'Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One' Review

[@Robyamdam]

That car chase was everything the car chase in Spectre was supposed to be

[@Kinogotiate]

One of the best in years for sure.

[@greatwuta]

You are right, considering it was filmed in the same city as in Spectre. That car chase scene in Spectre was a commercial

[@tmmartinesq.6216]

Car chase too long and a retread.

[@greatwuta]

@@tmmartinesq.6216 Which one? Spectre or MI7?

[@utkarshkumar4990]

Spectre car chase was horrible.

[@ARBLACKx]

When this franchise started, the Brosnan era had only just begun with Goldeneye coming out the year before. Tom Cruise has outlasted both Brosnan's and Craig's tenure as Bond, that's crazy lol

[@joetheplummer8128]

Tom is 10 years younger than Pierce, and 5 years older than Craig.

[@NelsonStJames]

And Cruise is now older than Roger Moore when everybody was joking that Moore was too old for the part, and I don't think anybody wants Cruise to stop being Ethan Hunt.

[@michaelsinger4638]

How they handled Ilsa was incredibly disappointing. Kind of a misfire there. That being said, the rest of the film was REALLY good. Pom Klementieff would be such a good Bond villain. She was fantastic here.

[@Murph_gaming]

Was surprised they did what they did. Really liked Rebecca Ferguson's character.

[@VulKus117]

I was so goddamn annoyed with how treated her character here. I really hated the writing of this film.

[@keysersoze8110]

Explain to me how she wasn’t “fridged”. Her death added nothing to the plot and only existed to propel the journey of The Man. Unless Ferguson requested to leave (or it was a REALLY deep fake out and she’ll turn up halfway through part 2 to the surprise of the Entity), I’m not happy about that. But I’m reserving judgement until I’ve seen part 2.

[@SaberRexZealot]

I’m positive that she’s coming back in Part 2. Her death was way too understated to be legitimate. But yeah, it did leave a bad taste initially, especially because Grace feels like a replacement.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@keysersoze8110 Hopefully Rebecca will talk about it before too long. I do wonder if she was only free for a limited time as she was filming Dune and Silo and maybe she did want to move on [she's done promo's with Hayley Atwell almost to say to the audience 'I'm fine with her taking over']. While I don't really want to defend it [as I'd rather they kept the character alive] It does effect the plot as the entity is hoping it will provoke Ethan to killing Gabriel [who Killed Marie in the past] in revenge and hence lose the trail of the Entity for good, hence why Luther empathises to Ethan to keep him alive. It also puts a spanner in the works of Ethan's plan as using Ilsa to double for the White Widow would have been far easier than having to use rookie Grace.

[@tomwallace4134]

I love how there's a truck in the Orient Express sequence that's an homage to From Russia With Love, it shows how the filmmakers appreciate Bond's cinematic legacy

[@mck-qt7hu]

Loved that too

[@tlshortyshorty5810]

I wonder if I was the only one who caught that; identical yellow truck lmao

[@jamesphilipson1289]

This went over my head. Damn

[@ForceMaximus84]

I didn’t notice it until you mentioned it. Just reminds me that Bond needs to get better, film-wise.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Tom Cruise must be glad of the day he met Christopher McQuarrie. At the start of the 2010's he had to take a pay cut for Ghost Protocol while the studio were wanting to give the series to Jeremy Renner while at that point Top Gun 2 [which was in early development] was only going to have Maverick in a cameo. While not everything he's done has been a success [such as 'The Mummy'], he's really been on a roll recently.

[@davidjames579]

I'd say McQuarrie feels the same way. His directing career was over after his first film The Way Of The Gun (2000) flopped. He settled into being a screenwriter often for his creative partner (uh ummm) Bryan Singer. It was on Singer's Vendetta that Cruise met McQuarrie and a creative partnership and friendship was formed. Cruise used his power to let McQuarrie direct the much anticipated Jack Reacher, and after that Mission Impossible 5. He even contributed to Top Gun Maverick. Now one of the most sought after action directors, he's been courted for DC, Star Wars, and James Bond.

[@spaceodds1985]

Saw it at the BFI IMAX on Monday afternoon and it’s what blockbuster spy cinema should be, which is intriguing colossal fun. A ridiculous and chilling Macgiffin, a flawed and forgettable villain, a great new additional character introduction in Grace, and a disappointing fate for a much loved character. And yet, all that aside, the film is an absolute entertaining fest. A well paced and intricately plotted spectacle, with characterisation (villain aside) being damn decent. Very much the best film of the season, so far.

