Impossible Mission Force (IMF)’s Ethan Hunt is back with an even bigger mission in the latest Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One, and once again, Tom Cruise impresses us with much-awaited daredevil stunts.
The first of two parts has all the usual suspects you would expect from the long-standing spy action drama franchise (first released in 1996), but as always, they’ve managed to up the ante once again.
Race to retrieve the ‘key’ object
Spoilers ahead: Dead Reckoning begins with a unique pair of keys, which must be combined to unlock a mysterious safe integral to the story’s plot.
The opening scene shows a Russian submarine that detects an undersea ship that’s fast approaching them, prompting them to fire a torpedo at it. The ship, however, vanishes off the radar.
Suspecting their internals were hacked, the Russian captain realises that the other ship wasn’t real and calls to stop the torpedo. Failing to do so, the underwater rocket turns back to target the Russian submarine.
The submarine explodes upon impact, killing all the crew, and sinks to the bottom of the sea along with a safe and separate pairs of keys hanging on the necks of two dead soldiers. The keys then get stolen.
In the meantime, US Intelligence discovers the faceless “enemy” is actually an Artificial Intelligence programme called an entity, which emerges randomly, infiltrates systems in many countries, and disappears without a trace.
The US Intelligence Network systems were attacked, posing a danger to all the identities and whereabouts of their secret agents.
Word then spreads that the “entity” went rogue and turned sentient, but instead of destroying it, all the powerful countries realise its potential and want to take control of it. In order to do that, they need to first obtain the previously mentioned keys.
This is where Ethan and the IMF’s expertise is sought by the US Intelligence director, and Ethan wants to destroy the keys before they fall into the wrong hands.
Ethan searches for Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), who managed to find one part of the keys; the other is believed to be in the hands of a buyer interested in purchasing Ilsa’s key.
However, no one really knows what the pair of cross-shaped keys unlock or the location of the safe.
Expect the unexpected
Before the keys change hands, Ethan and his IMF team arrive in Abu Dhabi Airport but end up being targeted and trailed by two different groups of people, disrupting the mission.
From here on, the mission begins with the team hunting for keys, but they face a lot of challenges, unexpected turns of events, and complicated situations that they must overcome to complete the mission.
As the seventh Mission Impossible film in the franchise, Dead Reckoning is fantastic from start to finish: action-packed, thrilling, with twists and turns and, surprisingly, an unexpected death of a pivotal character.
The story gets interesting, especially with a “villain” who can’t be seen or touched but seems very relevant in current times as Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is a reality now.
Expect some anxiety-inducing scenes, such as the one at the airport when the team is forced to pivot on their well-laid-out plans due to certain disruptions.
The most anticipated scene of all, with the motorcycle stunt on the cliff, definitely does not disappoint either.
Which leads us to the main character of the movie.
Tom Cruise continues to impress audiences with his acting and death-defying stunts, even at 61 years of age, in many jaw-dropping moments in the movie. Of course, he doesn’t leave out his trademark running scene, which has become a universal meme.
Action, humour, and captivating writing
As for the team, quirky Simon Pegg (Benji) and the polar opposite Ving Rhames (Luther) provide much-needed fun and comedy exchanges that will tickle your funny bone. Rebecca Ferguson’s sword-fighting scene was truly impressive, and British-American actress Hayley Atwell plays the role of pick-pocketer Grace brilliantly. Also, the mysterious “white widow”, a character from the previous movie, returns with more excitement for viewers.
Director Christopher McQuarrie delivers a fast-paced movie with all the elements that loyal fans would be satisfied with after a five-year wait.
Luckily for us, it’s only the first part, with another to look forward to.
With the keys still missing, it’s highly likely that audiences will assume that the safe is still hidden within the ship wreckage under the ocean. We’ll be ready to “dive” in when part two is released.
