Tag: Tom Cruise

Review: ‘M:I Dead Reckoning Part One’ is a Summer Blockbuster in its Purest Form | FirstShowing.net

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Review: ‘M:I Dead Reckoning Part One’ is a Summer Blockbuster in its Purest Form

by Manuel São Bento
July 14, 2023

We all have our favorite cinematic sagas and Mission: Impossible tends to be a fairly common choice for many lovers of the seventh art. Nowadays, the dependence on visual effects is increasingly accentuated, so the fact that there are franchises of this scale still concerned with cinema realism and immersion by filming in real locations with as little CGI as possible is a great relief for any cinephile. That said, everything has its end, and Dead Reckoning – Part One is the first half of the epic conclusion of one of the most popular sagas of all time. Personally, expectations couldn’t be higher… Fallout was the last & best installment in the franchise, so Tom Cruise & co had a very difficult, some might say impossible, mission. Despite not reaching the level of its predecessor, DR – Part One is yet another exceptional entry in a nearly perfect set of films.

With a premise unironically-timely centered around one of the most debated topics in recent months – the limitless use and potential of artificial intelligence – and, consequently, an enemy constantly ahead of the IMF, filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie returns to command the troops (from a screenplay co-written with Erik Jendrensen) through a crescendo narrative without many pauses to stop and breathe. The film’s 163 minutes fly by due to the frenetic pace and focus on action sequences to move the story forward. Dead Reckoning Part One is extremely hectic, and for some viewers, Eddie Hamilton’s quick editing and Fraser Taggart’s dynamic camera work may be too overwhelming, but it fits with the insane levels of adrenaline & energy that the cast & action emanate. Furthermore, the saga is known for its impressive, big-scale stunts, not so much for fight choreography – this equally incredible accomplishment clearly belongs to John Wick.

Dead Reckoning Part One continues the trend of the most recent installments in trying to create even more ridiculously extraordinary set pieces than before. On one hand, I don’t believe that the technical team has managed to achieve the same level of awe, despite the dedication and life-risking of the stunt team always being worthy of total praise. On the other hand, these are still exciting sequences accompanied by composer Lorne Balfe’s fantastic score, which elevates all these moments even further.

The cast and all of their respective characters (new & returning) are the main reasons behind the enjoyment of these movies. The usual gang is all back, while unexpected returns from the past and new additions further enrich one of the most chemistry-filled ensembles of any saga. It may seem strange that the standout of a Mission: Impossible flick isn’t Tom Cruise, but the truth is that Dead Reckoning – Part One is, in many ways, Hayley Atwell’s film. The British actress plays Grace, an incredibly effective thief who goes through an arc never before seen – at least this explicitly – in the franchise.

Atwell is superb and shares the spotlight with Cruise, including in the dozens of action sequences in which she also participates several times. All the actors who had the pleasure of working on this saga confirm that they feel the need to dedicate themselves more due to how much Cruise risks his well-being to offer the best entertainment to the viewers and Atwell demonstrates this perfectly. Whenever she takes the wheel – quite literally at times – it’s like a charisma bomb explodes right in front of the screen. With the right amount of humor in the mix, Grace quickly becomes an intriguing, essential character for the overall plot, having to face numerous moral dilemmas that impact the unraveling of the story.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One Review

She’s by no means the only female character that deserves compliments. Rebecca Ferguson returns as Ilsa Faust with an emotional performance due to the more intimate, personal arc the character receives this time. Dead Reckoning – Part One puts everyone at the epicenter of danger and the consequences can be fatal for any agent, so accompanying my favorite secondary character from this saga throughout this movie contributed immensely to the suspenseful environment brilliantly crafted by McQuarrie and his team. In addition, Vanessa Kirby makes good use of the few minutes she has as Alanna Mitsopolis / White Widow.

Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg continue to ascertain why they’re one of the most iconic duos within the genre, returning to don the skins of Luther and Benji as the important logistics companions (and friends) to Ethan Hunt. The banter stays alive and creative, but in Dead Reckoning – Part One, both have their own action moments during an extremely tense sequence at an airport. Pom Klementieff (best known for playing Mantis in the Guardians of the Galaxy saga) is a surprising delight! With virtually no lines, the actress embodies Paris, a French assassin with such a fascinating expressiveness that it will give some viewers nightmares – her evil smile makes me wish she could play the lead role in the next big horror movie.