[@neiltaylor6645]

Even though there was no imax scenes

[@WH250398]

Watching this movie after Indiana Jones was the exact same experience to me as watching Top Gun Maverick after No Time To Die.

[@residentsteve]

All really good movies imo.

[@joshhunt4146]

@@residentsteveagreed. Top Gun Maverick is my favourite of the 4 but the other 3 are still pretty great

[@tobylerone4285]

No Time to Die has its flaws but it doesn’t deserve that

[@WH250398]

@@tobylerone4285 That's why i said "for me". I'm completely ok with you liking it.

[@SaberRexZealot]

No Time to Die is a much much more competent film than Dial of Destiny lol. Don’t do it that hard

[@MarkSlavin]

The pre titles sequence was like a modern retelling of something out of a Roger Moore bond crossed with Hunt for red October (and that's a good thing).

[@mylo3153]

I like how it took around 5 years for your fallout review but less than a week for dead reckoning

[@knownpleasures]

He only saw fallout last week! Lol

[@NelsonStJames]

I know right, it seemed like I waited forever for Calvin to review a film I was pretty sure he was going to love.

[@Ali-xs2ij]

His character development is awesome. He went from not liking the series to being a fan.

[@DakMT]

It's so funny how I have the exact opposite opinion of Grace as Calvin. I loved Grace right away. I found her so charming, interesting,and fun. For me Ilsa had kinda run her course. I was never that enthralled with her character. I got a little tired of the "is she on Ethan's side or not" gag. I definitely have similar issues with the movie because it's a part one but I must say that the Cruise and Mcquarrie do a pretty good job of tying off this film as best they can. Most movies really don't do that when it comes to a part one hangover.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Ilsa was a very popular character in the fan base but I get your point. I think they could have made her fully part of the team [like the ending of Fallout seemed to suggest] and developed the part but the start of this film almost feels like 'reset' and at least she went down fighting. Agreed they did a good job of making 'part 1' feel like it's own film.

[@LittenMandrake]

Good call on the "To Catch a Thief" nod and I agree, I think the movie was littered in Bond homages which is unusual as MI usually has its own distinct style. The handcuffs from Tomorrow Never Dies, the Citroën from For Your Eyes Only, the fight outside the train was extremely similar to Octopussy, and the way the cliff jump was shot/the music cuts out was very similar to The Spy Who Loved Me. Felt more like a Bond movie than we've had in probably a decade and unlike with Craig, the emotional stakes feel organic and not manipulative

[@charlesmaesschalck3890]

The cliff jump rips off Goldeneye

[@filipratkovic5561]

Wrote a similar comment, but as soon as the film opened with submarine getting in trouble, just like Spy Who Loved Me, I was feeling this. Although there were Bond inspired moments in previous ones too, I wouldn't say it's unusual, just not as many

[@Goldmember1208]

The intro is similar to tomorrow never dies too, something is fooling a submarine(ship in tnd) and they die tragically without really understanding why and how.

[@tmmartinesq.6216]

​@@charlesmaesschalck3890Totally. Train top scene was a 007 rip off, too and even the cliff jump derivative if TSWLM ski jump scene.

[@tmmartinesq.6216]

​@@Goldmember1208True.

[@virtualee2000]

Unclear why Ilsa didn't just shoot Gabriel in the back at the bridge in Venice. Why stand behind him for a minute, until he notices her, then indulge in some kind of assassin's code?

[@TequilaToothpick]

She didn't have a gun.

[@boomerdoug4242]

Very good review. I've just watched Dead Reckoning Part 1. LOVED IT....but agree with all of your points. I feel MI3 is very under rated. Unfortunately it was released when Tom Cruise was at the height of his " couch jumping" era and fell out of favour. This is where the genesis of the series we love starts ( not to mention Simon Pegg's Benji being introduced). From Ghost Protocol onwards the series is almost flawless.

[@davidjames579]

The lift from previous spy films for me was Billion Dollar Brain (produced by Harry Saltzman). A super computer that gives orders to assassinate targets based on their behaviour and likeliness to become an enemy. The orders are given to a human to carry out who can't disagree with them. The computer even phones up Harry Palmer. And all in 1967! Oh, and the villain carrying out these kills is a long lost former friend of the hero, who's gone to the Dark Side.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Tellingly the makers of the 'Ipcress File' TV show have said if it gets a second series [which there has been no update on] it's 'Billion Dollar Brain' they want to tackle.

