It’s by no stretch of the imagination that audiences have been serendipitously blessed by the action gods this year. With the heavens opening up, an ethereal light of high-octane violence and pulse-pounding exhilaration shining down upon us all, majestically bathing us in cinematic luminescence. Whatever your tastes there’s been a film dedicated to it. Features like the historic, revisionist madness of SISU (2023) or Blood & Gold (2023), the comic book extravagants of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), The Flash (2023), or Across the Spider-Verse (2023), the daring fantasy of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023), Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), or Fast X (2023) and last but not least, the masterful precision of Extraction 2 (2023) or John Wick Chapter 4 (2023). And what’s even better is that’s not everything, cause there’s more on the horizon coming for us. Yep, the action gods have divinely favored us this astounding year. Halle-freaking-lujah!
And now it’s Mission Impossible’s turn. So….HIT THAT THEME MUSIC!
What started out as a solid 90’s film adaptation of the classic 1966 cloak and dagger series, has since made quite a few conceptualized transitions over the past two decades. In ’96 with the first installment, directed by pulpy, noirish legend Brian De Palma (with Tom Cruise producing every single film since), the heavily espionaged exploits of the Impossible Mission Force left a substantial mark on critics, moviegoers, and the box office. Years later, with Mission Impossible II (2000), another legendary director, John Woo, took the reigns to deliver a stylized, souped up action fest. While the critics weren’t the biggest fan of this execution, audiences appreciated the more thrilling approach from the quieter, spy foundation. Then, with Mission Impossible 3 (2006), director J.J. Abrams took the various operative elements of previous installments, mixed with his own grandiose style (along with copious amounts of lens-flare), and conducted a focused and enthralling action-packed entry, rejuvenating the franchise and settling upon the energized presentation we know and love today. And with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011), directed by Brad Bird and Mission Impossible Rogue Nation (2015), directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the franchise continued to forge its own path among the ranks, one upping itself with phenomenal effects, lavishing locales, palpable intrigue, and death-defying stuntwork. All of this culminating in what many believe to be the absolute best installment as well as one of the greatest action films ever conceived in Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018). An unwavering, pinnacle of momentous, breathtaking excitement. Cruise and McQuarrie (being the only director to return) hit peak action ecstacy with the sequel, further making the conceptually impossible, an unquestionable reality.
So naturally, they’re back again with Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One (2023), another gripping and spectacular edge-of-your-seat thrill-ride that reeducates an eager audience on why this series has continued its indomitable longevity for over two decades. Let’s get into it.
As the story goes, superspy Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his IMF team, Luther Stickwell (Ving Rhames), Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), and Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) must track down a mysterious key, stolen by a cunning thief (Hayley Atwell), that’s connected to a terrifying new weapon which threatens the whole world if it falls into the wrong hands. Things become further complicated when Hunt’s old annoying boss, Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny) as well as a dangerous old nemesis, Gabriel (Esai Morales), enters the frey in order to stop the team from completing their task. A deadly race around the globe ensues.
First off, running in at about 2 hours and 43 minutes, this is certainly the longest feature in the series, though it didn’t feel like it thanks to a brisk pace and breezy transitions. The story jumps right to the point and literally doesn’t let up until the final frame. No wasted scenes or motions. Next up, thanks to cinematographer Fraser Taggart, there’s no shortage of exotic and magnificent locales this story explores and ravishes. (Or destroys) Also wanted to highlight the real world sensibilities this particular villain of the story conveys. Normally, the big bads in these films have ranged from cunning terrorists and vengeful rogue agents to shadow organizations. Yet, with this globally encompassing villain, it eerily echoes current societal fears and anxieties that have been steadily growing for the past few years now. I won’t spoil completely here but it’s a trip, and as ridiculous as it may appear, taken to the extremes, it paints a dark and sinister picture of where we could end up as a modern civilization if we’re not careful. So kudos on the creators for adding that authentically grim layer to the narrative.
The cast was uber solid all around, with new blood Morales and Atwell, as well as Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, and even Cary Elwes fitting in like a glove along with the seasoned players. Also there’s certainly other returns, such as McQuarrie acting as writer/director from the last two films and Lorne Balfe acting as the film’s composer, with a score that’s just as bombastic and heart-pounding as the action sequences.
Which of course, brings us to the action. Well, what can I say? Prepare to be wowed once again as the cast and crew have meticulously and boldly crafted another round of electrifying sequences that tantalize every single one of your senses. Slick, pristine, and surprisingly grounded in its absurdity, there’s literally no way you can not enjoy these pieces, especially the ginormous, nerve-racking stunts.
The finished results are insurmountably enthralling and stylistically immaculate. Major kudos to McQuarrie and the stunt coordinators for ensuring that as much as we’re captivated and compelled by these scenes, Tom Cruise and everyone involved makes it home at the end of the shoot. Seriously, this film, amongst many in the franchise as well as those in other franchises (John Wick and Extraction are on the list too), makes another passionately significant case for stunt workers being acknowledged, praised, and rewarded during awards season. As dedicated as Cruise is, he couldn’t have pulled these feats off without a team, and they deserve to be recognized as much as he does.
However, as far as the superstar goes, Cruise further cements his legendary status by obsessively striving to create top-notch entertainment of the highest caliber. Again. He remains his absolute Cruise-iest in a franchise his natural charisma and monstrous devotion put on the map. Not only does he continue to be the driving, unstoppable force of this film, but the true-to-life moniker of a bygone era of movie stars who put their diligent all into their roles. Irrevocably ageless, unmistakably riveting, and downright hungrier than ever, Cruise puts himself in more danger than ever before, captivating everyone the right way, without studio interference mucking up the efforts. (Though there were certainly many complications thanks to Covid, protests, government regulations, and good old-fashioned bad luck. But, to no avail)
If anything, he’s the living embodiment of that classic F. Scott Fitzgerald quote, “action is character,” as he’s made this entire shebang the most complex, well-defined character in cinema. Fitzgerald also said that we have no “second acts” in our lives. We must take action while we can, when it matters. Life is not to be observed. Our true character is revealed by our acts, despite what we may say. Cruise has been at the forefront of ridicule and hatred because of his religious beliefs and odd behavior for some time now, yet what he does for filmmaking as well as those he’s taken with him on his many adventures says far more than anything else on who he is. Which is why, love him or hate him, you got to respect his insatiable willingness to do what he does.
Bottom line, whether this is the beginning of the end of the franchise or a curtain call for Ethan Hunt, Dead Reckoning unsurprisingly scores across the board in every aspect as another implicit winner in a series chalk full of them. And a year that’s been chalk full of exceptionally arranged actioners. It’s another delicious slice of innovation, pushing the substaintial and practical boundaries of inventive moviemaking. Once again, you can’t go wrong accepting this mission. And next year (hopefully), we’ll certainly reach the end of the aforementioned mission. Together. The fuse has definitively been lit, and a reckoning is close at hand….
…..This review will self-destruct in….5….4…..3…..2…..
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Review by Marcus Wilturner
The Super Network 