Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One 2023

It was not bad, but somehow i expected more. Something that i always notice in this trend of splitting the "last" movie in two parts, is that the first part usually feels weaker, a bit more boring and, of course, incomplete. Maybe i will appreciate it more when Part 2 comes out, but at the moment and as a standalone movie, i felt it a bit weak in comparisson to previous installments. There were some nice easters to the first one, the action and fight scenes felt fine. The Big Bad is good enough (and current, tbh). The acting is great as always. I found too many comedy bits for a MI movie (i know that they always had one or two, but in this one there were more than in any other, and maybe more noticeable than in any other, where they usually are too fast or "under the door" so to speak). The length of the movie felt tooooo long for me (at least for the story being told) and some parts felt too dragged. I like Hayley Atwell but tbh i didn't quite like her character. For now i will give it a 6.5 over 10; maybe it will go up once the story is complete.

This installment fell short for me, and I didn't particularly enjoy Fallout either, so it's not a matter of comparing campy action movies from the 1990s vs the stylish Nolan-esque action in the 2010s, as Jordy mentioned in another comment.

My biggest issue lies in the film feeling like a setup for Cruise's Ethan Hunt's sendoff in Part 2 and the rebuilding of the IMF team for future films. As a sendoff preparation, it tries hard to tie back to the first MIssion Impossible, bringing back Kittridge and connecting the main antagonist, Gabriel, and the righteous agent, Briggs, to Ethan's past. As a setup for sequels, it incorporates all the MCU-esque sequel-building elements: character pep talks, recruiting new team members, bonding moments, and hints of seemingly dead characters but not-that-dead. It only lacks the typical post-credits scene.

The film, unfortunately, tends to drag in certain sequences to accomplish these two points. Scenes with Luther and Benji at the airport, proclaiming their friendship and teamwork, or the aftermath scene with Ilsa as Grace is about to join the team, feel overly explicit in driving home the theme of being alone vs being with friends. The dialogues come across as unnaturally flowing, as if the characters were reciting lines to evoke emotions, humor, or impact. Dialogue, indeed, is not the film's strongest suit, especially when compared to Ghost Protocol.

The convoluted AI plot is another drawback. While I don't mind a yet-another-Skynet storyline or campy 90s action, the long musings on AI's world domination during the party scene with Vanessa Kirby's White Widow/Alana are cringe-worthy. The stakes seem unclear, and the repeated lines about fates being written and rewritten become tiresome, especially given the dialogue-heavy sequences. There are too many expositions on how the AI is threatening yet we barely see it does anything except that one sequence where it pretends to be Benji. The film's dialogue, once again, hinders the enjoyment of these scenes.

To its credit, Dead Reckoning Part 1 does have impressive stunts (Cruise's mountain jump and train sequences need not another applause) and enjoyable choreography. When the action delivers, it truly shines. The film also starts on a strong note, with the submarine opening instilling a sense of lurking danger of a potential mysterious enemy despite ended up falling into typical Skynet tropes. The portrayal of Gabriel almost reminds me of Chigurh from No Country for Old Men, if Gabriel was given better writing. Still, the action suffers from tonally inconsistent pacing and certain action sequences that drag, such as the car chase in Italy or the awkward fight with the charming la femme Pom Klementieff's Paris in the alleyway.

To conclude, if you have ample spare time, perhaps it's still worth giving the movie a shot. Although not the best MIssion Impossible in the recent years, the setups presented in the film leave me hopeful for a promising payoff in Part 2.

"A nuclear bomb is something you bother me with."

Dead Reckoning Part One feels like M:I I & M:I II (overly dramatic character interactions, cringe dialogue, silly one-liners, simplistic story) and Fallout (impressive set pieces and jaw-dropping edge-of-your-seat action sequences)—a mix that feels fresh while remaining true to what the franchise is. It also has the mood of a Fast & Furious movie at times.

The villain A.I. couldn't be more relevant for the times and it does up the stakes to a whole other level this time around. It feels absolutely ridiculous at times though and I was sick of that damn key by the end but it also fits so well with the silly tone and the over-exaggeration of everything.

My only criticisms are the runtime and the story going in circles and those two are terrible together, it's an endless cat and mouse chase after the same damn key the whole movie.