[@davidjames579]

@@jamesatkinsonja That's interesting. So they skipped Funeral In Berlin.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@davidjames579 I guess there skipping it [if series 2 happens] as they used bits and pieces in 'Ipcress', mainly to get the fan favourite character Stok into the narrative [played by NTTD's David Dencik].

[@Dan_Roland]

I love how every big action sequence had so many subplots and independent parties all running along concurrently. Left the theater feeling like I got 5 movies for the price of one.

[@HOTD108_]

The excitement of 5 movies packed into half a story. Tom Cruise, the absolute madman.

[@monicamerle1417]

I hated what they did to Ilsa's character. After that I lost investment. It went from a 9 to a 7 rating scale. And the "part 1 excuse" doesn't justify some plot points decisions made here

[@stephanthienel]

To me this is the most Bondian MI yet. Starting with the villain and the henchmen/women. The opener really reminded me of the submarine sequence from the Spy Who Loved Me, and so does the motorcycle jump in way, quite similar to the ski jump imo. And indeed the little yellow Fiat…

[@J-Dawg81]

yeah it was very Moore era Bond-ish?

[@spacemann1425]

The most Bond-ian MI is MI2. They literally tried to make Ethan Hunt like 007.

[@stephanthienel]

@@J-Dawg81 well the stunts are. On top of a train just like Octopussy. Also if you look at the prior movies, a jump out of an airplane just like Moonraker, clinging on to a plane just like Octopussy.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@spacemann1425 Because MI2 made nearly $185 million more than World is Not Enough it lead to Bond trying to imitate it with Die Another Day [with MGM even trying to get John Woo to direct]...

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@stephanthienel I think they were more calling back to the first MI film where Hunt fights on top of a train.

[@calreid3208]

The first M:I where the stakes are raised to reflect significant consequences for the central cast. The three McQuarrie films have steadily broken away from the sense of safety guaranteed to the audience, despite the escalating death-defying stunts. What's excellent is that it feels so different from both Rogue Nation and Fallout.

[@movies_are_life]

Love the nod to Tomorrow Never Dies. Definitely see some Italian Job in that chase, too. It will be interesting the new 007 films will try to replicate the high action of the M:I and John Wick movies, or go the way of smart spy films with some action thrown in. Hopefully the latter!

[@jamesatkinsonja]

I presume both TND and this film are referencing the handcuff element from 'The 39 steps'. If they go the latter, I feel 'The Batman' would be a good starting point given that is a different kind of origin story [he's established but inexperienced] while being a mystery along with action.

[@charlesmaesschalck3890]

Italian Job. For Your Eyes Only blatantly ripped off.

[@davidjames579]

@@charlesmaesschalck3890 They had the same Stunt Driving Team. And John Glen was a Second Unit Director on IJ and directed FYEO.

[@Mike-xh8fl]

I sat staring at Gabriel with a sense of deja-vu for ages until I worked out he was the lieutenant from the later seasons of NYPD Blue, lol

[@robertwild9447]

I've just gotta say I've loved seeing you come around on this series Calvin. I've been a fan of this franchise for over a decade, and I'm just delighted that you share the same love and appreciation I have for Fallout, which is still my favorite in the series 🙂

[@thegreatburt9005]

Loved the film. I was constantly thinking that Cruise is the 21st Century's Buster Keaton. The train crash at the climax seemed like a nod to Busters the General

[@residentsteve]

It was very uncharted 2 imo really liked it.

[@davidjames579]

McQuarrie said it is a homage to The General.

[@alexdas2000]

Tom Cruise is the 21st century’s Michael Keaton

[@Allenryan819]

Just a fun fact, that Tom Cruise’s is three years older than Roger Moore was in a view to a kill his last movie.

[@marcokrueger3399]

Compared to many other "Part 1"-movies (like F&F), Tom Cruise has mastered the art of "always leave them wanting more". And hell did I want more! What a fantastic movie that is, especially pacing, cut and sounddesign. I saw it in one of the best cinemas in europe and it was just astonishing 🔥🔥🔥 (Spoiler) A word about the Macguffin: I would even argue there's two macguffins. The keys and the submarine. Ethan just doesn't know what he is looking for til the very end.

[@damienhine1861]

I'm really hoping Ilsa somehow managed to *spoilers* fake her death *spoilers* . The character is always up to tricks and we never know what's going on with her so I guess we'll have to see in part 2.

