Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part 1 Review: Tom Cruise ups the ante yet again

The Mission: Impossible series has been around for almost three decades. We've seen Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) embark on seemingly impossible missions set against the backdrop of life-altering obstacles. Be it a syndicate looking to topple governments, nuclear threats, or a possible spread of a virus, Hunt and IMF (Impossible Mission Force) unit have managed to come out on top. 

In Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, we see an ageing Hunt face off against not a human threat, but artificial intelligence. All the elements from the previous Mission: Impossible films are well intact. What's new is that Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie rev up the action quotient. Plus, there’s plenty of deceit, plot twists and situational comedy to keep the viewers engaged. With this outing, the MI franchise redefines itself by showing a blatantly emotional side of Hunt. 

3 things you need to know: 

• Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 is the 7th film in the action franchise. 
• Christopher McQuarrie returned for the third time to direct the film. 
• Mission: Impossible 7 tries to ground the franchise by showing the emotional side of Ethan Hunt. 

(Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie on the set of Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 | Image: MissionFilm/Twitter)

Hot Take

Dead Reckoning - Part 1 does much of the same. It has high-speed car chases and high-stake situations we’ve seen before. However, it leans heavily onto an emotional Ethan Hunt. Elsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) and Hunt were shown in previous films to be getting closer. However, with the inclusion of Grace (Hayley Atwell), the situation has become complicated. Hunt cares a bit too much about her, almost hinting at a possible romance. This is a problematic angle, but not necessarily alien to the franchise. Dead Reckoning is just embracing it. Earlier, Mission: Impossible III (2006) had Hunt caught up between his duty and his heart. The suppressed feelings of love and care make a comeback.

Is Mission: Impossible 7 worth the hype? 

Entity: An unpredictable enemy 

The new MI film introduces an enemy called the Entity, which is manipulating technology for its personal agenda. Much of the film is about obtaining the failsafe against it. Throughout this journey, Entity is shown to possess capabilities that extend far beyond any prior enemies Hunt and IMF have faced. Hunt is fighting against a threat that is very modern and relevant. 

(Ethan Hunt holding onto a key in Mission: Impossible 7 | Image: MissionFilm/Twitter)

This pivot towards an alien enemy is a new and exciting element of the franchise. Moreover, Dead Reckoning - Part 1 does not give away the entire story, which just makes the anticipation for the final confrontation much more effective. 

An attempt at realism

Mission: Impossible films rely on suspension of disbelief. While the universe may seem similar to our own, the technological advancements that are casually thrown around always take away from the film’s realistic appeal. This problem was there in MI: Fallout, where the abandonment of the laws of physics helped in pushing the plot ahead. 

(Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust in Mission: Impossible 7 | Image: MissionFilm/Twitter)

Dead Reckoning Part 1 tries to rectify this mistake. While there are fewer gadgets to play around with, the characters interact in a much more realistic environment. When the US Director of National Security comes to know about the Entity, the idea he presents is to control, not destroy the Entity. A similar response is implied to be coming in from other government representatives. It’s still very much a work in progress, as it is mentioned at one point that the Entity “fears” Ethan Hunt. It’s an irrational but powerful dialogue.

Situational comedy at its finest 

The most dire of situations present the best opportunities for situational comedy. In Dead Reckoning, this is the case and the director has made the most of the opportunity. In Ghost Protocol (2011), we saw hilarious moments amid all the action. This broke the tension that the plot had to offer. This film also does it in the same way and even uses it to regulate how seriously the audience is able to take the situation. 

Tom Cruise: A daredevil at 61 

A large part of the Mission: Impossible films has been about the stunts. Cruise is known to perform most of them himself. Each franchise has featured better action sequences than the previous ones, both in terms of scale and treatment. If Hunt climbing free solo, suspending himself from Burj Khalifa and hanging on the side of a flying plane was not enough, MI 7 features some heart-pounding action sequences that are thrilling and edge-of-the-seat.

Dead Reckoning - Part 1 cranks the voltage on the stunts. Christopher McQuarrie takes his time to build the storyline before giving a taste of the action. About 40 minutes into the film, Hunt rides the motorcycle at high speeds. Then ensues a highly engaging car chase in the narrow and crowded bylanes of Venice.

(Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 7 | Image: MissionFilm/Twitter)

The best is reserved for the climax, which shows Hunt riding a motorcycle off a cliff. The BTS clips have already shown Tom Cruise doing it all by himself before its release. All the stunts in the film look authentic, and it is evident that Cruise is clearly the one performing them. If you are looking to see some high-octane action MI style, you will not be disappointed.

Watch it or skip it?

For both long-time fans and newcomers, Dead Reckoning Part 1 will prove to be an enjoyable watch. While the fact that it’s a Tom Cruise film would make most viewers go for it without a thought, its storyline grounded in reality also makes a case for it. 

(Tom Cruise performing a stunt for Mission: Impossible | Image: MissionFilm/Twitter)

The Bottomline 

Dead Reckoning Part 1 is a feather in the cap of the Mission: Impossible franchise. While there are some caveats to it, the film proves that the 61-year-old actor is not going to stop any time soon. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 2 releases on June 28, 2024.

Rating: 3.5/5

(This review has been co-authored by Mugdha Kapoor)