An action-packed instalment

Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One

English (Theatres)

Director - Christopher McQuarrie

Cast - Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Esai Morales, Ving Rhames, and Simon Pegg

Rating: 3.5/5

‘Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One’ is another action-filled entertainer, in tune with the recent instalments of the franchise. The film witnesses Tom Cruise returning as the irrepressible Impossible Mission Force (IMF) agent Ethan Hunt, and as always, needs to embark on a risky mission to avert an impending catastrophe.

Starting off with the all-too-familiar self-destructing message indicating the mission, the film quickly jumps into a desert action sequence in the Middle East as Hunt tries to save Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Fergusson) from hired assassins and retrieve one-half of the key. It is soon clear that an AI named Entity has gone out of control and could potentially cause incalculable damage.

Hunt reunites with his usual mates Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) but is denied state patronage to find the other half of the key and what it fits into. With a pugnacious villain Gabriel (Esai Morales) aided by Entity in his quest, the rest of the plot follows the race to find the keys and its further course, even as other interested parties, including the female protagonist Grace (Hayley Atwell), flow into the sketch.

While the previous six films had isolated plots that ended with the film, Dead Reckoning starts a new trend of a plot being stretched into the next film. At 61, Tom Cruise is delightful with another power-packed intense performance while Atwell makes quite a pair with him. The out-of-this-world car chase in Rome certainly stands out for its extravagance while the over-extended train sequence also has its moments of brilliance.

However, a Mission Impossible aficionado is inevitably going to find a few of the twists easily predictable. Most notably, the mask trick, which has been a series regular since the second film, isn’t as engaging anymore. The over-emphasis on action also means that the element of suspense and intrigue, reminiscent of the earlier films, takes a back seat. However, thrilling action sequences and the fast-running plot, engage the audience.