[@jimmyboy7817]

Saw the movie last week and loved it. It's remarkable to think how Tom Cruise is now 61 and is still nailing it as Ethan Hunt while poor Roger Moore was copping flack for still playing James Bond at 57 in A View to a Kill. Meanwhile, Sean Connery was playing Indiana Jones' father in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade at 59 and was doing other roles like The Hunt for Red October and The Russia House at Tom Cruises's age. People age better nowadays with, with some aging better than others!

[@jamesatkinsonja]

I does amuse me how one of the biggest critics of Roger in View was Roger himself ['I was about 400 years too old for the part!]

[@christianemden7637]

Also Connery didn’t get old he got better and better.

[@jlrs-t7v]

M:I-7 echoes much of the very first M:I film. Kitteridge returns, train sequence as the finale, filmed in a similar manner and both contain a fake death on a bridge. Yes, I said it, Ilsa wll be back for Part Two.

[@Ali-xs2ij]

I liked the movie as much as i liked Rogue Nation. Fallout felt more climatic but that's the nature of this movie being a Part 1. I think "The Entity" is such a timely and interesting villain and i can see the new Bond dealing with the same kind of villain.

[@reillyliner]

**SPOILER** I am not at all convinced that Ilsa is dead. I’d encouraged everyone to go watch again. NOW-yea, she might be dead. But consider a few thoughts: (1) every time you have a two part film, you need some powerful links between to them. Ilsa’s return and Grace’s surprising alliance with Kittridge would do that. (2) The very first scene in the series was a woman on Ethan’s team faking a bloody death (3) Luther’s big oration in this picture was the need to trick the AI and to protect those Ethan loves somehow (4) when you watch again, look how many times Ethan does slight of hand magic in the movie, it is a major theme (5) the theme is so heavily “death” and “heavenly judgement” in the movie that Ilsa’s passing is “on the nose”. Especially after the desert intro. We are possibly set up for a big surprise… how did they fake a knife to the chest? I don’t know. I’m 50/50 on whether it’s a fake. But the last thing I would remind you of is that Gabriel’s knives were on the table at the club scene just before and the camera zoomed in on them. Ilsa even looks at them I believe. I think she switched them.

[@tashrif46]

0:45 Fallout is not only the best Mission Impossible movie, its probably one of the greatest action movies ever made

[@jameslonogan1799]

I hope we find out why Gabriel worships the Entity to the point of being willing to die for it.

[@ralphroshia9247]

Here is my list 1 Rogue Nation 2 Fallout 3 Ghost Protocol 4 Dead Reckoning part 1 5 Mission Impossible 6 Mission Impossible 3 7 Mission Impossible 2

[@TequilaToothpick]

Almost the exact same as mine, I would just push Dead Reckoning two spots up.

[@CursoryMercenary]

I loved this film, just saw it today with my wife. I saw numerous scenes which were maybe 'nods' to classic spy films. The beetle car chase took me back to For your eyes only when Bond and Melina outran bad guys in a mini car, also the train escape took me to the video game Uncharted which had a similar scene. The fight on the train took me back to the first film in the series as well between Hunt & Phelps. I enjoyed Hayley Atwell's performance and also I enjoyed Esai Morales too as an NYPD Blue fan it was great to see him back on the screen.

[@DeweyFinn21]

I know some people have a problem only getting half a story, but considering they never tried to hide the fact that this was a Part 1, unlike a couple films this year (Spiderverse, Fast X) I was able to correctly adjust my expectations, and as such I really enjoyed this movie. It's probably my third favorite of the franchise.

[@HOTD108_]

The recent Spiderverse was announced as a Part 1 when the studio first confirmed it was being made, and that "Part 1" label was included in the title in some countries, but yeah they probably could have done a better job communicating that fact to everyone.

[@DeweyFinn21]

@@HOTD108_ Yeah. But then they changed the title of part 2, and made it seem like it would be a movie that works standalone. This is the year where Infinity War and Endgame's success comes to haunt Hollywood. The difference there is that Infinity War gave an ending for the plot of that movie. It was a sad ending where the heroes lost, but it was an ending to that movie. Spiderverse just stops halfway through the plot and expects people to be okay with that. It's why I'm much more forgiving of Mission Impossible because they haven't tried to trick the general audience.

