Rod and Karen review the latest Tom Cruise Impossible White Man Movie™ the long-awaited, “Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning: Part One
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SMR 459: Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One
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Hi Rod and Karen,
To respond to the Ving Rhames discussion, Rhames and Cruise are the only actors who have been in all of the MI films.
I enjoyed Dead Reckoning Part 1. I was not bothered by the length of the film, I really didn’t notice it. I was however bothered by the Esai Morales as the sub-villain, Gabriel. By setting the character up as a tool of the AI, he was in some ways irrelevant because so many people were willing to sell their souls to the AI Devil. So, I agree he needed to have a story that justified his presence there.
I agree that absent Part 2, this film gets a four star rating. I too reserve the right to amend my rating based on how the film concludes.
Quick note about Ving’s history in Mission: Impossible: He’s been in every one to date, even Ghost Protocol. The reason he was only in that film as a cameo, was contractual things that weren’t ironed out before hand. Basically this nigga wanted roughly $8 million of them Ethan Hunt dollar bills, which, fuck yeah, he deserves it, being in these since film 1. Luckily, they fixed it and he gets to continuously cook on-screen. Simon Pegg, who plays Benji Dunn’s, been in these since M:I-3. Pretty much M:I lifers. Dudes got that Impossible White Man halo over their heads.
I love you Rod and Karen, great guys and the best in the podcasting game, but when it comes to the MI Franchise allow me the Stephen A Smith voice for a moment. However… just kidding
I just came out of Alamo Drafthouse, and I’m I glad to see a review already here. Ya’ll covered all the necessary, but allow me to put on my favorite field agent leather jacket and hat played by Ving Rhames with Stephen A Smith excitement to drop a couple of what excited me.
Little stuff like Luther pointing out that the villain is actually afraid of Ethan, both the AI and Gabriel. The AI done did that Dr Strange 14 million spying into the future and saw the 1 future it got fucked was by Ethan. I felt Luther getting that line before dipping (just like agent me would) was huge. Yeah I would have loved to see more of Gabriel especially talking.
Might be a stretch, but hear me out. I feel like not only Grace would be a part of the IMF and the team in the future, we might have just been introduced to 2 or possibly 3 others. Might not have been perfectly executed, however Paris still has a pulse and might accept the choice. Degas literally said the same thing as Ethan about the power of the key and was beginning to think more like an IMF agent than regular CIA, maybe that’s why we spent a lot of time with him and Briggs â€â™‚ï¸.
Finally, I know for sure that I prefer IMF recruitment style to the Ethan Hunt team over the most popular Family in movies. I couldn’t stop thinking about that when they made their pitch to Grace, I kept waiting for one to say “Family.” Look what Dom has done to me. Let me go parachute jump in the flatest spot in Prospect Park, nah I’ll do it in the kids sand lot. MI always makes me want to stunt on them hoes in these streets. Tom Cruise what stunt you got for Part 8, bring it!
Nope, I listened to my own AI and didn’t do any real life stunt except while dreaming. Appreciate your reviews always!
Textbook M:I entry. It’s long, maybe needed to retool the AI narrative by streamlining the story in the editing room. Granted, time usually comes back to heavy allegories of technology running amuck. Not to mention COVID kicking this movie’s ass like Pom Klementiff was doing to Tom Cruise in that tight quarters alleyway scene. Them crew members probably had on portable vice grips with the pressure Cruise put on his cast & crew. While I’m glad this film wasn’t shut down, adding even more anxiety to just making wasn’t a good thing for all parties.
The action in this bad boy is astounding. Certainly not as good as John Wick 4 but there’s a steady, kinetic flourish to it, like in prior Mission films. I’m reluctantly content with Iysa Faust dying here, but I do think it would’ve been better if we saw the team expand instead of lose a beating heart that is Faust. Probably contracts, Chris McQuarrie made something in writing or Ferguson, herself, wanted out. Felt like something could’ve redeemee her outright. Now, Hayley Atwell was rock solid, but Ferguson is just a more ranger actress. But that’s my opinion on that. Film’s very funny; I even love the joke about the IMF as a governmental title. Impossible Mission Force sounds like a ridiculous organization in a video game, not real life. Love seeing Henry Czerny return as the omnipresent Kittridge and some callbacks to the original M:I feature release. Also, props to Esai Morales, Vanessa Kirby, Pom, Ving “we have the meats” Rhames, Simon Pegg, Shea Whigham & Greg Tarzan Davis. Speaking of Shea & Greg being the running duo of trying to nab Ethan? Yeah, they stretched that shit harder than the excuses for Josh Allen’s turnover issues in the NFL. I was getting my life to it, so I wasn’t completely bothered with their inclusion. Needed a meatier plot thread but I like them in however they’re being used.
Cruise is a mad man. Cool, you’re doing this for us, the viewing public. However, my man, stop breaking my fragile heart with these pulse-pounding stunts, lol. The mountain jump isn’t as good as when Ethan scaled that building in Protocol or in Fallout running on top a building, which them sweet shots of Tom running look so good, so major props to McQuarrie there, from a direction standpoint, but, there’s such impressive build to it and the final product delivers.
This is another expertly made Mission. It’s not as good as Ghost Protocol, Fallout or even the first one, but it’s right there with Rogue Nation and better than Three & Two. I’m pretty confident things will be tied up in Part Two. The film ends admirably, for what it’s worth. Not the rushed cliffhanger from Fast X, so glad there was a clear mission for round 2. I’m seeing this again in IMAX on Thursday, so I’m probably going to have my brain completely explode with joy by that resolution & screen fidelity. Long live Cruise, long live Mission: Impossible. Peace!