Film Review – Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

After the success of 1996’s “Mission: Impossible,” the series embarked on an interesting creative experiment, allowing different directors to have their way with the big screen spy game, bringing their own essence to the franchise. Such tinkering with tone ended with 2015’s “Rogue Nation,” with star Tom Cruise finding his guy in writer/director Christopher McQuarrie, with the pair returning for 2018’s “Fallout.” McQuarrie’s handling of IMF adventures has been slightly uneven, delivering massive visuals and unsteady storytelling, but he finds his rhythm with “Dead Reckoning Part One,” which is the most cohesive and thrilling sequel since 2011’s “Ghost Protocol,” with the helmer (and co-writer Erik Jendresen) finding ideal balance between spectacle and espionage. “Dead Reckoning Part One” is a massive feature and the longest picture of the “Mission: Impossible” series (164 minutes), but Cruise and McQuarrie are determined to make it a rocket ride, crafting a delightfully propulsive and suspenseful movie. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com