[@LittenMandrake]

This movie had a feel like "Infinity War" or "Deathly Hallows Part 1" where the stakes are extremely high and it's a little less "fun" even though you still get everything you're looking for and it's a great watch. My rankings after this installment: 4, 5, 6, 3, 7, 1, 2. I enjoyed Part 1 a lot but I think 8 has the potential to be the best after all of this build up (hopefully Hunt doesn't die in the end though)

[@strikerbowls791]

Less fun? The airport scene??

[@robertwild9447]

Another great film in the series, this is easily one of the greatest action series of all time. Fallout is still my favorite, but I absolutely can't wait for Dead Reckoning Part 2. My only major problem is how they handle Ilsa Faust, but I can't say how I feel for sure about it until we see Part Two. I actually have a really strong feeling not everything is how it seems, I expect to see some big twists and reveals in the next one!

[@Primodummy92]

SPOILERS I was kind of disappointed by the film which is a shame considering my love for Fallout. For me it just didn't connect in the same way as it had way too much going on for a simple premise. I think it was mainly down to an overload of characters that didn't need to be there. Briggs and Degas (I had to look their names up!) contributed so little I forgot they were there most of the time and when they did turn up it was more that the writers remembered to add them to the end of the scene rather than have them do anything of consequence. Where were they when shots were being fired on the train? Sipping Negronis in the diner car no doubt... It honestly felt like most of the characters spoke like Mr White in Spectre (there's even the line about smoke in a hurricane!) which also killed the pacing of the film as it would regularly stop to have scenes that would essentially recap the last ten minutes to explain the stakes. Every other scene was someone (Kittridge especially) talking in breathy trailer speak about how the world has changed and how The Entity is going to stamp on your flowers, swap your coffee with decaf etc instead of just showing us. The voice swap with Benji was a terrific example of it being utilised instead of characters frequently telling us of the threat! I'm interested with part 2 but have little interest with Gabriel and I hope Paris returns or she will have been wasted! Like Spectre it just doesn't work when you try to force an antagonist in through dubious origins that vaguely link to the main character. The writing of this one felt clumsier than the previous entries, a FALLOUT of making this a two part story no doubt.

[@xexasperon]

totally agree. i had high expectations for this as ive always enjoyed MI movies but the unearned emotional stakes w Grace and Paris, cheesy opening dialogue, and dramatic close ups had me rolling my eyes. (SPOILERS). the shoe horned pre-IMF backstory didnt work for me as he`s not a new character with no past; we know him well since 1996 and thats not what he looked like then. And lets see what Gabriel becomes in part 2 but he "acted" like the AI, not like he was working for it and he speaks like the AI is a magic eight ball. I did smile everytime they made a Bond reference though: from the FYEO yellow car, to the doorless Quantum car chase, the GE motorcycle jump, Xenia`s crazed thigh stunts, but the fabricated "he loses every woman he loves" was a bridge too far as it didnt feel like Ethan at all. However they did make me chuckle w the TND handcuff reference, explaining why Bond purposefully chose the motorbike over a car as he couldnt have driven a car riding shotgun

[@davidjames579]

@@xexasperon As a big fan of McQuarrie's MI films I have to agree. The perfectly paced tension of Fallout was replaced with too much talking. I understand that this may have been as a result of Covid conditions filming, but man do we get a lot of it, and it's not great. That opening with the secret service heads each delivering a line about the threat I thought must have been scripted by Simon Pegg as it felt like a spoof of this kind of dialog. It honestly felt like I was watching Spaced. It made me laugh but I don't think that was the intention. That aside the threat was actually quite scary, more than you'd expect from something you can't see and akin to exporting The Matrix into the real world. On the whole an entertaining Summer Popcorn flick, although I thought the much promoted Bike Jump didn't last long enough, considering the achievement. More camera angles to keep it going would have been better.

[@mike18699-e]

Thank you. You've echoed my thoughts precisely. I did enjoy the movie, but considering this was the same director/ star team as the recent installments I was really surprised at some of its flaws. Agreed that Briggs' team was surplus to requirements, and if they'd removed them from the plot they could have made a tighter script and better fleshed out other characters that were seriously underwritten.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@xexasperon They played on 'Ethan's woman' in the last movie where he's haunted by the idea of Julia being in danger which comes to pass as the villains manipulate her to be present at the climax.

[@TequilaToothpick]

Watching Paris in her clown face-paint and sword and John Wick 4 with it's blind assassin and Mr Nobody with his dog really makes me want James Bond to have fun cartoon characters again.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

It's interesting to note that both characters are taken very seriously as a threat [like Jaws in TSWLM] rather than used for comic relief [unlike Jaws in Moonraker].

