Tom Cruise proves that the ‘Mission Impossible’ franchise still has a lot of fight left and that it’s not going down without one! I don’t think that I’ve ever heard an audience gasp in unison and a theater grow so quiet, you can hear a pin drop, as we all watched in awe and held our breath to find out if Ethan Hunt would make that impossible jump!
Wasn’t a fan of the exposition and info dump and sometimes the writing felt a bit on the nose and obvious, honestly I’m just being nitpicky here, since those things are easily forgivable but aside from that I loved everything else about the film. I loved that there were many beautiful, strong female characters, some were antagonists, some protagonists but they were all so cool to watch on-screen.
I love the addition of Hayley Atwell, I appreciated that her character started out as a thief who only looks after herself, she changes throughout the movie and I love seeing that growth in her character. I always thought that she was alright in the Marvel movies, but I really enjoyed her portrayal in this film. I also enjoyed Pom Klementeiff’s unhinged henchwoman, she was just so cool, from her outfits to her crazed fighter, out to kick some ass.
The film hadn’t hit its first hour yet but my stress level was already at 11/10! If you think our airports are stressful, You will be extra stressed in the film’s early airport scene. Actually there were a lot of stressful, edge-of-your-seat, can’t-take-your-eyes-away from the screen scenes. Whenever I watch horror films I would scream and cover my eyes. In ‘Dead Reckoning’ I would scream but my eyes would be wide open and glued to the screen-because I want to find out what happens!
Unlike a certain franchise film that also had a release this year (that’s also in two-parts) that also shot a scene in the Spanish steps in Rome (ahem…ahem..Fast X) the execution of the stunts in MI is just done better. There is that tension and that quick doubt if Ethan Hunt will make it. And that is what makes Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunt sequences so effective, plus the fact that he himself does them just adds to its authenticity.
Speaking of the Spanish steps in Rome, I did not expect a hilarious bit in the car chase scene, and the comedy was so natural, it did not feel forced or planned at all. It was the hilarity of the situation which made its appeal so effective.
I know that two-part blockbusters have been the trend of late but I think Mission Impossible is the one whose resolution I want to know the most. Also, isn’t it creepy how a lot of the film’s story and plot reflects current events? The rise of A.I., a lost submarine…it’s too close for comfort but hey, that just makes the movie even more fun to discuss and I’m always here for that.
Before seeing Dead Reckoning I was actually thinking about how I was around nine years old when the first Mission Impossible film came out in 1996 and here we are all these years later, and the succeeding films since the first have just become better and better.
If there’s one reason for you to catch a movie in the cinema, it’s Tom Cruise and his affair with high-octane action, you’re in for an intense ride for sure.