Ethan Hunt and his team embark on a chase to destroy a new demonic weapon, a new kind of artificial intelligence (well, well) that, if it were to fall into the wrong hands, could lead the world to his loss. At the same time, Ethan Hunt's personal past resurfaces and this new mission may well be the most perilous of his entire career.
Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise, inseparable
From the first minutes of Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning part 1, we happily find all the codes of the saga now led by Christopher McQuarrie and Tom Cruise, which have become downright inseparable from each other. The regular director of the franchise since Rogue Nation knows how to do it, and it shows. Tension and a great show are on the agenda. In the four corners of the globe, the adventures follow one another at a hectic pace: pursuit on horseback in the desert, by car in Rome, on foot in Venice... A festival of pieces of bravery that gives the impression of being constantly at the heart of the action. And for good reason !
Girls in the spotlight
Always carried by the imputrescible Tom Cruise, the 60-year-old actor always gives himself without counting – and without a double – in a hallucinating variety of perilous situations with, as a high point, a simply breathtaking final sequence. The supporting female roles are also in the spotlight in this new opus, from Haley Atwell to Rebecca Ferguson (Silo) via Vanessa Kirby and the bewitching Pom Klementieff. All are remarkable in the skin of outstanding characters who sometimes lack downright stealing the limelight from the stainless Tom Cruise.
A masterful staging, in the genre
Make no mistake about it, McQuarrie's directing choices also play a big role in the effectiveness of all the action scenes. The camera angles are perfectly chosen, the editing always subtle, the rise in tension perfectly orchestrated. A work of goldsmith in the genre that has little to envy to the cinema of Hitchcock or De Palma, in the service of a complex but readable narration sublimated by a frenzied musical score.
Add to that a bit of but always well-timed humor and some uplifting movie references, including a tribute to James Bond in general and For Your Eyes Only (The Rome Chase) and The Spy who loved me in particular (its pre-credits refer to Cruise's motorbike stunt).
A memorable final sequence
Two caveats however: the film is not too long and we have definitely seen too many images before its cinema release with too many teasers, trailers, behind the scenes and other promo extracts, removing some of the mystery and sensationalism that the film had to offer us. Without it, the pleasure would have been monumental. This new opus is in any case one of the best films of the franchise and its final sequence is on the podium of the best action scenes of the whole saga.
After the successful bet of Tom Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise persists and signs in a new authentic, hard-hitting and entertaining blockbuster, where computer-generated images count less than real shots. Released July 12 in theaters. And soon the sequel!
