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MESSAGE IN THE MOVIES

When I first read that the new Mission: Impossible film was 2½ hours long and only the first part of a two-part movie, I sighed. Much to my delight, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One not only assuaged my fears but demonstrated just how pleasurable a long action film could be.

This is the seventh film in the franchise, but you do not need to remember or rewatch every episode that came before. Like the best James Bond films, the first scene introduces a sinister adversary. It’s The Entity, an A.I. program that has the capacity to infiltrate every computer system in the world. Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) will need to find two interlocking pieces that create a master key that can change the programming of The Entity and save the planet from major catastrophe.

Others want to possess this key for their own purposes, so the race is on!

This is silly and generic plotting, but just enough to set up some of the most entertaining action sequences in recent years. Tom Cruise spent weeks in rehearsal to perform some of his most dangerous feats, assisted by dozens of professional stunt actors.

In addition to Cruise’s ability to run really fast with style, there are sequences with real planes, trains and automobiles combined with digital and practical effects that create a world with gravity and weight, rather than the manufactured unreality of CGI landscapes.

Ethan Hunt has a new companion in this film. She is Grace (Atwell), a pickpocket who is also seeking the master key for a prospective buyer. Ethan’s main adversary is Gabriel (Esai Morales), but he is also being chased by an enemy from the past (Vanessa Kirby), a crazy assassin (Pom Klementieff), and government agents (Shea Wigham and Greg Tarzan Davis). Hunt’s high tech IMF colleagues Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg) are there to help out, as well as former IMF director Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny) who would like to be more in control of things than Ethan will allow.

There is no need to overthink anything here. Just let this large cast loose to bump against each other in amusing ways and you will have a great time at the movies.

There are a number of other things worth mentioning:

The movie is family-friendly, with just a few swear words, non-graphic violence, and no sex scenes.

The brawls do not involve collateral damage to civilians or public buildings. (Although there are plenty of car crashes.)

There are many strong women characters and no romantic subplots.

There is a real sense of humor that keeps everything light and lively.

Is there a message in this movie? Not really. Sometimes, it just feels good to leave your troubles for a while and let a movie entertain you. You will exit the theater with a smile on your face, and that’s well worth the price of a ticket.

Halo and Pitchfork Rating:

Three halos: An exciting and fun time at the movies.
Two pitchforks: Brief swearing; much fighting and violence; pickpocketing.

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