Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One Is Another Worthy Mission

Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

When a film’s biggest stunt is not even its most exciting, you know you’re in for a good time and that’s exactly what happens with Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One. It’s a film that not only sends the Mission franchise in an exciting new direction, it grounds things with a story that feels timely and important, while also being hugely exciting.

Co-written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is the seventh film in a franchise that, by its nature, always has to outdo itself. And this time, like the previous installments, it does just that. However, the escalation here goes beyond just one big, signature stunt. In Dead Reckoning Part One, the franchise elevates itself with a more complex villain and a potential new member of the team, both of which improve, and complicate the film, in several ways.

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Some issues do arise though. As the film is Part One, complete with the new main characters and a complex, tech-driven villain, Dead Reckoning can get a little convoluted and confusing at times. For example, there’s a nightclub scene featuring almost all the central characters, and as they sit around and talk for 10 minutes you may find yourself looking around as if to wonder, “What the heck are they talking about?” It’s a feeling that peeks its head up a few times throughout, including a subplot featuring a character played by Cary Elwes. However, by the end, the minutia of what’s happening mostly melts away. It all comes down to: get the keys, stop the Entity, save the world.

As always, the Mission: Impossible franchise is also bolstered by its supporting characters. Rebecca Ferguson’s Elsa is back and is as devious, mysterious, and awesome as ever. Henry Czerny returns as Eugene Kittridge, a character not seen since the first film, who has a commanding presence and authority. Pom Klementieff joins the franchise as a vicious assassin who seems to be having more fun than every other single person in the movie. And then there’s Esai Morales as Gabriel, the human face of the Entity, who plays things so cool and calm that you can’t help but be terrified by him.

Pom damn near steals the movie.

Then, of course, there’s the action. More than anything, Mission: Impossible is about giving audiences exciting action set pieces and Dead Reckoning delivers those in spades. In fact, the whole thing almost feels like it’s showing off. Like McQuarrie and Cruise are doing things no one has ever done before just because they can. There’s a charm in that confidence and as each scene gets more exciting and shocking than the last, it’s hard not to just let the whole thing wash over you. By the time the film gets to its highly publicized scene where Ethan drives a motorcycle off a cliff and base jumps in midair, you won’t be surprised to learn that’s just the beginning. What follows, and ends the movie, is arguably the best action scene in the series so far. It leaves you on an incredible high which balances the slight disappointment that, yes, it’s only Part One, and there’s still more of the story to go.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One isn’t the best Mission Impossible movie yet, but it’s one of the better ones. It’s a film that will please fans of the franchise, fans of action movies in general, and will sell even more tickets next year when the final piece comes out. It opens July 12.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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