Finally, actor Esai Morales plays the new antagonist of the saga, Gabriel. The mysterious character shares a past with Hunt that impacted the latter’s life drastically and serves as a representative of the Entity, the A.I. system that is, in fact, the real “villain” of this two-part finale. Dead Reckoning – Part One raises some potential issues regarding this section of the script, some of which can only really be analyzed in more detail a year from now when the continuation and eventual culmination of the series is released. “Problems” the come from only watching only half of the story, although the big question is related to the lack of a good reason to divide the last chapter of the franchise into two films to begin with…

Meanwhile, some other storylines are left open and it’s impossible to deny some issues related to the film’s narrative details that I cannot dwell on without resorting to major spoilers. Exposition scenes are a classic characteristic of Mission: Impossible, but when these continue to occur beyond the first act, unnecessarily and unnaturally, it feels like the movie is stopping on purpose for reasons external to the actual film. The messages and dialogue around the theme of A.I. and the consequences that this technology can bring are too generic, leaving Dead Reckoning – Part One without any thought-provoking conversation on the subject.

Personally, the most disappointing aspect isn’t even related to the film. The fact that DR – Part One over-publicized its main stunt – from behind-the-scenes footage to countless clips of the stunt itself practically complete, never before has a movie in the saga shown so much before its release – significantly dampens enthusiasm and anticipation for this very moment when it appears in the film. There’s a whole build-up for something that all viewers not only know when, how, and where it will happen, but the “magic of cinema” almost disappears from the scene. There’s no sense of astonishment or surprise. It’s a pity that, nowadays, it’s truly an impossible mission to enter a movie theater without knowing most of what we’re going to see, such is the incessant amount of movie studio marketing content always spread across the internet.

Fortunately, these are minor issues when compared to the multitude of positive aspects that encompass this flick. I’d like to end this review with a massive thank you to the man who continues to defy the laws of physics and fight for the unique big screen experience. Tom Cruise is, and will forever be, a cinema legend. Passionate about the art of filmmaking and a strong voice in supporting the continued success of the most immersive atmosphere possible for movie-loving audiences all around the world. Thank you for your unparalleled personal commitment and sacrifice. Thank you so much.

Final Thoughts

Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One delivers precisely what it set out to do: stunningly frenetic, relentless on-location action with adrenaline-charged energy levels. A 163-minute runtime rarely feels this light, thanks to the contributions of the sublime cast – Hayley Atwell is outstanding – and the truly memorable score that elevates all the otherworldly set pieces. It has the “problem” of being the first of two parts, with some unnatural, repetitive exposition scenes that get in the way of its progress, in addition to a somewhat generic, ambiguous narrative around A.I. Nevertheless, it’s a summer blockbuster in its purest form, as you’d expect from the icon Tom Cruise, to whom we owe our allegiance.

Manuel’s Rating: A-
Follow Manuel on Twitter – @msbreviews / Or Letterboxd – @msbreviews

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Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One Review: Tom Cruise Powers The Film With Ease

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Tom Cruise in M:I – Dead Reckoning 1.(courtesy: YouTube)

Amid all the explosive action that constitutes an expectedly intrinsic part of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, the one ‘key’ takeaway from the movie is that the key to knowledge, preparedness and survival in an Artificial Intelligence-fuelled future will inevitably have to spring from the real world of humans.

In the seventh Mission: Impossible film, directed by Christopher McQuarrie from a screenplay co-written by him with Erik Jendresen, Tom Cruise’s irrepressible and insuperable Ethan Hunt finds himself up against a mysterious and invisible power with the potential to wreak havoc on mankind.

It is this force – it has acquired a dangerous degree of sentience and gone rogue – that holds the key (a glittering, physical one at that) to what lies in store for mankind. On its part, its true nature and potency can only be unlocked with a key split into two halves, and not with the aid of some super-secret formula hidden in the virtual world.

The rest of the world, led by CIA director Eugene Kitteridge (played by Henry Czerny, last since in Mission: Impossible, the film that kicked off the franchise), intends to wrest control of the evil force known as “the Entity”. The goal is weaponisation of AI and global domination.

