Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

A movie about a bunch of people who keep losing their keys.

How is a seventh movie in a franchise THIS good? And why stop a franchise when each movie is better than the last? I loved this. The action in impeccably choreographed and directed, but the writers also managed to flesh out some of the characters in a really believable way, all of whom were really well acted. A thrill ride from beginning to end, with legitimately high stakes and unpredictable plotting, and best of all, it doesn’t feel like half of a movie. Still can’t wait for Part Two though!

Holy exposition, Batman. When the film isn't interrupting itself explaining what's going on and what the stakes are, it's quite entertaining. The action strikes a perfect balance of being light enough in tone while still feeling grounded in actual stakes. The ending sequence is one of the best I've seen in action movies.

While it doesn’t match up to Fallout (or even try to, really - stunt-for-stunt it might be the tamest since 3?) it’s still another excellent addition to the franchise with gorgeous cinematography, great new characters (Atwell rules), and all the usual impressive scrapes and japes. The AI stuff is so funny it’s like the perfect excuse for the usual goofy Mission Impossible nonsense. More satisfying than a lot of part ones in recent memory but still left me hyped for 2. Tom Cruise!!!!!

Give this franchise credit, it has yet to collapse under its own weight. The action continues to impress and there is no shortage of emotions and intensity within this installment. The pacing can drag things out longer than we're used to, but it helps knowing it's very much a Part 1. Sometimes they are a little too self-referential and the idea of an evil AI may be a bit far from where we started, but I for one was mesmerized by the story's gravitas. Hope Part 2 delivers an amazing conclusion!