The Mosley Review: Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
In the right hands, a franchise can go on forever. In the right hands, a franchise can grow to be more and more inventive and thrilling with each new story. This franchise has only had one misstep in its 27 year life span on the big screen and it has continued to impress me ever since. Not many can stay as consistently exciting, refreshing and somewhat terrifying as these films have consistently become. To think its been 5 years since M:I Fallout and I thought it couldn't get any better than that. These films have covered many standard tropes of betrayal, moles in the agency, a biological weapon, a mysteriously dangerous item, nuclear bombs and even the ever present Syndicate. They've all been handled in a fun and exciting way and this films handles something that is topical and so recent, that even though it may be fantastical at times, it still was terrifying. The break neck speed the film moves at was fun and I loved the visual call backs to the old school use of the Dutch tilt angle. There were one or two moments of cheese, but it is short lived. This film felt more unpredictable than the rest and way more personal as each character that has been with the series so far is in some form of danger.
Tom Cruise is still one of best actors and action stars alive today. He truly is the blueprint of how to sell ever hit, crash and emotional beat. As Ethan Hunt this time around, he continues to give the character such depth and strength. I loved that we finally get a glimpse into his past and a look into how and why he joined the IMF. The amount of pressure and love he carries for his team is on full display in a way I haven't seen since the third film. Ving Rhames returns as the one and only Luther Stickell and I loved seeing him back at the keyboard. The chemistry between him and Ethan has never stopped being a staple of the franchise and it continues here as he gives him words of wisdom and warning. Simon Pegg was fantastic and loveable again as Benji Dunn and his constant worry is always fun as he gets more into the action this time. Seeing Luther and Benji team up was a dream come true and I loved the back and forth between them on who's the better hacker. . Rebecca Ferguson returns as Ilsa Faust and she is deadlier than ever before. I almost was frustrated with her character because of her constantly finding herself mixed up in some form of international danger. She wasn't a damsel at all, but at some point I would've hoped she found a new quieter line of work. Hayley Atwell was a fun and quirky addition to the franchise as Grace. She has that wicked sense of charm and cunning as she ends up being one of the most slippery characters that you love to watch. The cat and mouse game between her and Ethan was really fun. She quickly realizes how far she is in over her head and the constant state of panic she is in for the majority of the film was hilarious at times. Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis were fun as the task force partners, Jasper Briggs and Degas, that vigorously hunt Ethan throughout the film. Cary Elwes was fun and a bit slimy as the Director of National Intelligence Denlinger. It was wonderful to see Henry Czerny return as Eugene Kittridge from the first film. I always enjoyed the tension between him and Ethan and in this film you get to the route of it.
The villains have always been a staple of the franchise and they continue to be interesting. Vanessa Kirby and Frederick Schmidt return as Alanna and Zola Mitsopolis. Vanessa delivers yet again that perfect balance of beauty, sinister brilliance and strength. I liked that Alanna felt like she entered a deal that posed a major threat. Zola was more fun this time around as he got to be apart of the business deals instead of just muscle. Pom Klementieff was terrifying and relentless as the French assassin Paris. Her viscous physicality was impressive and awesome to witness. I want to see more of her in the future. Esai Morales was awesome as the main antagonist Gabriel. He had a sort of religious zealotry to his motivation in the film. I loved that he was the direct link to Ethan and their rivalry runs deep. His calm demeanor was creepy and intense with every smirk. He might shape up to be one of the greatest villains this series has ever seen.
Composer Lorne Balfe returns and brings back some familiar themes established in M:I Fallout. This time around it is more thunderous and yet emotionally driven. From the beginning to the end the score gets your blood pumping as it becomes part of the driving force of each action scene. The Mission theme kicks in at the most epic and fun moments. The action has always delivered in this franchise and it has gone to a new level of thrilling. I've always appreciated the use of practical action set pieces and this film continues to ramp up the inventive and death defying nature of the stunts. Of course the mountain ridge jump is the stand out of the film, but my favorite was the train sequence. The use of minimal CGI is always appreciated and it was used perfectly to supplement the action. My expectations when it comes to the Mission: Impossible films is always high because of how consistently well crafted they have been. Director Christopher McQuarrie has directed yet another amazing entry in the series and I truly can't wait to see Dead Reckoning Part Two. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
