I just got back from the cinema from seeing Dead Reckoning Part 1 and I had a blast. I will keep this review as spoiler free as possible.
The Story
The main crux of this story is about A.I. The Russians have developed a submarine with an AI in it that can keep the sub invisible and make decisions for itself, a very basic Skynet if you will. On a test run, something goes wrong and the sub sinks. The AI goes rogue and starts to infiltrate itself into certain systems around the world.
We learn that Ethan has the mission, if he chooses to accept it, to find two halves of a key. No one really knows what the key does, but it seems to have the power to control this AI. The rest of the movie plays out looking for the key and finding out exactly what it does.
The story is great, it’s not overly complex but keeps you invested. It does bring back old characters, but not in a ‘memberberries way. There are gentle bits of humour, but again, not overly done. Dead Reckoning is just well-written.
The Action
The movie is 50/50, there is 50 percent action and 50 percent story arc and it works well. There are times it slows down, but this gives you a chance to get your breath back. You need it as the action is very, very good.
Of course, there is some CGI here and there, but overall the action is in real cars, on real motorbikes and on a real train. If there was any green screen, it was hard to spot and this kept you in the action all the way long. I honestly felt myself leaning in my seat at times.
As we all know, there is that jump that Cruise does on the bike. When it happens, I felt the entire audience hold their breath for a second. It was great.
Having said that, I am a little annoyed they showed the stunt in the previews since it didn’t happen until near the end of the movie.
Don’t get me wrong the shot is one long take and it’s Tom on that bike, but it just took the edge off a little knowing what was going to happen.
There is a great car chase in Rome and it’s really, really well done. You feel every crunch and you are there in the action. It also addresses the issue of women drivers. All I’m going to say is, after seeing Dead Reckoning, never let Hayley Atwell drive your car.
The Cast
Tom is Tom, you can’t fault the guy, well, not in the movie. We all know he’s a bit of a nut outside, but I was happy to put that aside when he does what he does.
You have the rest of the gang back, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Henry Czerny and Vanessa Kirby. Added to this movie were Hayley Atwell, Cary Elwes and Pom Klementiff, there are a couple of other CIA agents, but they aren’t all that important.
I have spoken about the women in the Mission: Impossible movies and nothing has changed. All the women in Dead Reckoning are great. They are strong women, but also vulnerable at the same time, I loved how you actually felt for them. Honestly, Atwell is stunningly gorgeous. I found a couple of times she was on screen and I wasn’t listening to what she was saying, I was just encapsulated by her beauty.
Overall
As I said, I had a blast. Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning is a great action movie, the best I have seen in a while, to be honest. It was a great cinema experience and I can see it doing well. It’s just a great movie at the right time.
There’s no preaching, no message, it’s just a good spy thriller with loads of action.
Up to the opening credits did annoy me a little. There’s some plot exposition right at the start and everyone is talking about what the key is and what it might do. The dialogue is good, but I didn’t like how everyone had something to say, one right after the other. The scene felt over-scripted and, I don’t know, it just irked me a little.
There is also something that happens at the end which was ridiculous. You’ll know it when you see it and it was a shame since the rest of the movie plays out so well, but I’m being nitpicky, you know, like always.
Overall I loved this movie and I’m glad I saw it in the cinema. It felt a little like the first Mission: Impossible at times, with some of the scenes played out in a Brian de Palma style, but that’s not a bad thing.
It sits somewhere near the top of the Mission: Impossible movies, in the top three somewhere. Dead Reckoning is now out in the cinemas and I highly recommend it.
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