Ethan and his Impossible Missions Force (IMF) team – Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and his love interest Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) – are, on the other hand, determined to eliminate ‘the Entity” for good. They are willing to go to the end of the world to achieve their goal.

They stop at nothing, but when the film winds up, they are well shy of their destination but the operation hangs tantalisingly between a past that nobody can escape and a future that promises an exciting finale.

Welcome to the world of lies, says somebody who appears to know too much. This character and a few others underline the fact that total control over the “The Entity” will enable universal manipulation of the truth. Ethan Hunt’s battle this time around is, therefore, aimed at taming a fount of lies that can play vicious tricks with human minds.

Ethan’s mission is obviously not destined to be accomplished in this film – a second instalment is scheduled for release in a year from now. In fact, we are told more than once that “the key is only the beginning”. Is Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One likely to have the audience asking for more? The answer is a resounding YES.

The movie packs enough twists and turns into its 163 minutes to keep the audience glued to the screen. Dead Reckoning Part On is as old-school as an espionage thriller can get. Therein lies much of the film’s strength.

Crazy street chases, an intriguing cat-and-mouse game at a busy international airport, fisticuffs atop a running train, even a swordfight on a bridge across a Venetian canal (and this one does not even have Ethan Hunt in the thick of the action) – it is all out here.

Both Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg get their due, but Rebecca Ferguson is forced cede ground to Hayley Atwell, who portrays a peripatetic pickpocket, Grace, whose thieving skills come in handy at crucial junctures of the plot.

Grace’s defining line is: you cannot blame a girl for making a dishonest living. But she, like the other IMF members who made a life-altering choice at a point in their lives when all doors seemed shut, is allowed a shot at redemption and glory. The character and the actor grab the opportunity with both hands.

The villainy department is hogged by Esai Morales as Gabriel, who leads everyone to believe that he knows what the key will unlock. Vanessa Kirby returns as scheming broker Alanna Mitsopolis, the White Widow, and French actress Pom Klementieff dons the guise of a fierce assassin who works for the big bad guy.

Unsurprisingly, it is Tom Cruise who powers the film to the cruising altitude with ease. He channels his ‘classical’ movie star charisma, successfully conceals his advancing years, and fires on all cylinders. He ensures that the latest entry in one of Hollywood’s most popular film franchises never flags.

That is not to say that the pacing of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is without a wobble here and an uneven stretch there. It does indeed waver occasionally, but that damage caused is mercifully minimal.

It, of course, takes a great deal of devastation to save the world from being annihilated. Ethan and his mission to stave off a threat from “a godless, stateless, immoral enemy”, a truth-altering “parasite bent upon infecting the world’s intelligence networks and, through means entirely digital, gaining control of mankind’s future, leaves behind a trail of destruction.

Ethan’s fight against a dangerous, mighty and almost incomprehensibly venal foe is rooted in the actual world, in the domain of palpable emotions, and in recognisable tugs of love and friendship. The film has ample space for tears and these are shed at moments that are convincing enough not to be dismissed as mere cosmetic balancing acts.

So, when someone says that none of our lives can matter more than this mission, one does not gasp in disbelief. It is a part of the flow of things. Or when Ethan says to Grace: I swear your life will always matter more to me than my own”, and the latter’s eyes turn moist, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One acquires a patina of humanity that gives the action movie hurly-burly a believable context.

There are stray passages in the film when one feels that they are being stretched inordinately. But notwithstanding its length, Dead Reckoning delivers more thrills than spills, even when the action set pieces and dizzyingly mounted chases – one unfolds on the streets of Rome, another in the alleyways of Venice, and the grandest one of them on a train hurtling through the Austrian Alps – are a touch protracted.

They are nonetheless staggeringly well executed – a quality that extends across a film that a magnetic Tom Cruise, a cast that supports him to the hilt, some stunning stunts and generous dashes of humour render the film well worth the three hours it demands of our time.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One packs a massive wallop.

Cast:

Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson

Director:

Christopher McQuarrie

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Tom Cruise: His 15 Most Varied Performances | Wealth of Geeks

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Tom Cruise has been an A-list actor for many decades. From comedy to drama to action hero, his performances over the years have been quite varied. He has run the gamut in all categories and genres. Here are 15 types of roles we have enjoyed watching him in since he first stepped into the spotlight.

