Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is a 2023 action spy film written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie. It is the seventh installment of the Mission: Impossible film series, and the third in the series directed by McQuarrie, following Rogue Nation and Fallout. The film franchise is based on the original ABC “Mission: Impossible” television series from 1966. Part Two is slated for release in 2024, which is expected to be the final appearance for Cruise as Ethan Hunt.

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, and dark forces from Ethan's past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins. Confronted by a mysterious, all-powerful enemy, Ethan is forced to consider that nothing can matter more than his mission – not even the lives of those he cares about most.

The cast includes Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Henry Czerny, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, and Frederick Schmidt, all of whom will reprise their roles from the previous films. Newcomers include Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Esai Morales, Rob Delaney, Charles Parnell, Indira Varma, Mark Gatiss, and Cary Elwes.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One made its debut in theaters on July 12th, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

THE GOOD

It’s hard to believe that Tom Cruise first stepped into the shoes of soon-to-be IMF agent Ethan Hunt way back in 1996, and the action film landscape would never be the same. Although not all of the movies have been perfect, this has easily become one of my favorite franchises especially when it comes to the movie theater experience. The pandemic wreaked havoc on movie theaters and businesses in general, and people kept saying the movie theater experience is dead, people would rather stay home and watch movies. I knew better though, because as a lover of film ever since I took my first steps, there is nothing like the experience of seeing a movie in theaters.

I mean sure, if I was crazy rich and I had enough money to build my own movie theater that would be another thing entirely, but that is just an example of re-creating the experience at home, and last I checked we aren’t all millionaires. People like to say oh I have a great setup at home, but just because you have a 65” TV and a sound bar doesn’t mean you have what you need, trust me. The fact of the matter is these movies are handcrafted for theaters, and the only way you can even possibly experience a film the way it was made to be experienced is to see it in theaters. Period. Plus, the argument can certainly be made that Tom Cruise helped to save movie theaters with the success of Top Gun: Maverick (our review here). So needless to say I was PUMPED for Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. Did it live up to my expectations?! Keep reading to find out!

This movie was just incredible, simple as that. In some ways I feel silly even taking the time to write this review because it should be obvious, right? This franchise has become an absolute powerhouse, and somehow it keeps getting better. Even though Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is around two hours and 45 minutes long, it absolutely flew by. It was action-packed and exhilarating, the cast was phenomenal including the new additions, and the stunts were all holy shit worthy as anticipated. Oh and of course the visuals and soundtrack/score were just pure perfection. Considering this is the 7th movie and just Part One of Two you would assume that just maybe it would show some signs of slowing down, but no, not even a little bit. The Mission: Impossible franchise has set the bar for action films, and somehow they found a way to raise that bar. I’m still trying to process my experience.

The Mission: Impossible franchise is known for exciting and immersive storylines, but what intrigues me the most about these films is how easy they are to follow considering the intricacies. Now I understand how some films more or less assume the ignorance of the audience and try to serve up a spoon-fed screenplay, but that is not the case with this franchise or Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One. I thought the story was fantastic and extremely timely considering our reliance on technology, and even though it wasn’t necessarily unique or groundbreaking in terms of the overall approach, it still managed to feel fresh and fitting for this franchise. The opening sequence had me on the edge of my seat, and needless to say, once things got going they never really slowed down. I also love the dynamic of the IMF team specifically Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, and the fact that this is the team that takes on the “impossible” missions, but just expects them to follow traditional protocol. It’s just a fun little wrinkle that helps keep this franchise from becoming boring or stale in any way. I also thought the cliffhanger was incredible, and satisfying yet left me wanting more, and I couldn’t be more excited for Part Two. Seriously, can we just fast forward a year?!

Let’s take a minute to talk about this incredible cast, starting with Tom fucking Cruise. Like seriously, you have got to be kidding me with this guy. I swear he is some sort of cyborg because no normal human being would ever be capable of what he has accomplished in his acting career. We have seen some greats, some still going and some no longer in the picture, but I would be hard-pressed to argue against Cruise someday retiring as the most impactful actor in the history of film. I mean even if we just talk about the Mission: Impossible franchise and Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick, you’d still have an argument, but the man’s filmography is nothing short of mind-blowing. He is just a supremely talented actor in general, but his willingness to take on the stunts he takes on, especially at his age is unprecedented.

