REVIEW - MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING (PART ONE)

4/5

Mission Statement. 

163 Mins. Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Mariella Garriga, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Cary Elwes & Henry Czerny. Director: Christopher McQuarrie. In: Theatres. 

Seoul. Just by chance catching the South Korean premiere of 'Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning (Part One)' whilst on a quick trip. Making up for missing Tom Cruise a year before for the 'Top Gun: Maverick' premiere on Yokohama's runway like Ōsanbashi Pier that is literally a stone's throw away (where was the announcement?) from where I live. Although I thought I wouldn't miss anything being in Tokyo that day. And just like the most marketable Matt Damon before him, Cruise is in control of the red carpet. Even with the likes of Simon Pegg, Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff and Vanessa Kirby walking after him, as director Christopher McQuarrie takes pictures. Tom devotes his time to everyone, making sure every fan he can gets a picture and autograph request (let's not talk about the fact that after waiting all day at the barrier a group of press and photographers was moved right in front of our side). The favour returned on what was the week of his birthday whilst he was globe-trotting premiers around more postcard locations than the actual film itself. Korean fans gifting him with presents, plaques commemorating his service to cinema and even trains toppling on birthday cakes. Tom Cruise's dedication to big-screen, blockbuster cinema is as die-hard devoted as the ones to his fans. We really were in the presence of one of the greatest Hollywood actors and icons of all-time. Certainly it's best action hero.

Jumping off planes, trains and automobiles. Running in movies since 1981 and still swinging at 60. It's risky business, at any age, but Tom keeps sliding in where others would get caught with their pants down. The 'Interview With A Vampire' was with a real one. As the ageless action star even pays firm tribute to his classics, as well as this franchise. At one point posing as a lawyer for 'A Few Good Men' who can handle the truth. The 'Jerry Maguire' star is certainly making his Mission statement with this seventh seal. One Summer (he owns) after his 'Maverick' movie defied all the sequel odds, 36 years after the original 'Top Gun' took our breath away. Aiming to do the same here with part one of two movies (the other coming the next time you mark your calendar whilst wearing beach shorts) that takes on the fact that cinema is losing the streaming war to television serials (let alone corona). Costing theatres dearly, you picked the right side, as you shift in your seats and focus on this feature.

Not to mention A.I. in this world where computers are taking everyone's jobs like they have been checkout cashier's for years. Hauntingly highlighting the theme of Marvel's latest 'Secret Invasion' ironically with its artificial artistically rendered theme (still terrific though). The all too real world theme in this man's movie after his spectacular science-fiction saga ('Oblivion', 'Edge Of Tomorrow') also grappling with the great Esai Morales' no moral's villain. A man who truly terrified in 'Ozark'. Teaming up with 'Barbenheimer' on the IMAX and Dolby Atmos screens, Cruise still soars with the biggest blockbuster of the year. A roaming Rome car chase that transforms into a zippy bumblebee like Fiat that even crashes the party of what Jason Momoa orchestrated here in 'Fast X'. A chopper like climb and dive off the highest peak that had me unwittingly speaking Japanese for the first time (sagoy) as the trailer debuted a year ago after the leak before 'Maverick' (the only movie here to provoke cheers from a polite and quiet as kept Japanese audience) and a train fight that even whips the great one from 'Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny' into shape. 

Dial M for movie madness for this murder on the orient express from McQ whose been a mainstay since the operatic 'Rogue Nation'. Reloading like Henry Cavill's arms on the formidable 'Fallout' that threw everything at you...even the bathroom sink. McQuarrie keeps going too, just like Cruise, even when he breaks his ankle, all to keep the cameras rolling like popcorn machines. Their love for cinema collected together in a literal cliffhanger conclusion that gives us something we've never seen before on the big-screen, in all its jaw-dropping, edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting redefinition. Carriage by carriage, trailer tense like 'The Lost World'. This is what it must have felt like the first time cinemagoers saw toy trains played with to make movies seem believable before the age of special-effects. Or the golden era of smart 90s blockbusters like the train of thought left from 'The Fugitive'. With less CGI in this practical picture, there's even an amazing airport scene of spy games that picks your pocket and is the most tense and taught trick since Cruise iconically dangled from the ceiling in the first film. Gripping on the side of a plane or Utah cliff and climbing up the Burj Khalifa before abseiling down on it have dead to rights got nothing on this. 

Reckon you've seen it all? Then book now and take flight. As franchise favourites Ving Rhames behind the laptop and Simon Pegg defusing a bomb with the bravest set of balls play with each other for the man in the chair sidekick position. All as Rebecca Ferguson comes in shooting with an eyepatch for a 'Casablanca' cinematic like opening before she draws swords in street fighting scenes on epic European ones as sharp as any set-piece. And master thief Hayley Atwell has Cruise doing that floppy disk trick again. Keying an inspired introduction as she takes this movie into her own hands like her 'Agent Carter' did the shield of Captain Britain in both the animated 'What If' and the real deal of something else we shouldn't spoil if you haven't already seen it. Handcuffed to Cruise in an Italian job of a shoot-out and car chase that totals more scooters than Uber Eats drivers, not to mention chemistry, this coupling fuelled other rumours. But instead of stupid speculation makes us wish we saw Cruise as the rumoured multiverse Iron Man who had Thanos' head in a glass jar. We wish he chose to accept this mission like the timeless "this message will self-destruct in five seconds" theme that stays true to Bruce Geller's (no relation to Ross) original TV show like these movies. 

The crowning Vanessa Kirby is also back as the arms-dealer that continues Vanessa Redgrave's legacy to the max. Not to mention the chewing gum tense Henry Czerny from 'Mission: Impossible' and an exploding fish-tank. Way back when red light, green light meant something different from the not suitable for children play of 'Squid Game'. In a room full of Maverick co-stars and 'Deadpool's' favourite X-Force member (no, not The Vanisher). Between all the masks that still work, and the flashbacks with Mariella Garriga that hint at more, there's a class cast here. Shea Whigham copping another great detective role on the hunt for Hunt like he did in 'Joker', this time with Greg Tarzan Davis (another 'Maverick' code name) by his side. And 80s legend Cary Elwes shopping up like he did on the July 4th season of 'Stranger Things 3'. Yet the real scene-stealing goes to 'Guardians Of The Galaxy's' own Mantis. As Pom Klementieff, a harlequin in Mr. J make-up, is an amazing assassin. Staring down the nose of her humvee with a wicked smile like a great white shark in pursuit of Cruise and our Captain. Across a world of character locations of Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Rome and Venice to go with this Paris. All this and a checkmated Russian sub with the one Anya-Taylor Joy defeated in 'The Queen's Gambit' (featuring a chess set Easter Egg) after a McQ and Cruise 'Valkyrie' like language chance exposition introduction has you dead to rights. And this is just part one. You're in for even more of a reckoning. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'Top Gun: Maverick', 'Fast X', 'Mission: Impossible'.