Starring Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby and Henry Crzerny. Written by Christopher McQuarrie and Erik Jendresen. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie. Budget $290 million. Running time 163 minutes.
Cruise returns to playing his favourite character Ethan Hunt for a globe trotting spectacular that not only doesn't outstay its welcome but also manages the impressive feat of seeming to be over in the flash of an eye, I was amazed when the credits started rolling after 2 hours and 47 minutes later.
The plot of this the seventh film in the franchise couldn't be easier to explain and sees all the governments and intelligence agencies of the world lose their collective minds over the opportunity of possessing a self-learning, seemingly self-aware AI programme that can penetrate any and all computer systems. Unleashing various groups of spies, agents, thieves and neer-do-wells to locate a two-piece key that will lead them to location of the device known as The Entity and it's up to Ethan and his IMF team to jolly well stop them, or die trying. And that's it!
Tying together all the various locations are a series of action beats, stunts and plot exposition that never disappoint, never out stay their welcome and never become boring. There's no soggy middle and because this is the first part of a two parter no disappointing conclusion.
The cast are all excellent, Cruise, love him or loathe him, is the last great movie star and carries this film single-handily. He brings such an easy charm and presence to the proceedings and his supporting cast are equally strong and up to the challenge of not outshining their boss. The film still manages to bring to the table a subtle sense of humour which certainly helps to ground the film, which is important for a film this fantastical and bat-shit bonkers. This feels like a big Bond film and since the demise of the world's favourite spy Mission Impossible amply fills the gap.
McQuarrie handles the action expertly and keeps the action moving briskly and enthusiastically.
It's also a pleasure to say that the much trailed cliff jump seen in the trailer isn't the a spoiler nor the best stunt of the film, but it sure is astonishing. Interesting to note that earlier last month the latest tedious and over-blown Farce and Furious movie, 'Fast X' dragged its sorry arse to the starting line and delivered a lacklustre and dull movie spouting the importance of family and other such shit. It also featured a sequence in Rome with car chases down the Spanish Steps, which due to some dull and ugly CGI looked as fake as anything else in the Uncanny Valley. In MI:DR it's a spectacular and exhilarating sequence. Having Cruise perform so many stunts himself really gives this film a reality that excites and delights in equal measure.
The first summer blockbuster that didn't disappoint and didn't elicit a 'that's better than I thought it would be.' I loved it, and can't wait to see it again.
9/10
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