[@TequilaToothpick]

@@jamesatkinsonja To be fair Jaws IS taken seriously throughout most of Moonraker too. The scene in Rio is terrifying.

[@geometrydashiuppiter6910]

My ranking: 1. Mission: Impossible - Fallout 2. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation 3. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One 4. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol 5. Mission: Impossible III 6. Mission: Impossible 7. Mission: Impossible II

[@whyiseconomicsimportant]

Agree with every point - I think Rebecca Ferguson should have been the female lead and Esai Morales should be recast

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Morales was a late replacement for Nicholas Hoult [who presumably would have had a different back story to Morales as Hoult is nearly half his age!]

[@dalebaker9109]

Going to see it very soon, Tom Cruise is incredible in these films, looks amazing for 61 and does his own stunts. How incredible. And Calvin you could, read the back of a baked bean can, and it would still be very entertaining.

[@robertoswald4861]

I shop in the same grocery as Calvin and have actually witnessed him reading the contents of items similar to a baked bean can. 4/10 entertainment. Still better than most.

[@davidjames579]

@@robertoswald4861 "Good evening, Mr Baked Bean fans"

[@mike18699-e]

​@Kate-lz7jqI'm not sure he's actually been under the knife very much, but I'd say he uses a lot of facial filler - not to mention hair dye by the bucketload. 😁

[@ldwp6395]

​@@mike18699-eTom Cruise is planning on beating death, if he doesn't age then he won't die.

[@patwaters-actormoviereviewer]

Henry Czerny’s Kittridge in this film is such a duplicitous little s**t compared to the first film.

[@theacdcmadman]

I feel like you need to do in-depth reviews of all these movies, because of your reviews i have now seen every MI film and the last few are so good, you need to do so much

[@samuelbarber6177]

I quite liked it. Lots of fun, and despite it retaining the same Writer/Director it felt very different tonally and stylistically to Fallout, which I appreciated. It was also hilarious at times. I think my final thoughts will depend on how Part Two plays out, but Part One was a lot of fun. I also liked the complexity of the plot with all these different factions (you have the CIA, Gabriel, the Widow), all these characters mixed up in this, which I like in my spy thrillers. I also really liked that they brought back Henry Czerny, and even referenced the events of Mission: Impossible, by having him meet the Widow on a train, no less.

[@Aceimus1066]

This movie is f*ck!n awesome. Bond 26 /EON have their work cut out for them!!

[@dougstevenson1503]

That's exactly where I put it in my rankings as well (we've got the exact same order of the movies). I enjoyed the movie, but I just felt that it was missing something. I was supremely unhappy with what they did to Ilsa.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

While it's hard to judge many elements of the characters and the story given were essentially at 'half time' [and 2 might be delayed given the Hollywood strikes], I did have fun with this even if I think it wasn't quite as good as McQuarrie's previous 'Mission' films. 4:28 is also good timing given many comments on last week's video advocated setting Bond in the past to ignore technology when this makes technology itself the enemy. I did have a big spoiler issue with the film listed below: As a massive fan of the character, I was really disappointed to see Ilsa only in an extended cameo and then being killed off [and no, I don't think her death was faked-it's not Fast & Furious]. The character was a highlight in the last two films and had a lot of potential [even for a spin off] and her departure took me out of the film for a while until the train sequence brought me back. Still life goes on...

[@nothingtoseehere2336]

"They just know what they are and they're going to entertain you" - a lesson the more recent Bonds seem to have forgotten sadly.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

The Craig films knew what they were-parts of there own saga with a similar tone and style. It certainly had a fanbase [as Calvin has said in other videos, Craig was very popular, particularly with general audiences and NTTD made similar money to MI Fallout] but if you went in expecting a old style lighter Bond film it was never going to be that [as Calvin said in his excellent 'emotional storytelling video the NTTD promos were selling the dramatic aspects as much if not more than the action] and the Craig saga is not for everyone although it has some excellent, entertaining action sequences [like the opening to Skyfall]. MI took a while to find it's style but once it did it's suck with it to great effect.