1. The Teen Heartthrob – Risky Business

Image Credit: Warner Bros.

Cruise’s breakout role as Joel Goodsen took place in this 1983 teen comedy-drama movie featuring the satire of privileged suburban teens under the enormous pressure of perfection. Entertainment Weekly features it on the list of 50 Best High School movies. The scene of his character sliding across the floor, dancing in a pink shirt, socks, and white briefs with the song “Old Time Rock and Roll” playing is now iconic and serves as its legacy.

2. The Standard “Action” Cruise – Days of Thunder (Among Many Others)

daysofthunder tomcruise
Image Credit: Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

A mention of Cruise’s name typically elicits one response: the action Cruise, which has become his standard role. The kind of role where the hero spends the movie length showing off his skills on the race track, in the air, or jumping off buildings while battling an opposing force. And running. So. Much. Running.

Ultimately, the hero triumphs over the “enemy” or wins the contest. In Days of Thunder, race car driver Cole Trickle is forced to overcome several obstacles to win the Daytona 500. Additionally, Cruise would win the heart of co-star Nicole Kidman after meeting on set. After reviewing this movie, late film critic Roger Ebert coined the phrase “Tom Cruise Formula.”

3. The Romantic – Jerry Maguire, Cocktail

jerry maguire e1664039708606
Image Credit: Sony Pictures.

Those eyes and dimples were never more on display in movies like Jerry Maguire and Cocktail. As Jerry Maguire is a hotshot sports agent who falls for his assistant and her son but still puts his career first.

In Cocktail, he plays a cocky bartender looking for a shortcut to get rich while falling for a woman he met on his island vacation, which is more than he bargained for. Of course, at the end of both, he gets the happy ending and the girl, despite missteps. It’s clear that the romantic side comes easy for him.

4. The Lunatic – Tropic Thunder

tropicthunder tomcruise
Image Credit: Dreamworks SKG.

This 2008 flick had Cruise taking another supporting role in this Ben Stiller comedy. Nearly unrecognizable, he played profane, bad-tempered studio exec Les Grossman producing Tropic Thunder, as they parodied making a Vietnam war film. He garnered a second Supporting Actor nomination at the Golden Globes for this role.

5. The “Ethan Hunt”- Mission: Impossible Series

mission impossible tom cruise
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.

So how many times has Cruise played Ethan Hunt? To count, six completed films with two more in production—due out in 2023 and 2024. It began in 1996 when Cruise first took on the role in Mission: Impossible, and since then, the franchise has grown immensely. As Ethan Hunt has taken his many adventures, Cruise is famously known for doing his own stunts.

6. The Navy Fighter Pilot – Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick

Image from Top Gun: Maverick
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.

In what is arguably the role that rocketed him to stardom, there’s something irresistible about Cruise in that Navy uniform or flight jumpsuit as Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in Top Gun. Those dimples and that volleyball scene aside, Cruise played vulnerable as a cocky Naval aviator in the shadow of his late father and is rocked by the accident that kills his best friend. Thirty years later, he picked it up as if no time passed with ties to the original story and characters.

7. The Risqué Lover – Eyes Wide Shut

Eyes Wide Shut tomcruise
Image Credit: Warner Bros.

Cruise took a turn in this erotic mystery psychological thriller by Stanley Kubrick alongside his real-life wife, Nicole Kidman, also playing his wife in the movie. He plays a repressed mild-mannered doctor exploring the sexual world, including an orgy with a secret society, and some scenes had to be altered to get an R rating in the U.S.

8. The Rock Star – Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages tomcruise
Image Credit: Warner Bros.

Not to be outdone is Cruise, the rock star, when he took on the role of Stacee Jaxx in the 80s rock musical based on the Broadway play. His character lives life under a fog of sex and drugs; while interacting with a music reporter, he displays his acting chops and vocal stylings.

9. The Vampire – Interview With a Vampire

Interview With a Vampire tomcruise
Image Credit: Warner Bros.

