Back in 2018, actor Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie put together one of the most entertaining action movies I've ever seen. "Mission: Impossible - Fallout" not only tied up various storylines from previous films in the series but also featured absolutely jaw-dropping action (The mountain-hugging helicopter chase scene was just wild). Topping that film would be a challenge but one that Cruise and McQuarrie set out to accomplish with the seventh installment in the series: "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One," which is now in theaters.
The story (written by McQuarrie, along with Erik Jendersen, whose credits include "Band of Brothers") begins with an incident involving a Russian submarine and a dangerous new artificial intelligence system called "The Entity." The key to the system is literally that — a high-tech, two-part, interlocking gold key that every intelligence service on earth wants to find.
Returning characters involved in that search include Benji and Luther (Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames), as well as former British agent Ilsa Faust, played by Rebecca Ferguson, and black market arms dealer Alanna, portrayed by Vanessa Kirby from "The Crown."
There's a variety of featured new characters that include a beautiful professional thief played by Haley Atwell (whom you may remember as Captain America's true love in the Marvel Cinematic Universe). She and Cruise have wonderful chemistry together and she meshes well with the established characters. The No. 1 villain in the story is Gabriel, played by Esai Morales (Ritchie Valen's brother in "La Bamba") as a former colleague of Ethan Hunt who is not only ruthless but would easily top the list of best-dressed international terrorists. I'll give a special shout-out to Gabriel's chief assassin, French actress Pom Klementieff. She is best known for playing the somewhat-innocent Mantis in the "Guardian of the Galaxy" films, but here she steals her scenes as a relentless and very enthusiastic killer who seems to really love her job.
The budget of "Dead Reckoning Part One" is rumored to have been about $290 million, and that money really is up on the screen. There are exotic locations like Abu Dhabi and major Italian cities. There's a wild car chase through Rome involving a tiny, vintage Fiat being pursued by a giant vehicle that impressively mows down a large number of parked Vespas. There's a gala ball in Venice, lots of shots of Tom Cruise running very fast through various streets, an extended sequence on board the Orient Express train, and, of course, there's the well-publicized shot of Cruise driving a motorcycle off the side of a mountain. After so many previews regarding that stunt, I thought it would be anti-climactic, but the build-up to it is excellently staged by McQuarrie, and the tail part of the sequence has Cruise impressively saying lines while flying through the air. Hats off to all involved.
But probably the scenes with the biggest "wow" factor involve Cruise and Atwell on board the train, trying to escape as the cars slowly slide off of a destroyed railway bridge. It's thrilling action that has them running, leaping and hanging on as the train cars are tossed about like toys, debris flying everywhere.
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"Dead Reckoning Part One" is, of course, a two-part film.
As the ending here doesn't wrap up the story, it doesn't deliver quite as satisfying a conclusion as "Fallout" did. But Cruise and team have succeeded in delivering another wild experience that makes the 2-hour-and-48-minute movie fly by. It definitely leaves the audience wanting more. We'll just have to wait until June 2024 for part two.
Rated PG-13
4 ½ stars out of 5
Now in theaters