The seventh film in this Mission Impossible series, “M:I – Dead Reckoning, Part One” made 7 million in previews alone. Tom Cruise is once again saving the Summer Box office. His “Top Gun: Maverick” was the big summer hit last year. He produced this film as well. With his directing partner, Christopher McQuarrie (who also co-wrote the script), he gives the audience what they want. There are incredible stunts–without the reliance on CGI that’s the norm, gorgeous settings, intrigue and remarkable performances.
Clocking in at 163 minutes–yes, that’s almost three hours, “Dead Reckoning” moves almost as quickly as Ethan Hunt runs. And boy, does Cruise have to run in this film. Racing thru the desert, the alleys of Venice, racing along an airport roof, and scrambling atop a train…what’s remarkable are the scenes that are still. What elevates this film is how well it plays beyond the amazing stunts and action set pieces.
The central crew of Hunt’s IMF team have returned, Ving Rhames (Luther), Simon Pegg (Benji) and Rebecca Ferguson (Ilsa). Having established an easy rapport, it ups the stakes for Hunt to put their lives in danger. Benji adds the humor the film needs, and Ilsa is the love interest that slows Hunt down long enough for a quick sunset interlude in Venice. Our villain Gabriel, played with panache by Esai Morales, remarks that all the women serve Hunt’s needs and then met a tragic end.
The Mission Impossible franchise does place the female characters in danger, but it also features dangerous women. These women have backstories and agency, they move the story along without our hero and sometimes in direct opposition to him. Hayley Atwell’s character (Grace) outwits and out-maneuvers Hunt on many occasions. She gives a phenomenal performance and is central to the entire plot of this film.
There are many action scenes that don’t involve Cruise and the women take center stage. Grace may need rescuing in the desert, but she holds her own, battling Gabriel with a sword until the plot insists that she serve as motivation for revenge for Hunt. Atwell’s character is more of an equal to Cruise’s character. She steals the key multiple times, handcuffs him to a car left on the train tracks (what a twist on the damsel in distress trope), and manages to hold her own against formidable villains and unscrupulous agents.
What saves this film from being a series of amazing stunts, and they ARE amazing, is the focus on Hunt’s integrity. He tells Grace that he’ll put her life before his own. She replies, incredulously, “but you don’t know me!” The story establishes that Hunt is incredibly loyal and when he doesn’t kill a henchman, Paris, his moment of grace saves his life and reveals the secret location for the next mission. Pom Klementief, so good as Mantis in the Guardians of the Galaxy series, is excellent as the sadistic Paris. Her nuanced portrayal elevates what could’ve been a bit part into a pivotal role.
The one weak character in the film is played by Cary Elwes. He’s meant to be a pawn in the overall scheme but unlike the committed performances of the other characters in the American military/spy team, he seems to be winking at the camera. It’s a cartoonish performance that could’ve been stronger played straight. It’s the women who rule this film. Cruise may orchestrate these amazing set pieces: in a Fiat, from a motorcycle to a parachute, atop a train, inside a falling train, from a train to a parachute, but the heart of the film is its emotional core supplied by the women characters.
A mega-watt International Movie Star willing to concede the spotlight to his kick-ass female stars, now that’s a movie I’m happy to support. I’ll be going to see “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part One” again and will happily wait for the sequel. Unlike the animated “Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse”, this film doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, though there’s definitely a train hanging off a cliff. The title sets up the expectation of a second film and the film is a complete experience on its own. Bravo for that.
Drinks with Films rating: 4 shots of Red Bull for all that running (out of 5)
Drinks with films 