Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (English) Review {4.0/5} & Review Rating
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE is the story of a secret agent’s deadly mission. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is in Amsterdam when he gets a new mission. He’s apprised of an ‘entity’ which can be possibly unlocked by two sets of keys. His job is to retrieve those keys before they fall into the wrong hands. This ‘entity’ is supposed to be quite powerful and any government will be ready to pay any price to lay their hands on it. As a result, if Ethan has the keys in his possession, officers of all the major governments, including that of the USA, will be behind him. Ethan takes up the mission with the aim to destroy the ‘entity’. As always, he’s joined in the mission by Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames). As Ethan gets down to work, he bumps into the mysterious Grace (Hayley Atwell), former colleague Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) and Ethan's old enemy Gabriel (Esai Morales). What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Christopher McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen's story is brilliant. Christopher McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen's screenplay does total justice to the plot. They have upped the stakes significantly. The ‘impossible mission’ this time is indeed very challenging and risky not just due to the enemies but also because of the complexities involved with the ‘entity’. As a result, audiences will feel the tension from start to finish. The dialogues compliment the proceedings very well.
Christopher McQuarrie's direction is marvellous. He and his team have gone all out to ensure that the film makes for a tremendous cinematic experience. This is evident by the fact that all the action scenes are very captivating and unlike one has seen before in Hollywood actioners. Some of the technological marvels and challenges seen in the film will also take viewers by surprise. The film is 163 minutes long and though it gets slow at places, it never gets boring. Some sequences are long-drawn but one doesn’t mind as there’s enough happening. In fact, watch out for the climax as it’ll simply blow away viewers.
On the flipside, the film gets a bit confusing in places. The keys change hands so many times that in some places, it might be difficult to keep track. Also, a few scenes in the middle of the second half don’t have the desired impact.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE starts on a rocking note. The Arabian desert scene is decent though nothing extraordinary. The meeting sequence that follows looks a bit dry but ends in the most unexpected way. The opening credits appear after nearly 25 minutes. The airport scene is outstanding. To add to the madness, Ethan and his gang have to tackle danger on two fronts. The Venice chase sequence doesn’t just have some superb action and chase scenes but also loads of humour. It is sure to bring the house down. Post-interval, the action scene after the gala is fine. But the best is reserved for the finale. See it to believe it! The film ends with the promise that the next part is on its way very soon.
Speaking of performances, Tom Cruise, as expected, gives a stunning performance. It’s awe-inspiring to see him perform action stunts flawlessly at this age. The scene where he jumps off the bike from a cliff will induce claps and whistles from the audience. He also deserves kudos because as a producer, he has made every effort to ensure that the film is mounted on the grandest scale possible. Simon Pegg is dependable and is at his best in the airport scene. Ving Rhames is lovely, though he has limited screen time. Hayley Atwell gets to play a crucial character and she pulls it off nicely. Rebecca Ferguson is decent in a supporting part. Esai Morales is fair as the villain. Vanessa Kirby (White Widow), Henry Czerny (Eugene Kittridge), Pom Klementieff (Gabriel's assassin Paris) and Shea Whigham (Jasper Briggs) provide able support.
Lorne Balfe's music adds to the exhilaration. The theme song is very much present and it is sure to get viewers excited. Fraser Taggart's cinematography is a bit shaky and that works big time in action scenes. It is quite scenic in the train sequence. Gary Freeman's production design is rich. Jill Taylor's costumes are appropriate. The action is one of the USPs of the film. Interestingly, there’s very little bloodshed and hence, it’ll appeal to the families. The VFX matches global standards. Eddie Hamilton's editing is neat but could have been sharper.
On the whole, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE is a paisa vasool entertainer. The popularity of the franchise, tremendous hype, non-stop entertainment and the excitement and curiosity to see a 60-year-old Tom Cruise performing action will surely pull the audiences to cinemas in hordes. As a result, it can emerge as the film MISSION IMPOSSIBLE film to cross the Rs. 100 crore mark.
