You’ve all seen Tom Cruise riding a motorcycle off a cliff in the first and second trailers for “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One”. Now, the first reactions from critics are in and they’re as strong, if not as strong as they were for ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’, the beloved newest installment of 2018. But mostly they’re shouting their praises like they’re Lo Cruise himself yelled (rightfully so) on set about the importance of Covid safety.
IndieWire’s Executive Editor of Film Kate Erbland said she did the “best work so far on the recent ‘Part 1 of 2!!’ features in feeling like a film of its own as it prepares for the next half. This alone is commendable because many of these films have struggled with this, ever since “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” ushered in the form in 2011.
This appears to be a slightly more story-oriented “Mission: Impossible” movie, but the action scenes within, while fewer than previously, are huge. “A huge variety of action and a final set that ranks 2-3 all-time for the franchise,” said Germain Lussier, noting that “it gets a little dense at times.”
Uproxx’s Mike Ryan shared a bit of his storyline, which apparently “Dead Reckoning” is an “ambitious examination/meditation on AI and the perilous path we may be walking down.” He noted, however, that it “isn’t as satisfying as FALLOUT”.
Erik Davis of Fandango also praised the feel of its own film: “I had a great time watching #MissionImpossible…it felt complete and made you want to see what’s next.”
People’s Nigel Smith may be the most enthused of all: “It’s reinvigorated my love for the summer blockbuster.”
Scott Mendelson of TheWrap was the most negative, however, saying the film was “a huge disappointment. Wobbly dialogue, weirdly sweeping acting, and short-cut narrative/narrative tricks that (being generous) felt like COVID-related issues. It felt “out” in a similar way to “Saw 3-D” after “Saw VI”. For the good of the industry, I hope I’m in the minority.”
