- Date of Release: 12 July 2023
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
- Language: English
- Watch On: Amazon Prime Video
Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning, Part One
Introduction
It is a Wednesday and probably the biggest Wednesday of the year! And that is because the most exciting action franchise is back with its latest film! With that, I finished watching the English film Mission Impossible : Dead Reckoning Part 1 in an Imax screen! And this is the review on its Imax print. I am a huge fan of Tom Cruise who has transitioned seamlessly in the action genre. Long gone are the days of his chocolate boy looks fetching him some endearing romantic dramas. Lately, he has been on an absolute roll, coming fresh off the success of Top Gun Maverick which was one of the best action entertainers of the year and perhaps the best sequel of all times!
I was all of 6 years old when the first Mission Impossible film was out and I happened to watch that years later on Star Movies. I was then absolutely blown away by the magnitude of the action sequences that set my adrenaline flowing even before I knew what adrenaline was. Since then, the franchise has kept getting better with every passing film(contrary to the inhibitions surrounding various other franchises). One of the most iconic action set pieces that I had witnessed on the biggest screen possible was the extravagent sequence on the Burj Khalifa that left me in awe while wishing for more! So I have had quite a history with the franchise, all of which has been positive. And I was most excited to watch the latest Mission Impossible film, the 7th in the franchise! So then does Mission Impossible 7 aka Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1 manage to impress, lets find out!
Story & Screenplay
Mission Impossible : Dead Reckoning Part One follows the story of Ethan who is tasked with a brand new mission to obtain a 2 part key without knowing its significance with respect to its impact. Will Ethan succeed once again in his new mission? The story here is generic with its template of a spy thriller however the addition with respect to the technology and Artificial Intelligence is quite fascinating even from its storytelling point of view. It is packed with all the ingredients that you would associate with a high octane action entertainer! The screenplay standing at a massive duration of 164 minutes passes off just so smoothly that there aren’t any dull moments within the screenplay. It is compelling, heart pounding and very stylized!
The drama is off to an absolute flyer by briefly introducing the viewers of the impact that the conflict could have with the attack of a spy submarine. Soon, you are introduced to the protagonist Ethan Hunt who is tasked with a mission to obtain a key without revealing any of the consequences. And he has his familiar team members for company. The writers know exactly the pulse of the viewers and they cater to exactly that. There are some mind boggling action set pieces that get only better as the film progresses. The skeleton of the plot is simple – a fight between the good versus the bad with loafs of action thrown in between! And voila, my thirst for another good action entertainer was quenched yet again!
The proceedings are compelling simply with the staging of a few scenes. This includes a 25 minute thrilling sequence at the airport which was absolutely nail biting stuff! There were multiple conflicts in play at the same time while the writers infuse the sequences with a hint of humour. One of the most interesting aspects of the drama was that the mystery behind the conflict was strictly kept under wraps. In fact, there was a sense of ambiguity with respect to it that made the proceedings even more fascinating given how the stakes were increased. The screenplay is tied up with some exciting links between scenes throughout that involves a thrilling yet funny car chase sequence and a twisted fun on the run sequence amidst many others. But the bottom line was that the events were entertaining to the core!
There are some well placed twists and turns in the drama that do their bit in raising the stakes of the mission even further. The final act is an elaborate 40 odd minute sequence that is enthralling to the core. This is when the magic of an Imax screen came into the picture while I witnessed one of the most exciting bike stunt across the franchise. It was breathtaking while the tension in the air was quite palpable. Elsewhere the entire train sequence will invite many eyeballs and memes, a part of me also thought it resembled the sequence from Pathaan, with Pathaan and Tiger playing to the front row amidst whistles and claps. It was meticulous with the way it was staged and it ended on an absolute high was setting things to perspective for its second part. Along the way, there are easter eggs to be had thus summing up a screenplay which is extremely well written with regard to the genre that it was catering to.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are slick and exude of the stylish vibe of the franchise. The BGM was outstanding with the Mission Impossible theme giving me a high along with a sense of nostalgia all over again. The cinematography is outstanding and the Imax experience made it worth it with some brilliantly choreographed high octane daredevil stunts. The editing is quite crisp as well. Director Christopher McQuarrie just knows the pulse of the audience so well. And he gives them exactly that which would be a wet dream for any action junkie. His direction is world class and it made for yet another memorable film in the franchise that has consistently got better with time.
Performances
The performances are excellent here. Henry Czerny as Eugene, Cary Elwes as Denlinger, Shea Whignam as Jasper and Greg Tarzan Davis as Degas all have their moments to shine. Vanessa Kirby as Alanna is first rate in a memorable extended cameo. Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa is outstanding particularly in hand to hand combat sequences in a job well done! Likewise Pom Klementieff as Paris excels in some brilliantly choreographed action set pieces.
Esai Morales as Gabriel is intimidating as the antagonist and I expect him to be even better in Part 2. Simon Pegg as Benji and Ving Rhames as Luther are endearing and such warm characters that they exude of positivity and humour every time they are onscreen. Hayley Atwell as Grace looks so pretty and does a magnificent job, even going a step further by showcasing her vulnerability in the third act. And I was crushing strongly on her while watching her act onscreen. Perhaps my new celebrity crush maybe? Yes, Maybe! But it is Tom Cruise who delivers yet another banger of a performance as Ethan Hunt. He(or his stuntman) is magnificent in some mind boggling action set pieces while also being pitch perfect with his performance elsewhere. And he is 61 years old, let that sink in!
Conclusion
Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is yet another mind boggling and heart pounding action entertainer that comes with my highest recommendation. The franchise is aging like old wine, a couple of sips and it still gives you the kick! Watch this on the biggest screen possible! Highly Highly Recommended!