[@nothingtoseehere2336]

@@jamesatkinsonja I'm not down on the Craig era as whole but I have probably (wrongly) let NTTD put a dampner on his whole tenure in the same way that a lot of fans (also wrongly in my opinion) let DAD put a dampner on the whole of the Brosnan era. With NTTD I think I still believe now what I initially thought I initially thought on first viewing. You know the expression "it was a good idea badly executed"? Well NTTD is the opposite. It is a series of terrible ideas, but it is put together so well, it nearly gets away with it. I still just hate that ending and if/when I next watch it I shall just stop it when Bond open the shutters and starts to leave for the first time; a bit like Die Hard with a Vengeance where you stop watching when John McLean walks to the phone booth to ring his wife but before he discovers the label on the pill bottle.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

@@nothingtoseehere2336 I'm probably in the minority with the 'die hard Bond fans' but I have no issues with the ending of NTTD. Like the Craig saga as a whole, when watched as part 5 of a 5 part series, it fits-he goes from being an arrogant, reckless agent who only cares for himself at the start of Casino to dying saving millions along with his family at the end. I do wonder how it will be viewed in 10 or 20 years time given how OHMSS downer ending is much better received now and the next Bond is firmly established and the Craig series more viewed as it's own thing.

[@filipratkovic5561]

When I was watching it, as you said, I thought this was inspired by Roger's Bond films, from opening through the ride in an unusual car to jumping off a cliff and train fight + jokes and quips.... completely forgot about handcuffed ride in Tomorrow Never Dies Also, I'm in Austria atm (actually going to see 007 Elements tomorrow), and I took a train to Innsbruck to watch and imagine my surprise when finale was happening on a train to Innsbruck

[@jamesatkinsonja]

The handcuff's probably had more to do with '39 Steps' in conception than TND [similar to how both Opera scenes in Rouge Nation and Quantum homage 'to catch a thief]. This certainly took itself much more seriously than a Roger film would do given it lacks Roger's self deprecation.

[@filipratkovic5561]

@@jamesatkinsonja originally, I wrote this felt like "elevated" Roger Moore film, but I hated how it sounded, so I rephrased

[@evolvedHE]

The For Your Eyes Only HEAVY callback car-chase was amazing!

[@maxmustermann6612]

I have to say I was extremely disappointed. I loved 5 & 6 but this one ain't it for me! The stunts just didn't have the same impact, the enemy was just kinda weird and didn't have a motivation.. The side characters didn't have much to do, and no single aspect was as good as anything in Fallout. Also, the villain is 100% ripped of from MGS

[@pauld6967]

I saw the film this past Thursday and I will be adding it to my Blu-ray collection. I like the callbacks all the way to the first film and I like how the franchise has steadily become closer to the early seasons of the television show, i.e. emphasis on teamwork and the need for the audience to pay attention to details. I believe a particular line of dialogue is telling us that Atwell isn't the only new person. Staying spoiler free, I will say no more but I suspect Calvin that you know who I mean.

[@Doctor180185]

Just got back from seeing it ..... I don't know why, but it just didn't gel with me. I mean, I didn't think it was terrible, but I just wasn't gripped by it in the same way I was with the previous few. I honestly have no idea why though. I feel like I should have enjoyed it, but for the most part I just wasn't sold. It just didn't feel the same to me as some of the previous films. I'm sure I'll see it again in the future and hopefully I'll feel differently about it. It was fine 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@mike18699-e]

You're certainly not the only one who feels this way. I enjoyed it too, but there was something "off" about it. It's certainly no Fallout.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

I did enjoy it more when I saw it a second time. Of course it's only 'act 1' of a two part story so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

[@stevenharsono9911]

WARNING BEFORE WATCH THIS FILM : SEEING REBECCA FERGUSON'S ILSA FAUST CHARACTER END UP DEAD AND BECOMING A CORPSE ON THE VENICE BRIDGE CAN BE HEARTBREAKING AND PAINFULL

[@frozenwishstudios]

0:18 I got the exact same ranking as yours

[@generalilbis]

I'm thoroughly glad you enjoyed Dead Reckoning Pt. 1, Calvin! As a fellow massive Bond fan who has warned up on Cruise and the MI films as they've gone along, I've been looking forward to hearing your thoughts about it. On the topic of the film borrowing from Bond, one thing I was truly curious about was your thoughts on how the whole train sequence at the end of Pt. 1 being a big lift from From Russia With Love, since the train is the Orient Express and how (before Ethan's arrival via parachute) the scenes of setting up White Widow's meet with her buyer and the meet itself definitely draw inspiration from the same section of FRWL, including the tension of Grace as White Widow meeting with THAT particular character and wondering how the charade will be revealed a la Bond and Red Grant.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

I think the train sequence in this film is far more intentionally referencing the 1996 MI film given we have Kitridge and Max [or her daughter], the female villain being double crossed and a fight between Ethan and the villain on the roof of the train rather than other films.

