Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands.
Chuck says:
I suppose there is an exception to every rule. The law of diminishing returns states that “benefits from something will grow proportionally smaller as more energy is invested in it.” Inexplicably, every sequential entry of the “Mission: Impossible” franchise disproves this notion, each a testament to the imagination and tenacity of writer/director Christopher McQuarrie and megastar Tom Cruise. They seemingly paint themselves into a corner with each sequel, executing one gasp-inducing action sequence after another, each seemingly incapable of being topped. And yet, they continue to provide one showstopping moment after another, the latest chapter, “Dead Reckoning: Part One,” containing set pieces that confirm we are in the midst of the golden age of action films.
While the plot is made to seem more complicated than it actually is, like many of these movies, it all revolves around a simple MacGuffin – a key that is composed of two parts, one in possession of Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his Impossible Missions Force, the other held by an unknown person with nefarious intentions. (Yes, you are experiencing a bit of Deja Vu – the latest “Indiana Jones” feature employed a similar premise with their time-traveling, dial gizmo.) It goes without saying that this key will pass through many hands in many different countries before all the chaos subsides.
Along the way, we are introduced to some new players in this world of globe-trotting espionage, most notably Grace (Hayley Atwell), a master thief who sets her sights on the key and manages to get her hands on part of it. This draws her into Hunt’s sphere as he’s decided to accept the mission to retrieve it. Meanwhile, Esai Morales assumes the role of Gabriel, a mysterious figure from our hero’s past who knows how to get under his skin and, of course, is after the key as well. The franchise stalwarts are also on hand, Ving Rhames’ Luther and Simon Pegg’s Benji ably providing comic relief, while Rebecca Ferguson returns as the steely-eyed assassin, Ilsa Faust.
If there is a fault with “Reckoning,” it’s that it has too many characters to keep track off, all of whom manage to converge in a timely manner no matter where the global locale. Whether it’s on the streets of Rome, aboard the Orient Express or traipsing around a Middle Eastern airport, rest assured that the above-mentioned characters as well as agents Briggs and Degas (Shea Whigham and Greg Davis) and Paris (Pom Klementieff), yet another female assassin, well meet up and mayhem will ensue.
As to that mayhem, it’s pretty spectacular. The opening sequence involving a desert chase during a sandstorm, as well as a game of cat-and-mouse that occurs across various airport terminals are prime examples of expertly choreographed scenes that depend as much on the movement of the actors and cameras as the post-production editing. These are just warm-ups for a blistering chase sequence on the streets of Rome and the climax on the Orient Express. The spirit of Buster Keaton is alive and well in both these set pieces. As funny as they are thrilling, each steadily builds until they reach absurd proportions, so much so that I half-expected ACME anvils to start raining from the sky. The chase is one of the best sequences of the year, Hunt and Grace on the run, handcuffed together, eventually trying to drive a tiny yellow Fiat that’s dwarfed by a menacing, black Hummer and a battalion of cops. Its crackerjack timing and many surprises are reminiscent of the sort of scenes Keaton would construct, as are the moments on the Orient Express as the central pair scramble from one dangling car to the next, as each falls into a deep chasm. I thought Hunt and Grace dodging pots of hot food, bubbling vats of grease and flames leaping from the stove in the kitchen car was ridiculous, until they entered the dining car and had to contend with a dangling piano that threatened to crush them. Ridiculous to be sure, but a great deal of fun.
Of course, none of this would mean anything if there was no emotional investment in Hunt and his cohorts. Since coming on board with “Rogue Nation,” McQuarrie has wisely made Hunt more vulnerable, his emotional connection to Luther, Benji, Ilsa and others that cross his path proving to be his Achille’s Heel. This is explored more fully in this entry and will likely prove to be a key turning point in next year’s follow-up.
Also contributing to its gravitas is the threat at the story’s center. The key in question unlocks an AI device referred to as The Entity, a program that, much like Hunt himself, has gone rogue and threatens to worm its way into every communications system in the world. With this access, it manipulates and erases the truth, obscures and alters identities, implicating innocent parties along the way. In short, nothing and no one can be trusted, all information tainted by a conscience-less machine. What with the US Congress currently holding hearings about the dangers of similar devices, “Reckoning” couldn’t be more frightening or timely.
In the end, the success of the film, both in terms of it being an effective cautionary tale and relentless thrill machine, rests on Cruise’s shoulders. He willingly and enthusiastically sets the tone in these movies and his go-for-broke work ethic is to be commended. Knowing it’s him riding a motorcycle off a cliff and freefalling at a wrinkle-smoothing rate lends an authenticity to the production that no amount of greenscreen work can match. The movie-going experience is precious to him and with last year’s “Top Gun: Maverick” and back-to-back “Mission: Impossible” features, Cruise has taken it upon himself to make sure it endures by providing the sort of entertainment that makes our going to the theater worthwhile. Time and again, he lives up to the high expectations he sets for himself, creating his own brand of cinematic spectacle. And to think, he doesn’t have to don a cape to do so.
3 1/2 Stars
Pam says
Let’s face it. We don’t go to see any of the Mission Impossible movies (there are 7 to date starring Tom Cruise with an 8th in the works, Part Two of “Dead Reckoning”) for their substantive story lines or their complicated and nuanced characters. We go to see the theatrical prowess that Cruise possesses and we are never disappointed. Number 7 in the franchise, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” keeps the high wire stunts going and we are sure to be back for Part Two.
The premise of Dead Reckoning is a repetition of every other MI movie. Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is hired to find the keys to a dangerous weapon before the bad guys do. Keys, plural is the “key” to this film, though. It’s a two-pronged approach for opening this weapon of mass destruction and Hunt must follow the clues to get the missing piece of the puzzle. Along the way, he meets Grace (Hayley Atwell) whose slight of hand can either help or hurt Ethan as they team up to fight the bad guys. Tagging along are the familiar faces of Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames) who add levity to this high intensity film filled with stunts Cruise performs, defying death yet again all for the sake of our entertainment. And yes, this is why we go. We must see what crazy and shocking yet complicated and well-researched stunt Cruise has thought of this time and let me tell you, they’re all simply jaw-dropping.
Of course, there are plenty of fight scenes and car chases that will make your head spin as well. The action is non-stop, but in between holding your breath as you watch Ethan Hunt fly over a cliff on his motorcycle, we watch his counterpart, Grace, switch sides and create havoc all while flirting with Hunt. The handsomely intimidating ring leader Gabriel (Esai Morales) sends chills down your spine, but you just can’t get enough of his presence. Pegg and Rhames are having fun and we see a bit more of them than we usually do which is a pleasant surprise. And there are plenty of other returning and familiar faces that pepper the screen for Cruise’s and our enjoyment, but at the end of the day, this film is all about the action and really, nothing more.
The action is spectacular even if it borders on so much it can lull you into a slumber if this isn’t your cup of tea. Cinematically, “Dead Reckoning” is simply stunning. Cruise’s bravado in performing these risky stunts also requires novel camera work and camera operators willing to put their lives on the line in order to capture the moment. As you watch a fight taking place atop a train as it plummets to the river hundreds of feet below (every action flick loves a good train fight scene as we just saw in the “Indiana Jones” movie a couple of weeks ago), not for one minute do you question the reality of the situation. And let’s talk about the settings in which Ethan Hunt finds himself. From the desert to the depths of the sea and Italy to Norway, “Dead Reckoning” is a visual feast.
3 stars
