I'm very on the ball with this one. It is fresh in my mind as the Hawman family inclusive of dear Kieran went out to the cinema to see this last night.
After sitting vaguely still for just over 2 and a half hours, all of us agreed the movie was good, although as my dad pointed out, if it's 18 months til the next one we wont remember what has just happened and let's face it we don't have time to watch it all again. My response? All we need to know is that Ethan has got the key.
So I am going to try and keep this spoiler free. Last night we witnessed Ethan Hunt take on his most dangerous mission yet, this time the enemy? A rebellious AI system called The Entity. Of course being AI, this has to be the most dangerous villain yet as this isn't a plot or a person you can destroy, and as we saw through the course of the movie- you cant trust anything anymore.
We see our team trying to locate the other half of a mysterious key, one that no one really knows what it unlocks. All we know is it has something to do with The Entity. Our team are soon feeling the affects of the AI and how dangerous it is as their equipment is tampered with by the system, just showing us how the truth can be corrupted. I thought iRobot was terrifying but a sentient computer program able to kill and twist the truth? No thank you, can we go back to sending smoke signals now?
The thing I find amusing about this plot is that nothing really happens. The goal is to get and combine the two halves of this key and worry about the rest later. We then basically sit through two and a halfish hours of getting and losing the key and then rinse and repeat. Each scene gets more action packed and the fight for this little bit of metal starts getting a bit silly, but I'm not even mad about it? According to my brother, he and Kieran said on the way home the movie could have been about half an hour shorter. I can see where they were coming from, maybe the airport scene could have been cut a little bit, we didnt need to see Tom Cruise doing his classic run across yet another roof. But I am also pleased with what we watched, as in I wasn't bored throughout any of it and it did make for entertainment. Sure some of it was a little pointless, but you go to see an MI film for Cruise doing dangerous stunts and the promise of car and motorbike chases. I loved the car chase with the little yellow Fiat, but when the camera cuts to Paris pursuing, does anyone else get Cruella vibes? You know the scene where her eyes glow red and she floors it off a bridge or whatever? Paris smashing through cars and stone balconies reminded me of that and I was totally here for it.
This movie really brings home how heavily everyone relies on technology nowadays. There were workarounds sure, but damn this one had the team stumped for a moment and made everything a little harder.
We carried over some characters from Fallout for this one such as The White Widow and Zola. I also liked the picture of Angela Bassett's character in the director's office as a little nod to her from the last film. What I was unhappy with was the two goodbyes said to a character I loved, the first one I had a feeling was a ruse, but the second? Uncool man. I also liked how many famous faces we saw in tiny roles. Mark Gatiss I saw you! Cary Elwes was also in a small part.
Now as mentioned above, there is no point me talking about the plot anymore as nothing *really* happened. Mission to get this bloody key to put it simply, deadly encounters during the way. However, we did get a new recruit in the form of Grace (Hayley Atwell) and she fits in pretty well, although I'm not sure if she is on the fence of being Hunt's potential love interest. Going off MI2 or maybe it was 3 I dont hold out much hope for female thieves who end up working with him. I think it was 2, whichever one opened with IKO IKO playing as he scaled a clifftop with his bare hands.
Atwell and Cruise seemed to work really well as our new pairing during this movie and I really liked the scene as they were trying to escape the Orient Express carriages which were doomed. My family, Kieran now included, are massive on trains. In fact KB and I had a little date just this weekend at the Kent & East Sussex railway where we spent the day around steam trains and old fashioned diesels while leisurely exploring Bodiam. So when we saw the North Yorkshire Moors steamie destined for that ravine, my heart broke. Judging from the rust along the side of the loco as we got our side shots as it fell, it was probably saved from the scrap yard or undergoing renovations anyway. There is something about a steam train graveyard that gives me chills. The rust, the history, it makes me sad. Laying there all forgotten. How times have changed, steam was still a massive thing when I was young, look at the OG Thomas the Tank Engine episodes and movies! Nowadays it isn't so much stopmotion-esque but actual moving mouths and faces that give me the creeps.
I am really looking forward to Part 2. I want to know if Hunt and the gang are successful in destroying The Entity, and if Hunt eradicates his blast from the past, Gabriel. I mean I'm sure they will be, as if Ethan Hunt will not stop the threat, come on. But regardless I want to see how it plays out. If one of our beloved trio die though, I'll boycott. Protect Simon Pegg at all costs.
The final thing on my mind and that I would like an answer to, is was each time 'the greater good' mentioned, did anyone look at Pegg and say it in a west country accent? Was this an ode to Hot Fuzz? Because I turned to my mum every single time it was said (a total of either twice or thrice) and we shared a look and a giggle as she knew exactly what I was thinking.
To sum it up then, Dead Reckoning Part 1 is another excellent installment of the Mission Impossible franchise. I'd watch it again, maybe not as faithfully as I did when Henry Cavill was in it ( I watched Fallout at the cinema 3 times), and I really enjoyed myself as did my people. The cast were on top form, the writing was brilliant and the plot was original and interesting. Of course we had the trademark stunts and running from Mr Cruise, but I can't really fault it. This really was an action packed movie and I couldn't tear my eyes away.
Overall then, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 is being awarded an 8/10 from me. Every time I hear about these movies I think 'another one?' and roll my eyes. But they do get better and better and it is an excellent film to adapt and carry throughout our changing times. I'm thankful there are no threats for a reboot of the original movie, but obviously that is only because they are still being made. I heard a rumour Cruise wants to make these movies til he is 80, following in Harrison Ford's footsteps, and honestly it doesnt surprise me. Crack on boyo I wish you luck.
So any thoughts from you loyal lot? Comment on my socials!
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