Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning 1 (Mark Kermode spy-fy film review).

Mark Kermode, our man of many movies, is here to tell you all about his review of spy-fy movie Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning part 1. Watch it above. But what did we here at SFcrowsnest Tower think of it? Read on. Contains mild spoilers.

Well, well, well, Tom Cruise is at it again. Not content with merely running, leaping, climbing and clambering his way through six previous ‘Mission: Impossible’ movies, he’s back for another adrenaline-fuelled jaunt as indefatigable IMF agent Ethan Hunt in the seventh installment, ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One‘. This time, it’s not just any old mission, but a downright impossible one. You see, nothing screams “spy thriller” quite like an out-of-control artificial intelligence system, a mysteriously vanishing submarine, and an elusive pickpocket. The only thing this film is missing is a kitchen sink, and even that may be in there somewhere.

The film, directed by Christopher McQuarrie, premieres with the stakes higher than ever, with Ethan Hunt and his faithful IMF team on the trail of “the Entity,” an AI system that seems to have had a few too many Red Bulls. The Entity has already escaped into the internet, infiltrating every major military system and intelligence network without causing any apparent damage. The mission, should they choose to accept it – and, spoiler alert, they do – is to destroy this uncontrollable, potentially sentient AI. You know, just a typical day in the office for the IMF.

Fans of SFcrowsnest might question whether a spy action film has enough science fiction elements to warrant inclusion in our magazine. But trust us, the blend of high-tech intrigue and classic spy action in ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ is enough to make even the most stalwart SFcrowsnest reader quiver in delight. Our beloved Ethan Hunt, who in previous outings grappled with rogue nations, plutonium cores and nuclear-armed drones, is now dealing with a rogue AI that could not only spell disaster for him but for the entire world. If that’s not a turn into the realm of sci-fi, then I don’t know what is.

The Mission: Impossible series, like a surprisingly spry septuagenarian, has been defying expectations since its birth. Yet somehow, McQuarrie and his team have raised the bar even higher with ‘Dead Reckoning’.

The characters are as colourful as a spy’s exploding paint palette. Our main man, Ethan Hunt, played by Cruise with his trademark panache, is joined by a diverse ensemble cast that ranges from old favourites (Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell, Simon Pegg as Benji Dunn) to fresh faces (Hayley Atwell as Grace, a thief whose loyalties are as fluid as an Etch A Sketch drawing). And then there’s the dastardly antagonist, Gabriel, played with chilling aplomb by Esai Morales, who is essentially Ethan’s former best friend turned AI-obsessed maniac. He may lack the theatrics of a James Bond villain, but what he lacks in style, he makes up for with a terrifying calmness that’s as unnerving as an email with the subject line “We need to talk”.

The sheer audacity of ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ is truly a sight to behold. At an estimated budget of $290 million, it ranks among the most expensive films ever made, but you won’t hear any grumbles from this corner. In an era of minimalism and subtlety, it’s delightfully refreshing to witness a film that revels in its grandeur and spectacle, from nail-biting chases across Rome and Venice to edge-of-your-seat moments on a runaway train.

There’s a promise of ‘Dead Reckoning Part Two’ on the horizon, set to be released in June 2024. If ‘Part One’ is any indication, we can look forward to more thrills, spills, and improbable missions that Ethan Hunt will, somehow, pull off. We can’t wait to see what new ways the team will find to declare, “Mission: Impossible,” before achieving exactly that.

All in all, ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ is a roller coaster of a film, a joyride through the thrilling peaks and valleys of impossible missions, enigmatic AIs and international intrigue. So, buckle up, SFcrowsnest readers. It’s going to be one hell of a ride.