misery. Audiences avoided The Flash (2023) fumbling their way into the speed force; have abandoned both the latest Fast X (2023) Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023), and gave a mild glance to Harrison Ford donning on the fedora and whip for Dial of Destiny (2023). Indeed, the summer blockbusters of late seem to lack the high-adrenaline thrills and palpable exhilaration we perhaps took for granted decades ago.
Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023) bursts through the overwrought assembly line of content (an egregious misnomer for what movies and shows used to be) that’s reshaped how Hollywood approaches films and their relationship to the human on the other side of the screen. Dead Reckoning isn’t here to reinvent the wheel, nor should it—the film is a Part One, indicating it’s not infallible from being a victim of higher powers that extend beyond the algorithms of sequels. Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise demonstrate that movies can still enrapture a crowded auditorium filled with spectators giving their time, money, and energies in entrusting professional (and perhaps, crazed) movie mavericks in how to have a great time at the movies. Dead Reckoning is an exhilarating reminder of why we worship the big-screen experience.
Ethan Hunt finds himself not just accepting another mission to save the world but facing a threat that seems more powerful than anyone could anticipate. McQuarrie and co-writer Erik Jendresen craft a narrative that tries to balance heavy exposition scenes that wrangles Hunt with an overwhelming faceless enemy while pitting him into inconceivable action set-pieces that would rattle the hearts of any insurance adjustor attached to this film. Their efforts result in a film that stretches to 163 minutes of a part one story that feels overstuffed with ideas and concepts that are intriguing but come at the expense of sacrificing the narrative thrust that previous installments accomplished so well.
The threat looms over all characters, yet is shadowy and ghostly as Hunt and his comrades under the supervision of the IMF organization. Hunt is tasked with tracking down two keys that together will unlock a yet-to-be-revealed element connected to an all-powerful artificial intelligence program called the Entity. The Entity is a rogue A.I. that has teamed with a former enemy of Ethan’s past, Gabriel (Esai Morales), a suave rugged individual who’s more comfortable working alongside a global A.I. program that is capable of predicting future outcomes and controlling all digital infrastructures that threaten the safety of global security.
Of course, it’s not a Mission Impossible movie without Ethan’s comrades: Luther (Ving Rhames), Benji (Simon Pegg), and Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) all return and join Ethan, as he’s hunted not just by Gabriel and his gleeful sidekick, Paris (Pom Klementieff in a nearly-dialogue-less performance that leaves more to be desired), but by an enforcer of the Community, Jasper Briggs (Shea Wigham), as he’s tasked to hunt for Ethan. Hunt and his crew soon become entangled with a civilian pick-pocket extraordinaire, Grace (Haley Atwell), as she soon becomes a new member of IMF, despite her inclinations for self-preservation and, of course, not trained in the arts of spy work.
The exposition and the quandaries in regards to the presence of A.I. are not just topical for the sake of harmless Chat GBT conversations that expose some form of sentience but come at a critical time when Hollywood finds itself split amongst the creators and actors taking a stand against studio executives’ parasitic grip onto the notion of A.I. generated content that can disregard the very human element that’s made every great story persevere through the discourse. In a way, this is the natural progression that now Hunt, after 27 years of punching bad guys, finds a threat that can’t be simply shot at or explode in a helicopter inside a train tunnel, but one that can predict Ethan’s actions, reactions, and extends beyond the flesh and emotions of a person. The techno-fear angle McQuarrie establishes sets the precedent that not even Hunt’s expert crew can outwit a technological force capable of utilizing the very equipment we’ve grown comfortable infiltrating our lives.
