Thank you, Tom Cruise. For 2 hours 43 minutes of sheer entertainment. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1 (M:I – 7) was exciting and fast paced from the get-go. My husband and I expected an action-packed movie. We got action-packed, and a lot more. Yes, we chose to accept the mission. The mission to watch this thrilling movie. 

M:I – 7 was good fun. It kept me literally sitting on the edge of my seat. I was rooting for the good guys, the IMF, not the International Monetary Fund, but the Impossible Mission Force. Led by none other than action man himself, Tom Cruise aka Ethan Hunt. His team of Ving Rhames or Luther Stickell, the computer genius, and Simon Pegg aka Benji Dunn, the all-can-do field agent and comic relief with spot on one-liners. Together with honorary member, sultry kick-ass beauty Rebecca Ferguson who reprised the role of Ilsa Faust. And, newbie Hayley Atwell who commanded the screen as charismatic filcher, Grace, with no second name. I enjoyed the stellar cast, including the villains and villainesses.  

What I found interesting was my immersed and involved reaction to M:I – 7. I know how these movies work. I have watched M:I – 1 to 6. And, the long running TV series, Mission Impossible with the iconic Peter Graves as Mr. Phelps. I still remember ‘Your mission should you choose/decide to accept it… As always, should you or any of your IM Force be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow (so much for loyalty) any knowledge of your action. This tape will self-destruct in 5 secs. [1]’

I know the storyline/plot. Good agents turned bad. Kidnapping. Espionage. Stolen cures for viruses.  Nicked nuclear launch codes. Rogue operatives on the loose, and for hire. The latest segment, M:I – 7 was about an AI gone rogue, called ‘the Entity.’ Very topical indeed. Especially as Artificial Intelligence is becoming increasingly omnipresent. The mission was to find the key (two halves that must fit perfectly) to unlock the source code of ‘the Entity.’ Created by the US government, ‘the Entity’ was used to detect/disrupt Sevastopol, a Russian submarine’s stealth system. Things go awry. ‘The Entity’ becomes ‘aware/alive’ and too powerful. Hence, the key in the wrong hands means big trouble for all of us.

I also know good always triumphs over evil. But, not before the hurling of accusations, double crosses, and unfair framings of innocent Tom Cruice/Ethan Hunt. Identity swaps and impersonations. Exhilarating car and motorcycle chases down busy streets. Destruction of vehicles, buildings, and bridges. Detonation of explosives in the nick of time. Running. Running very fast. Jumping and scaling super tall-buildings. Fighting baddies in and outside helicopters. Tussling with villains inside, and on top of moving trains. Yes. I have seen them all before.

And yet, Mission: Impossible 7– Dead Reckoning Part 1 was exceptional and memorable. Why? Because it managed to deliver ‘a different’ imaginative, and more formidable action scenes than before. How is that possible? Well, it is Mission: Impossible and it is a Tom Cruise movie. M:I – 7 was incredibly well directed/produced/executed with outstanding action scenes, compelling cinematography, clever dialogue and funny bits.

My favourite street-mayhem-cars-motorcycles-quirky-action scene was the one with the tiny yellow Fiat 500. The unexpected puny getaway vehicle that the handcuffed duo of Tom Cruise/Ethan Hunt and Hayley Atwell/Grace ended up in. Not the sleek Ferrari that seemed the obvious choice as it was parked alongside the Cinquecento. Pursued by police and villains, Tom Cruise/Ethan Hunt drove, drifted, bashed the compact Fiat 500, one-handed, yes, really, through the cobblestone streets of Rome, down the Spanish Steps, rolled it over, and sat it right side up. Handcuffs, still intact. Yay.

Apparently, ‘the production was not allowed to let cars actually touch the steps, so they built a replica of the landmark on a backlot and tumbled down the vehicle.[2]’

My don’t-take-your-eyes-off-the-screen-even-for-a-nano-second scene was when Tom Cruise spectacularly drove a motorcycle off a cliff of a very, very tall mountain into the abyss. He, for me, is the only actor with the courage, commitment, ability, and adventure who can, and did pull off such a frighteningly death-defying act. Wow.

‘Riding a custom-made Honda CRF 250, he drove off a ramp perched on Norway’s treacherous Helsetkopen mountain. Plunging 4,000 feet into the ravine below, he deployed his parachute just 500 feet from the ground. With unwavering determination, Cruise repeated the jaw-dropping jump seven times to ensure the perfect footage.[3]’

And, my runaway-steam-train-wacky-hold-your-breath scene was the slow plunge of the train’s carriages down a wrecked bridge, and into a ravine. The almost vertical angle of the dangling carriages that had Tom Cruise/Ethan Hunt and Hayley Atwell/Grace scramble, avoid ripped and falling furniture, jump and climb through each of the carriages was hmm … worth the trip to the cinema.

Now, for M:1 – 7 Dead Reckoning 2.