Grace (Hayley Atwell) is a flawless addition and once again the MVPs are Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames this franchise wouldn't be the same without them. Some excellent comedy that caught me off guard a few times, the whole theater was laughing hard (yellow car scene). The train was a 10/10, one of the best action sequence i've seen in a while.

Overall, Dead Reckoning Part One isn't the best in the franchise but it's still a solid entry. A tighter runtime and less key-chasing fooling around would have brought it to a whole other level.

"Mission Impossible" is pretty much my favorite action series, and I'm happy to report that the seventh installment is once again of exceptional quality. And I can reassure those who are concerned that the "Part One" in the title means you'll only get half a movie with no ending—there is a well-rounded narrative, which, of course, leaves many points unresolved but nevertheless comes to a satisfying conclusion.

However, not everything works in "Dead Reckoning Part One", especially the story, which is a bit dumber than in the predecessors. Of course, you don't watch these movies for the plot, but especially in the middle, there's a scene where it feels like every second word is "The Entity", and that's pretty ridiculous. I was also bummed that my favorite character of the entire series, Ilsa Faust, played by the wonderful Rebecca Ferguson, gets far too little screen time.

But that's it with the negative points; otherwise, I really can't complain. The film's structure, for example, is once again excellent. It starts with an effective cold open, then moves on to several varied, entertaining sequences before concluding with an expectedly spectacular finale. This is blockbuster cinema at its best; it's impossible to get bored. And while I'm not satisfied with the story itself, at least the characters are well written. What's also surprising is how well the humor works. I was laughing several times, especially during the probably funniest car chase in a long time.

The film's main attraction is once again Tom Cruise, who once again risks his life for the entertainment of all of us. Cruise has found his perfect filmmaking partner in director Christopher McQuarrie. Both are obviously still hungry for new ideas. Not only are new, innovative stunts constantly being performed, but McQuarrie also manages to come up with even more creative ways to actually film them every time. I'd be curious to know how many cameras were mounted on moving objects for this film.

In addition to Cruise, many other actors are also convincing; we have long moved away from the one-man show of earlier films. That returnees Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames work in their roles should surprise no one. Joining them with a real strong performance is Hayley Atwell, who plays the female lead this time around and had me hooked right from her first scene. Meanwhile, Pom Klementieff as hitwoman Paris and Shea Whigham as a grumpy agent stand out in supporting roles. Whigham, in particular, delivers laughs in every scene in which he appears. Fans of the first part will also be pleased to see Henry Czerny return for the first time as IMF Director Kittridge.

So what's my verdict? It shouldn't surprise anyone that it is very positive. Even though I liked the last three films in the series a bit better, this is nit-picking at a high level. "Dead Reckoning Part One" is must-see cinema. I will definitely watch the film at least twice on the big screen. The next, and possibly final, "Mission Impossible" film cannot arrive soon enough.

I was a bit wary during the opening sequences of this film. First, the submarine sequence, which was difficult to appreciate given the audience's lack of context as to its importance. However, the inherent tension was ultimately enough to sell it and the idea of a mcguffin being intentionally buried at sea in a ghost submarine is compelling. However, then we come to Tom Cruise’s first action scene: the horse/dessert sequence. I was not a fan. Other than the dust storm, there wasn’t much to set this apart from gun fights in a million other movies, and even the dust storm felt uninspired given that we had a great dust storm sequence in Ghost Protocol. All in all, not the best first impression.

However, the movie turns it around once we learn of the central conflict/antagonist, which feels like a new step for Mission Impossible, veering almost into science fiction. It allows for some fun twists and turns and puts our heroes on the back foot in some creative ways throughout the film. It helps that Gabriel gives a viscerally sinister performance to back up the more ethereal threat of the rogue AI. Hayley Atwell’s character also made a nice addition to the team and I was impressed with how quickly they established her character. I think it’s largely due to some strong dialogue and Cruise’s natural chemistry with pretty much everyone.

Of course, for Mission Impossible, story and conflict is somewhat secondary. The real draw here is the action/stunts. In that respect, other than the aforementioned opening, the rest of the movie’s action did not disappoint. We get a well balanced buffet of driving, jumping, running, falling, and fighting, with plenty of memorable/creative moments and some solid humor interspersed throughout.

