In this seventh installment of the TV-series-turned-action-cinema-franchise, Mission: Impossible takes a futuristic leap into the field of artificial intelligence, delivering a heart-stopping story under the direction of Christopher McQuarrie (2015) that surpasses its predecessors from Rogue Nation (2018). Breathtaking spectacle and pulse-racing tension elevate this installment, leaving its audience excited and clamoring for more.
Three decades have passed since Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) pledged allegiance to the IMF, the secret organization known as the Impossible Mission Force. Its cult obliges members to “live and die in the shadows for those we hold close and those we never meet.
Over the years, Hunt has repeatedly saved the world, with his final mission involving defusing nuclear bombs. Now, he faces a contemporary adversary – an omnipresent and sinister artificial intelligence ominously named “The Entity.
Movie Storyline
While the plot may have some holes big enough to accommodate the Orient Express, the film compensates with an electrifying dose of pure adrenaline entertainment that will undoubtedly leave audiences excited and hungry for more.
Although not an unprecedented concept, the notion of the Singularity, in which technology surpasses human intelligence, was previously explored in Jack Paglen’s script for the 2014 film Transcendence.
Fast forward a decade, and Mission: Impossible 7 descends into the realm of sentient viral intelligence, a contemporary threat that is “everywhere and nowhere – godless, stateless, immoral.” This AI manipulates information to such an extent that the very concept of truth is jeopardized.
Strangely, the key to combating this modern threat is decidedly old-fashioned – an unusual, crucifix-shaped dongle reminiscent of Archimedes’ Antikythera and the Dial of Destiny in Indiana Jones. The dongle, broken into two pieces, will have to be reunited to reveal its secrets.
The IMF issues a mission to recover this unique key, which is transmitted in familiar self-destructing tapes, except through modern communication methods such as voicemail or encrypted WhatsApp messages. In a twist of irony, the characters find refuge in an offline analog room, a sanctuary beyond the entity’s reach.
Starcast Performance
Various factions vie for control of the entity, seeking to weaponize its power. Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) holds a vital piece of the puzzle, making her a target because “the fate of the world depends on finding whatever it opens.”
This inspires Ethan Hunt to set out on a globe-trotting quest, starting with a pre-credits sequence involving a submarine chase on horseback through the desert across the Bering Strait, Amsterdam, and other locations. A sandstorm with pit stops in places ends in a shootout.
The return of realistic rubberized masks also serves as an early reminder that the world of Mission: Impossible is one where even Jason Statham might reconsider the feasibility of the Face/Off machine.
Amidst the high-stakes action, a playful caper vibe pervades the narrative, especially when Ethan Hunt connects with Hayley Atwell’s light-hearted grace.
A car chase involving a handcuffed Fiat 500 heading up the Spanish Steps of Rome offers echoes of the Mini-fueled fun in The Italian Job, complete with a cheeky nod to Battleship Potemkin. The banter between Cruise and Atwell adds delightful old-school screwball flavor to the mix.
The plot, although somewhat loosely connected, unfolds with James Bond flair during a mission at a lavish party, where Vanessa Kirby steals the scene with her girly charm, and a threat of an impending war when the truth disappears gives a warning.
Direction and Production
It serves as a prologue to a Don’t Look Now-inspired chase through the labyrinthine streets of Venice. Esai Morales, best known for his thrilling role in Ozark, brilliantly embodies the villain Gabriel, described as “the Entity’s chosen angel.”
While Cruise continues to display the physical strength of someone under 40, a late-developing Richard Gere-style blinky squint adds a touch of nostalgic maturity to his otherwise enduring boyish charm.
The combination of light-hearted capers, action-packed sequences, and subtle character development creates a unique cocktail of entertainment in this Mission: Impossible installment. The film comes out with an impressively gender-neutral approach towards action, where men and women engage in the thrill of war with equal enjoyment.
Special praise goes to Pom Klementieff, whose relentless and predominantly silent killer, Paris, could easily rival Grace Jones in A View to a Kill.
Yomovies Conclusion
The story slowly builds to a jaw-dropping climax set on a train, with the spectacle of Tom Cruise authentically riding a motorcycle to the top of a real mountain, a set piece for the astonishing action sequences that follow. It’s just an appetite enhancer.
It’s not just an action sequence; it’s one of the most audaciously long and riveting performances I’ve ever seen, one that left my nails not only cut but gnawed to the bone. The realization that this is merely “the beginning” becomes cause for celebration and sets the stage for anticipation of Dead Reckoning Part Two.
The film has managed to push the boundaries of action cinema, delivering a gender-inclusive and pulse-pounding experience that transcends expectations, leaving audiences eagerly awaiting the next installment.
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