By Marc Peoples
Now this review is late, but as our summer comes to an end, we want to look back on the movies that were released these past couple of months.
The film industry did not have a good summer this year. There were many flops, and box office bombs, and now the writers and actors are on strike. That being said… There were a few movies that were released late this season that made us happy to go back to the theaters. One of them was Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.
Yes! Tom Cruise has brought us back again like he did with last year’s Top Gun: Maverick. Though it’s not as successful, critics and audiences are agreeing that this is one of the best films of the year with praise for its direction, story, action sequences, and performances.
In this seventh installment of the film series, Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt, whose team battles with a powerful rogue A.I. called the Entity and tries to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.
Let’s start off with the main reason why we see these movies: To see Tom Cruise do some crazy stunts. Well, he does deliver, but that’s no surprise at this point. This movie has some of the best action sequences this summer. There’s an intense car chase that takes you through the narrow streets of Rome, a fight scene in an alleyway of Venice, Tom Cruise leaping off a mountain, and an exhilarating set piece involving a runaway train that will have you on the edge of your seat.
The actors give great performances in this movie. Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, and Rebecca Ferguson return as Hunt’s team members. Vanessa Kirby, who made her first appearance in Mission: Impossible – Fallout comes back as arms dealer, Alanna Mitsopolis, but there is also a special appearance from Henry Czerny as Eugene Kittridge, who we haven’t seen since the original film.
A new addition to the film series is the silent assassin, Paris played by French actress Pom Klementieff, who you might recognize as Mantis from the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
Another great new addition is Haley Atwell as Grace, a thief who allies herself with Hunt and his team. Her character has an arc we’ve never seen in this film series and Atwell and Cruise have great chemistry together.
The only criticism I have for the film is the villain, Gabriel played by Esai Morales. Though performed well, there’s no explanation for his motivation except that he and Ethan had a significant encounter in the past.
Overall, this film is indeed one the best we’ve had this year. It’s not just a good movie, but also good filmmaking. Check out this behind-the-scenes video and see how they were able to pull off the train sequence. This is why we buy tickets and go to the theaters: exciting set pieces and fleshed-out characters. Dead Reckoning Part One delivers on all levels. If you’re interested, visit the AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9 on 2039 Frederick Douglass Blvd. If you do enjoy it, keep a lookout for Part Two, which is scheduled to be released next summer.
Marc Peoples
Marc Peoples is a writer, film, and game enthusiast with a full range of electronic or digital games experience, who lives on the west coast in Los Angeles, CA. He graduated with honors from the Los Angeles Film School (LAFS), where he studied film and screenwriting. www.linkedin.com, www.instagram.com
Photo Credit: 1) The Statesman.com 2) stylist.co.uk 3) comingsoon.net
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