As an aside, I did find it interesting how much the promotion of this movie pushed the motorcycle BASE jump. Maybe I’ve just been desensitized and or am struggling to appreciate the practical element, but on the screen it didn’t exactly blow me away (I felt similar to the side of the plane stunt in Rogue Nation). Alas, I don’t want to discourage Tom Cruise from continuing his grand spectacle practical stunts, so it still gets two thumbs up from me.

EDIT: After seeing this for a second time, I have to acknowledge some shortcomings that I overlooked initially. The exposition dumps are hard to ignore and the dialogue in general was stuffed with cheesy on the nose exchanges. While I still appreciate the high-level premise, the actually plotting is quite thin. Yes, the action is fun and saves things for the most part, but I still have to pull back my initial 8/10, because the rest of it isn't there.

This has, honest to God, two of the best action sequences I've ever seen put to film (car chase + bridge scene) but the lows throughout are simply too low to be excused - up and down, which is especially unrewarding for a film of this length - with a sleepy middle portion that, with exception to the second movie from John Woo, might be the least exciting stuff of the entire franchise. Super tiresome.

It's surprising that this story was the one chosen for a presumably 5hr+ two-parter since this plot is really not that good in all honesty. The whole 'key' thing felt like I was watching Lord of the Rings and the AI/digital angle, while understandable, feels forced to me.
Still, I'm looking forward to see how it concludes next year on the big screen.

The reason we watch, though, is because of Tom fucking Cruise. A man who refuses to be labelled a mere mortal and will probably end up dying on set just to be forever known as a martyr for American action movies. And speaking of, the Mission Impossible movies are really the only blockbusters left that keep the traditional values of all the American classics - fully embracing both a masculine nature ("cold, logical and unemotional") and the white hero archetype which other newer sequels/reboots have sadly given up either through making them old, wrinkly and tired or having other characters start saving them - and I reckon this is Tom Cruise's doing - "Produced by Tom Cruise" might mean more than we think; he's either in the writing room too or changing the script on set. After all, who would argue with him, he's a proven king of this shit...and this is his franchise.

For a second summer in a row, the only essential action blockbuster of the summer is brought to us by Tom Cruise. Right from the opening scenes, this movie announces itself as another reinvention of the MI franchise. Dutch angles, cheesy & overdramatic dialogue, funny Russian accents, a ridiculous threat that feels like an exaggeration of our biggest contemporary fear; wait a minute, this is a 90s action movie! Yes, in many ways this film is approached in the exact opposite way as Fallout. It doesn’t have those same smart, intricate, Christopher Nolan-esque sensibilities, instead this movie fully embraces and emphasizes the silly, ridiculous nature of the franchise. If MI 2 operates at the same level of cheese as the most recent Fast and Furious films, this is more in line with something like Fast Five. I think some audiences will have a preference for the sensibilities of Fallout, but to me both approaches are equally as valid when done right, which it is here. The set pieces are once again outstanding (the train and Rome chase are instantly memorable), Hayley Atwell is a fantastic, charismatic addition to the franchise (MI’s gotten really good with female characters), it’s funny and there’s genuine emotional heft. It makes a bold decision in regard to one of its characters that I wouldn’t have made as a writer, but let’s see where the story takes us. I’m not entirely in love with the cinematography, because the lighting and framing don’t have as much style as the previous 3 installments, and I think the excessive Dutch angles are a bit hokey in 2023. It’s also not the best MI script by any means. Sometimes it asks for too much leeway (Shea Whigham conveniently shows up in all the right places; Rebecca Ferguson randomly shows up during the Rome sequence; Zola has never noticed Vanessa Kirby’s very striking eye colour?) and Esai Morales’ character feels underwritten. Overall, I wouldn’t rank this as one of the best missions, but given the fact that this franchise currently finds itself in the conversation of best franchises of all time, that’s not an insult whatsoever.

7.5/10

Overall this is a fairly entertaining movie. It has a reasonably cool, totally unrealistic of course, but cool story. It has plenty of special effects, lots of action, some mild suspense and a bit, sometimes too much, humor.