Rebecca Furguson has become a mainstay in the franchise and has proven to be a great addition. She is a fantastic actress but clearly, she thrives within the action thriller genre, and it was such a smart move bringing her in when they did. One of my favorite things about the Mission: Impossible franchise is the comradery between the team, with the primary core at this point and time consisting of Cruise, Ving Rhames, and Simon Pegg. I remember when they first added Pegg and I figured he would be more of a one-movie character, but he fit in perfectly and has become a mainstay for good reason. I also love Rhames as an actor, who has been involved with the franchise since the original back in 1996. He’s been acting as long as I have been alive, and although he may be a bit underrated in terms of the roles he has been taking on as of late, it is undeniable that he brings a ton of value to this franchise and that is why he is still an important piece.

I also thought Vanessa Kirby was great yet again as she continues to prove her talent as an actress. I have to quickly touch on the primary new additions to the cast which would be Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Esai Morales, and Greg Tarzan Davis. I thought Atwell was beautiful and did a tremendous job alongside Cruise in a very important role. It felt like she fit in right away and I really enjoyed her character. Klementieff, who most will recognize as Mantis from Guardians of the Galaxy, was such a badass and super sexy. To say she was a formidable foe would be an understatement, and I loved the trajectory of her character. My guy Shea Whigham was fantastic as the guy tasked with hunting Hunt and his team, and I really enjoyed Davis as his partner. Both did a great job taking full advantage of their time on the screen. Last but certainly not least, Esai Morales was amazing as Hunt’s nemesis from the past, and I thought the writing team hit it out of the park with his backstory. An extremely talented actor who has made a career off of being the good guy, including a lengthy run on NYPD Blue, finally gets a chance to see things from the other side of the aisle.

As far as technical elements are concerned, the Mission: Impossible franchise sets the bar and that is once again the case here. Every fist thrown, gun fired, and automobile collision is nothing short of perfection. During every action scene, I felt like I was there, and I just kept thinking man this is what going to the movie theater is all about. This is why we watch movies, period. The action is in your face and infused with adrenaline, the score and soundtrack hit like a damn sledgehammer, and the incredible camera work and mesmerizing cinematography make for an experience like no other.

Sitting here and trying to break down the finer elements of the film feels like a bit of a waste of my time and yours to be honest, and if you pay attention to one thing during this review pay attention to this, please see this movie in theaters and see it on the BIGGEST SCREEN POSSIBLE. Tom Cruise appears on screen before the movie thanking everyone for making the trip to the theater, but trust me the pleasure is ours. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is incredible in every way, and even as I am writing this review I am trying to find time to see it again.

The stunts in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One were absolutely wild, and the fact that they used little to no CGI is honestly hard to even wrap my brain around. The action feels authentic and hits so damn hard you will be in a state of awe pretty much the entire time. I mean the movie had it all, intense car chases, shootouts, train crashes, and some really crazy stunts that will give those of us who have a fear of heights heart palpitations. Seriously, they do not hold back and we expect nothing less considering what this franchise has already accomplished.

Now I won’t go too in-depth on the stunts because I don’t want to ruin anything, but one in particular that is in the trailer is especially crazy. I am of course referring to Evil Kaneebil himself Tom Cruise taking a dirt bike off a giant cliff with a parachute on his back. This stunt, which took an incredible amount of preparation from building an insane ramp to Cruise doing 500 skydiving jumps, was not for the faint of heart. Once everything was ready you would think he would do it once and be like okay I’m good, but nope not this guy he did this stunt on camera SIX times before he felt like everything was just right. Once you see the movie take the time to watch some of the behind-the-scenes videos about what went into some of these stunts because it is well worth it. It should come as no surprise that this movie has been in development for years with a ton of work happening in the midst of the pandemic.

THE BAD

This section will be short and sweet because Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is damn near flawless. One thing I will point out although I don’t consider it a negative necessarily, is one of the big action sequences from the final act is essentially identical to the Uncharted videogame franchise. Like exactly. Perhaps it was inspired by the game, or it was just a coincidence, but I just found it interesting how spot-on it was. I guess Tom Holland will have to try something different if we end up getting another Uncharted film.

THE VERDICT

An immersive and exhilarating screenplay matched seamlessly with the jaw-dropping stunts the franchise is known for, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is an amazing achievement in filmmaking and a reminder that Tom Cruise is arguably the most versatile and accomplished actor in the history of film. This dude doesn’t just act, he lives his roles and literally risks his own personal well-being to make sure audiences get the experience they deserve. This is why we go to the movie theater, period. From start to finish I felt like a kid in a candy store just soaking up every bit of this magical experience unfolding before me. Stop what you are doing and go see Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One right now on the biggest screen possible, you can thank me later. I seriously cannot wait for Part Two to get here.