Seventh Time’s the Charm — MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — DEAD RECKONING PART 1

By Daniel Mendes, TheCinebuff.com

Maintaining a movie franchise is hard. From the recent MCU releases to Fast X, it seems that the blockbuster has been running a little stale. However, unlike these two examples, the Mission: Impossible films continue to get better. Dead Reckoning Part 1 proves that there’s still plenty of gas left in the tank.

Ethan Hunt and his team must take down The Entity, an artificial intelligence that has gained setience and is set to dispatch of the world’s military and intelligence networks. While the world’s governments seek to harness The Entity, Hunt believes that no person should control it, and in turn seeks to destroy it. Ethan’s mission, that he has chosen to accept, is to find the cruciform key in order to unlock The Entity and shut it down. A premise as simple and straightforward as that leads to an exciting globe-trotting adventure filled with spectacle!

Once again, the cinematography remains an absolute wonder. Dead Reckoning Part 1 isn’t just a bunch of beautiful shots, but it’s an effectively efficient way of getting the audience involved in the action. Relative newcomer Fraser Taggart shoots the film with wide shots that fully capture the action on display. There’s a clear sense of geography that never leaves the viewer confused or disoriented.

Listed as one of the most expensive films ever made, Dead Reckoning Part 1 puts its budget to good use. There are some moments where the CGI is evident, but it’s never distracting enough to take the audience out of the experience. The stunts still remain practical with the CGI only used as an aid and not a crutch. When you see Tom Cruise performing the stunts, you can absolutely tell that it’s him.

Tom Cruise continues to deliver spectacle in a way very few movie stars are willing to do. What makes these stunts so much fun is that you can feel the fear and adrenaline running through Cruise’s veins. Ethan Hunt is cool, but when it’s time for him to parachute off a cliff, you can see the absolute terror and desperation in his eyes. Very few action stars are willing to be so vulnerable and silly onscreen, which makes Cruise akin to Jackie Chan.

Along Ethan’s mission, he comes across the villainous Gabriel, a disciple of the Entity and a ghost of Ehtan’s past. Esai Morales gives a solid performance as the villain you can’t help but hate, but his relationship with Ethan barely gets any meaningful development. Brief flashbacks show Ethan and Gabriel together, but it doesn’t do enough to explain their history in any meaningful way. Perhaps Part 2 will build on it further, but this is Part 1’s biggest flaw.

In closing, Dead Reckoning Part 1 might not be on the same level as Mission: Impossible — Fallout, but it’s blockbuster entertainment at its finest that gives a satisfying conclusion despite being only half of the story. Tom Cruise’s daredevil antics continue to be a highlight and is the biggest draw for why these films continue to draw an audience. As long as stars like Cruise continue to deliver genuine thrills, these blockbusters will continue to thrive!

Originally published at https://behindtherabbitproductions.wordpress.com on July 21, 2023.