Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 clocks in at a fast 2 hours and 43 minutes, the seventh film in the Mission Impossible franchise might just be the smartest film of the series, and it gets four very important things right.

The Impossible Missions Force (IMF) is chasing a world-changing secret weapon, and they are up against a bunch of people who are all angling to find the keys to controlling it, including one very special enemy who knows their every move before they make it. You learn quickly that you can’t trust anything you see and that you have to think outside of the box. It’s a shell game played by experts. The one thing you can trust is that this weapon is a big deal. It simply has to be found, and the stakes have never been higher. So, the team decides to get to it first and to eliminate it from the equation for everyone.

The written review is below (originally published on Medium) or you are welcome to watch the video review for Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 on YouTube:

So, what does the film gets right?

First, Ethan Hunt and the IMF are joined by Grace, a talented thief played by Hayley Atwell, who adds an unexpected spark to the film. The dynamic between Grace and Ethan is terrific. Adding a new player to an existing team is a bold choice, but this is Mission Impossible, and they know how to pull off bold choices. The addition of Hayley Atwell to the cast was a smart move since she adds a natural lightness to her scenes that allow for these small moments of effortless humor that really work and she adds a refreshing energy to the film. The fact that she can’t drive well created some hilarious moments, and the shorthand-body language between Hayley and Tom was so easy to pick up. You didn’t need dialog to understand what they were thinking and feeling.

The second thing the film gets right is the technology. Not all of the tech is real or even possible at this point, but it feels believable in the way that it’s portrayed within the story. It’s clear that the director, Christopher McQuarrie, and the writers did their homework on how augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and machine learning work. However, they do bend reality just a bit with this technology, but they do it in a way that is plausible and ordinary feeling. They tap into the social zeitgeist when it comes to this technology, and they make it look like it works in the way the people imagine that it works. This is why it feels real.

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 Movie Poster

Third, the layered storytelling is smartly done. Yes, the jaw dropping action, the amazing settings and locations, and the cast are all great, but without a good story it would fall flat. Again, none of these things would matter without good storytelling and Dead Reckoning has multiple, interconnected story lines that play simultaneously. From the first scene to the last there are clues and plot points sprinkled throughout the film, many of which pay off at different points in the movie and many of which seem to be held in reserve for Dead Reckoning Part 2. This is where the richness of the story lives because you simply can’t stop yourself from trying to puzzle out the story and what is going to happen next. I think we are going to see a lot of predictions for Part 2, and I honestly cannot think of a better way to build buzz for the sequel, which is due out in June 2024.

And, the fourth thing that they get right? The well-timed surprises, most of which make sense within the story world of Mission Impossible where the idea of what is actually possible is a little more subjective than in the real world. Even if you’re thinking “something must happen” and then it does, these surprising slight-of-hand moments and well-timed entries or exits all make sense within the scope of the story. They never quite fall back on deus ex machina to resolve an otherwise unresolvable issue, and sometimes the story plays out differently than you might expect but it still makes. The stakes are so high that everyone has to think differently, and so the film defies expectations but in completely logical and natural ways for these characters.

One thing I want to make sure to mention is the use of music and sound that add to the heart pounding feel of the film. There is something classic and core to those few notes in the Mission Impossible theme, and they are threaded throughout the film in ways that heighten and release tension. The sound design is expertly done. That paired with the cinematography create a stunning combination from the long shots to the closeups, there is a level of attention spent on the camera angles and lighting that showcase this film.

Final thought, whatever you might think about Tom Cruise, he’s a brilliant actor. He has a connection with the camera that pulls the audience into the movie, making that world feel present, real, and immediate. It’s one of the reasons that we feel the tension in his scenes whether or not its jam packed with action.

There is one scene in particular when Ethan Hunt’s trying to convince Grace to jump. The situation is tense (I’m avoiding spoilers here), and it’s the look on his face, the tone of his voice, the tremble in his hand that makes you feel what Ethan Hunt is feeling. It’s as if he’s not sure he can convince her to trust him — or maybe he’s trying to convince himself that she can trust him — and that he will actually be able to catch her. This is just one little moment that highlights that power of his performance. Scenes like these that are threaded throughout the film, turning it into a heart pounding experience because of performance. Tom Cruise is easily one of the best actors of his generation.

In short, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 is possibly the smartest and most exciting film in years. I love action movies and I love intelligent films. With Dead Reckoning, you get both. If you only see one movie in the theater this summer, this is the one to see.

Thanks so much everyone. And, in the words of Rogert Ebert, one of my childhood heroes, I’ll see you at the movies.

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