The second coming of Mission: Impossible shows the series is more alive than ever – as it continues the winning streak that started with 2011’s Ghost Protocol.
The Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie collaboration can’t seem to do no wrong, as this builds on the success of Fallout, which in turn had built on the foundations of Rogue Nation.
This first of a two-parter that will (supposedly) end the franchise in its current guise, may be a little depressing for some tastes with its almost ‘Skynet scenario from Terminator’ starting to come true – but it’s still a cut above the rest.
That’s primarily due to the likeable cast, engaging storyline and some pulsating action set-pieces.
In this seventh series instalment, Cruise’s Ethan Hunt and his IMF team – including Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) – embark on their most dangerous mission yet, to track down a terrifying humanity-threatening weapon before it falls into the wrong hands.
And these wrong hands include powerful cyber terrorist – and old adversary of Hunt – Gabriel (La Bamba’s Esai Morales), aiming on using a technologically-advanced AI system – known as the Entity – to literally (sounding like a cliché) rule the world.
To do this comes in the form of a two-part key – which combined together will ‘control’ the Entity – which leads to everyone globe-trotting from Abu Dhabi to Rome, and Venice to the Orient Express, in a battle to find both pieces of the jigsaw.
Along the way Hunt makes alliances old – like Henry Czerny’s Kittridge from the 1996 original – and new – cue Hayley Atwell’s thief Grace as the female lead – along with some new adversaries in the form of Guardians of the Galaxy star Pom Klementieff as Gabriel’s French assassin.
What ensues is a rather brisk and breezy, nearly two-and-three-quarter-hour thriller, that is punctuated by some exhilarating all-action scenes – right up until the finale – which is headlined by a noteworthy Cruise/Atwell chemistry.
Hunt’s motorbike from mountain-top parachute scene, and general all-round train sequence ending, are just two stand-out highlights.
In short, Cruise and McQuarrie deliver yet again with another high-octane thrill-ride – which puts most competition in the genre ‘dead to rights.’
Which will lead to you already looking forward to the final day of reckoning next year – as this truly impresses on Cruise control.
He’s quite literally a one-man Hollywood box-office machine.
ESP Rating: 4/5
Gavin Miller
Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough, Out Now
Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Esai Morales, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Henry Czerny, Vanessa Kirby, Pom Klementieff, Shea Whigham, Frederick Schmidt, Greg Tarzan Davis & Cary Elwes
Running Time: 2 Hrs 43 Mins
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
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