Overall it is in the same style as the previous movies and that brings me to the gripe I have had with these movies since the movie part of the franchise started. This is yet another movie where Ethan is betrayed and goes off doing his own thing. Seriously? The original Mission Impossible was agents doing cool stuff with the full backing of their organisation. Not this bloody Hollywood secret agent soap opera crap.

Another issue I have is that, as usual when Hollywood tries to wander into areas of technology, the basic premise of the movie is just totally unrealistic. There’s no way the computing power available on a submarine would be sufficient to house an actual Artificial Intelligence. Also, at the bottom of the sea there’s no bloody connection to be used for taking over the world unless you count low frequency submarine communication which would make an old 300 baud telephone modem look lightning fast.

Yes I ment baud, not bps, in that last sentence by the way.

Apart from those really annoying faults the movie was, as I wrote pretty good. The special effects were over the top of course but not so totally over the top as in some movies. Sometimes they were really dragged out until they became too much though. Like the obligatory car chase or the forever falling of a cliff train.

I also have to say that Nathan being screwed over, over and over again by that bitch became tiresome rather quickly. So did Benji’s often ridiculous behavior.

So 3 1/2 out of 5 stars it is. Could have been better but could also have been a lot worse.

A Cruise-ing Triumph with Wheels

Tom Cruise returns as the ever-defiant Ethan Hunt in the seventh installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Dead Reckoning Part One. Buckle up, because this film is a high-octane thrill ride that will have you on the edge of your seat.

From the opening moments, Dead Reckoning throws you into the action with a breathtaking motorcycle stunt that sets the tone for the rest of the film. Cruise, as always, commits fully to every death-defying feat, and the film's stunt team deserves a standing ovation for crafting some of the most pulse-pounding sequences in recent memory.

The Grand Prix of Car Chases

But the crown jewel of the action is undoubtedly the car chase sequence that takes place through the winding streets of Rome. This masterfully choreographed ballet of screeching tires, near misses, and hilarious one-liners is both exhilarating and laugh-out-loud funny. It's a sequence that could be ripped straight from the pages of a James Bond novel, and it's sure to be talked about for years to come.

A Familiar, Yet Timely Story

While the core plot of Dead Reckoning might not be the most groundbreaking, the film cleverly spins a familiar yarn into something that feels refreshingly relevant. The themes of global threats, technological warfare, and the price of loyalty resonate in our current climate, adding a layer of depth to the adrenaline-fueled action.

Cruise Controls the Show

Tom Cruise is, as always, the anchor of the film. His Ethan Hunt is a charismatic blend of action hero and vulnerable soul, and Cruise delivers a performance that's both thrilling and emotionally resonant. The supporting cast, including the always-excellent Rebecca Ferguson and the delightful newcomer Hayley Atwell, provide able backup, but it's Cruise who truly owns the screen.

Verdict: A Must-See for Action Fans

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is a non-stop thrill ride that delivers on all fronts. The action is jaw-dropping, the humor is spot-on, and the story, while familiar, is well-told and timely. If you're looking for a film that will keep you entertained from start to finish, then this is the mission for you. Just remember to hold onto your popcorn, because things are about to get bumpy.

Rating: 8/10

"We live and die in the shadows, for those we hold close, and for those we never meet."

If you were following the production of Dead Reckoning, then you know the mission to finish the film was beyond hellish. The entire filming was struck with bad luck. If not, don’t worry - I will fill you in. If you already know or don’t care - skip the next paragraph.

So, this movie and The Batman were hit the hardest during filming due to the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. The original plan was to shoot Parts 1 & 2 back to back, but with delays messing up the filming schedule and the budget ballooning to $291 million, making it the most expensive MI film to date. Nicholas Hoult was initially cast as the villain but had to drop out due to his commitments with the TV show The Great. So many crew members contracted COVID-19 that production had to stop for weeks until it eventually started again. Of course, this led to the famous audio rant from Mr. Cruise himself, who yelled at two crew members for not following the rules. Whether you think he was in the right or wrong, it does, however, give us an idea of how stressful it was trying to make a blockbuster during a global pandemic. With the film set in different locations worldwide and the long filming hours, self-isolating during those long months must have been extra tiring.

But in the end, it was all worth it.