The image of Cruise as Vampire Lestat in the film adaptation of Anne Rice’s novel was definitively darker than any romantic, comedic, or action-turn by Cruise. His performance is more stoic and callous but fitting for playing a vampire living through various decades and time warps—not to mention drinking blood to survive. How many actors can say they have been a vampire on screen?

10. The Science Fiction Action Star – Minority Report, Vanilla Sky

Minority Report tomcruise
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.

In roles in science fiction flicks Minority Report and Vanilla Sky, Cruise proves he can take on the world of sci-fi. They also teamed Cruise with Steven Spielberg for two of their four movies together. And more running.

In Minority Report, he plays a cop turned fugitive, showing his vulnerability as he hides the doubt behind determination. Vanilla Sky, described as “an odd mixture of science fiction, romance and reality warp,” has Cruise playing a pompous executive whose life is torn apart after an accident.

11. The Athlete – All The Right Moves

All the Right Moves tomcruise
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.

In another early role of a very young Cruise (1981), he plays a small-town high school football star who clashes with a domineering coach, is desperate to leave his life behind, and needs football to do it. Critics found Cruise believable as an athlete, and it is really one of the only films having him portray an athlete (besides showing off volleyball moves in Top Gun and playing pool in The Color of Money.)

12. The Sympathetic & Reluctant Brother – Rain Man

Rain Man tomcruise
Image Credit: Metro Goldwyn Mayer.

Cruise plays a selfish, manipulative brother to Dustin Hoffman’s Oscar-winning performance as Ray Babbit, an autistic savant—a now iconic role in pop culture. It shows off his acting depth in a heartwarming way. His character Charlies starts by pretending to get to know his long-lost brother under the guise of taking complete control of their father’s estate, which is left entirely to Ray. Inevitably, he learns that family bonds mean more than money.

13. The Anti-War Hero – Born on The Fourth of July

Born on the Fourth of July tomcruise
Image Credit: Universal Studios.

As Ron Kovic, in this Oliver Stone adaptation of Kovic’s autobiography, it led him to his first Best Actor nomination for the Oscars and the Golden Globes (winning the globe) in 1990. It is also probably his greatest varied performance as he takes viewers on a riveting journey from a young wrestling star to a wounded war vet and, finally, a steadfast activist. It is arguably his most nuanced performance as a leading man.

14. The Promising Young Lawyer – The Firm and a Few Good Men

The Firm tomcruise
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.

As Mitch McDeere in the film adaptation of John Grisham’s novel, Cruise plays a young law grad recruited at a prestigious firm secretly run by the mob. Although some critics didn’t like Cruise’s performance, others, including Grisham himself, felt he was convincing as the innocent young lawyer unaware of what his firm was up to.

In A Few Good Men, Cruise plays a bold Navy lawyer, defending two soldiers against a murder charge. The exchange with Jack Nicholson’s character who tells Cruise, “You want the truth? You can’t handle the truth!” is probably one of the best acting scenes by Cruise.

15. The Loathsome Drama Character – Magnolia

Magnolia tomcruise
Image Credit: New Line Cinema.

Misogynistic, loathsome, and troubled—three words that describe Frank T.J. Mackey, the self-help and motivational speaker played by Cruise in 1999’s Magnolia. Mackey was portrayed as objectifying women and preaching male empowerment. Behind these horrible traits, Cruise makes one feel his vulnerability and how broken the man really is.

Honorable Mention: Cruise The Advocate

tom cruise ss msn 7
Image Credit: Shutterstock.

One could argue that one of Cruise’s most significant roles is himself—as one of Scientology’s most prominent advocates. Additionally, in May 2021, Cruise returned all three of his Golden Globes to the Hollywood Foreign Press due to their “controversies,” including a lack of diversity and financial benefits to some members.

Whether you love or hate him, Tom Cruise still reigns as one of Hollywood’s greatest actors, actively making movies since 1981. His varied roles have kept people headed to theatres for decades, often on the edge of their seats.

This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.


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Kelley Dukat is a freelance writer, photographer, and event planner currently based in the United States. She has spent the last year as a nomad traveling and house-sitting. She holds a Journalism degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and previously served as a trade magazine editor. Her favorites include dog-friendly travel, road trips, and nomad life. She is currently working on a memoir and a series of personal essays.


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