The film feels burdened at times, slowing down the propulsive drive that previous installments avoided falling into, and part of that feeds into the “Part One” aspect of leaving more for the second film, but thankfully it never sours any of the energetic action sequences that are equally daring and bold in imagination and amusement. There’s a fun cat-and-mouse foot chase sequence set at an airport, where Hunt meets Grace that would be the romantic comedy equivalent of flirting. All the while, Jasper and his team run manically, rubbing peoples’ faces to see if it’s Hunt underneath. It wouldn’t be a Mission Impossible film without an outrageous car chase set in Rome, where Grace and Hunt are shackled together hand-in-hand as they try to drive crazily through narrow roads, backward down staircases, and stuck going in circles while evading a stark-raving smiling Paris as she plows through vehicles and pedestrians in a hummer. The humor in these set pieces—perfectly timed—enhances the absurdist shenanigans that never undermine the intensity of the action. And the finale truly as to be seen to be believed: a run-away train speeding like a bat-out-of-hell that showcases hand-to-hand fights on top of trains, shootouts, and collapsing, all while knowing McQuarrie and crew built their own train set just to destroy. This is the stuff of dreams; McQaurrie directs this sequence with the same vivacious enthusiasm young Sammy Fableman exhibited after watching The Greatest Show On Earth (1952).
Cruise, at the age of 61, is so loose and charming that’s elevated by Cruise’s natural ability to be a magnetic film star. Here, he allows Hunt to make more mistakes than one would expect of its leading man. He misjudges the situations he’s in that allow Hunt to still feel human, even as he rides a motorcycle off a steep cliff while parachuting onto a moving train. His meeting with Gabrial reveals just how much he’s lost before IMF and gives Ethan a personal attachment to seeing this mission through its natural conclusion. The stakes are set, and he fears losing more people in his life. There’s a natural vulnerability without ever feeling contrived, and it’s only amplified with how much we’ve followed Luther, Benji, and Ilsa, and even they acknowledge how they’re not immune from death. Yet, no matter how much Tom Cruise risks his life to accomplish insane stunts and leap from cliffs, the surprising standout belongs to Haley Attwell’s performance as Grace.
An unlucky civilian who gets caught in the crossfire of the world-ending stakes, Grace is someone who’s taken care of herself while managing to trick and connive her way through the world. Meeting Hunt may have been accidental, but it also feels like a new beginning. She exudes an unforced deer-in-the-headlights reaction that lends to the film’s most hilarious moments, while her screen presence alongside Cruise is both steamy and affecting. They’re not love interests, yet their chemistry is palpable as they try to outwit each other, which leads to being enamored at how diametrically different they are in comparison. Grace is an excellent addition to the franchise, and Atwell’s turn feels like a star-making turn that even the Captain America films failed to mine. Rhames and Pegg are still a blast to watch, while Ferguson continues to make Ilsa one of the most strikingly distinct action stars of the 2010s since her introduction in Rogue Nation (2015).
I do hope Part Two makes better use of Esai Morales as a formidable antagonist, especially with how deeply sinister he came across in the first season of Ozark (2017). As the closest representative to the Entity, Morales feels more like a lackey, and while his performance is the closest to Ethan having a face to punch, it pales in comparison to the massive void Henry Cavill left in Fallout (2018). Yet, despite the lackluster villain, complicated A.I. philosophizing, and an elongated runtime, I couldn’t help but marvel at the consummate professionalism Tom Cruise displays. Not just on screen, but you feel it behind. From the excellent fast-paced editing from Eddie Hamilton to the expansive globe-trotting locations, and just about every single person involved in the production of this film who worked tirelessly in tandem with Cruise and McQuarrie to make sure that every stunt is done safely, every movement is expected, and the efficiency of filming despite being a victim to Covid-19 restrictions—this film is a testament to the endless hours it takes to make an entertaining film.
Cruise understands it’s a collaborative process where everyone brings the best of their abilities. Watching Dead Reckoning, you can see and hear everyone’s hard work executed to breathtaking effect. Cruise may have accepted the mission of being Hollywood’s cheerleader that will die for the livelihood of the theatrical experience, and perhaps it’s a mission not everyone can pull off. There are only so many movies we have to witness Tom Cruise push his body to enthrall an audience that has become more selective about what they see in a theater. Should you, the viewer, choose to accept this film into your movie-watching, the rewards are endless.
Review Courtesy of Amritpal Rai
Feature Image Credit to Paramount Pictures
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