It's 2 hours and 43 minutes long, yet you never feel it. It's got solid pacing - the mark of a good movie. It follows the same formula as the previous films, where a mission goes wrong, and our MI crew must fight all odds to stop a world-ending event, where some people still don't trust Ethan Hunt for whatever reason, despite being right every single time in the past. And yet, it's so entertaining to watch.

Director Christopher McQuarrie is the saviour of this franchise, as every entry feels fresh, exciting, and cinematic. McQuarrie understands cinema, the visual language, and the slick rhythm of pace and flow.

While the action did not blow me away like Fallout, it's still fantastic. The last action scene involves train carriages one by one falling off a destroyed bridge. It was the most thrilling thing I have seen. The Rome Chase scene had plenty of thrills and comedy to go around. Funny enough, Fast X filmed a chase scene in the same area in Rome, but the comparison between the two movies is night and day. Fast X looked phony with the overuse of CGI, and it was not thrilling enough. Dead Reckoning, on the other hand, was done more practically and looked so much better. It made better use of the area for the action set pieces. Another comparison is that these two action franchises have been going on for a while now, but one is getting better with each installment while the other is getting dumber.

How about the stunt of Cruise throwing himself and his motorbike off a cliff, which the trailers showed to death in the marketing, and it still managed to take my breath away when I saw it in IMAX; not many modern movies do that. Movies like this remind us why we go to the cinema. For the thrill, for the experience.

I cared about the MI crew. In Dead Reckoning - there is room for emotional depth and always an enjoyable collaboration.

A newcomer to the series, Hayley Atwell, is a standout and gave an excellent performance. The funny thing is, she isn't a 20-something newcomer to the film scene or anything like that, as she has already starred in big movies before this, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And yet, this feels like a breakout role. Those movies did her dirty.
Pom Klementieff is another newcomer to the series, as the silent but deadly henchman. Most of her character is a mystery but intriguing screen presence.

With the main threat being AI, it never felt timelier than ever, even though the script was finished before all the AI mess started to take effect. What is even more perfect for the film's message is that this came out around the Writers and Actors strike, with one of the reasons the strike happened was that movie studios are pushing AI to take over people's jobs. This movie feels like a big middle finger to AI and higher-ups using it.

Director Christopher McQuarrie's love for cinema, style, mixture of genres, stunt work, language, and flow with pacing has benefited this series ever since he took over this franchise. The action was exciting, and the score was fantastic. It has been nearly 30 years since this franchise started, and it keeps improving.

I do have issues with the film. I admire the real stunt work from behind the scenes, but the use of CGI overshadows the realness of the stunt work, and it’s easy to think most of it was on a computer. As I said earlier, it’s nowhere near as great as Fallout, as I thought the action scenes and pacing to be better.

Other than that, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is a solid entry in one of the best action franchises.

Mission Impossible has been out-Bonding James Bond for years now. Tom Cruise continues to churn out movies that bring more fun and escapism than anyone else. He's a strange guy but his run of super-entertaining films over the last couple of decades has been amazing. This time, his character Ethan Hunt battles an all-knowing AI called "The Entity" and frankly, it's kind of a lame villain. The embodiment (sort of) of The Entity is Gabriel, who gives Ethan a baddie that he can punch. It's all rather confusing and convoluted, but the cast of characters and the action sequences are really what makes this latest MI movie a blast. Again.

I was actually looking most forward to seeing Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa. Her character has always brought so much acrobatic grace and fridged detachment to her fighting in scraps with the bad guys. She isn't in this installment much, but when she is, it's impossible to look away. In fact, the ladies of MI:7 are the best thing about it. Grace (Hayley Atwell) is magnetic and provides some real chemistry with Ethan. She was the person to care about the most. She was tough but also just naive enough to want to invest in emotionally. Her final "deal" with Kittridge makes me wonder if they are setting her up as the main character once Cruise leaves the franchise. The characters of Paris and The White Widow owned their screen time, as well. And of course, Luther and Benji are a solid pair, dropping in and out of the movie as needed.

Thinking back on the action, there were so many great sequences. The runaway train was great but the car chase in Rome was one of the best that I can remember seeing in any movie.

As has been stated often by others, this movie is a little long and the fact that it's a "Part One" doesn't help it at all, but the strong cast and balls-to-the-wall action make this another very good entry in the Mission Impossible series.