[@james__page]

The Gabriel part was originally to be played by Nicholas Hoult. I can't see that making it any better

[@jamesatkinsonja]

It must have been very different given Hoult is half the age of Morales and surely was going to be a 'youth vs experience' angle.

[@adamoconnor8964]

Hey Calvin, what happened to your MI 3 review? It's gone from your channel.

[@AlexTechVideo]

Any chance you’d ever give the original tv series a shot?

[@spectrechairengineer3453]

The "50% of a story" excuse doesn't fly for me, I still had to pay 100% of the ticket price!

[@davidjames579]

Hang onto your tk and collect your 50% reduction when you book for Part Two.

[@PurushaDesa]

How charming is Hayley Atwell in this film? I love her look too - she has a whole street magician vibe to her main wardrobe choice.

[@J-Dawg81]

dude she charmed the heck out of me, what a woman

[@tweazz]

Had a really fun time seeing this in the cinema (first one since Ghost protocol). Still unsure how I feel about the whole AI being the villain thing, but then the villains have never been the strong suit of the MI franchise (except PSH in MI3 I guess). I'd rank Dead Reckoning in my top 3, behind Rogue Nation and Ghost Protocol. Some "Bond related" thoughts: 1. This is how you do a car chase in Rome! 2. Disturbing lack of double-taking pigeons during Tom Cruise's running scene in Venice 3. Can we now get Rebecca Ferguson as the main villain in Bond 26 please?

[@Engineer_Eric_59]

I was reading an article that said this was Tom Cruise's farewell to the series. Even though he did say I would be up to reprise this role again. LOL. Who knows

[@robabiera733]

I thought "Rogue Nation" was intriguingly Hitchcockian and, thus, very satisfying, but "Fallout" blew me away. I haven't seen "Dead Reckoning" yet and I'm anxious to see if it will live up to the previous two. Yes, the reviews have been ecstatic but I'm still going to have my own response.

[@davidjames579]

Fallout reminded me of The Dark Knight for sustained tension.

[@geometrydashiuppiter6910]

I'll tell you this. I really liked Dead Reckoning, but I found it kind of lackluster compared to Rogue Nation and Fallout. Still in my top 3 though.

[@davidjames579]

@@geometrydashiuppiter6910 Yeah DR was strangely lacking. Its a pity as McQuarrie's films were on an upward trend. I would have 'settled' for merely as good as the previous.

[@geometrydashiuppiter6910]

@@davidjames579 I feel like the movie would've benefitted from a more refined script. But I want to be clear: I still really liked the movie and would rank it third in my M.I. tier list, just behind Rogue Nation and Fallout. But yeah. The movie had so much potential it could've easily been my favorite. Too bad the script felt kind of lacking regarding some aspects.

[@davidjames579]

@@geometrydashiuppiter6910 On paper the AI villain sounds rubbish but it's a testament to the film that it remains an actually scary villain, kinda Terminator esque in that you don't know where it'll be and what it can do. However, i agree that the potential is never fully tapped. I actually think even a recutting of the shot film could improve it. It seems a bit too baggy. Maybe lose half an hour here and there and give it some urgency.

[@yudhabagaskara98]

the submarine scene is definitely the key moment that will define the final two installments

[@davidjames579]

Why?

[@yudhabagaskara98]

@@davidjames579 the whole plot was based on the events on the submarine

[@davidjames579]

@@yudhabagaskara98 This was where I found the explanations a bit muddled. Was the AI Russian produced and it fought back against it's purpose, or was it American made, and intended to just play with the Russian submarine but it exceeded it's orders and then went rogue?

[@mike18699-e]

Unfortunately (because it was at the very start of the film) the submarine sequence was really marred for me by the fact that the crew all conversed in heavily-accented English. That took me out of the scene and somehow limited the tension. Would it really have been too much to ask the audience to read subtitles for a few minutes?

[@Thatguy55595]

Hey Calvin is the TND review coming anytime soon???

[@sgtfrozty]

**checks subscription walking out of my 2pm showing** Zorin: "good, right on schedule" Probably not just me, but I recall a lot of Dutch angles in this film, and I'm the type of guy to not really analyse that type of stuff on first viewing.

[@xXmyxxmastaXx]

The bond franchise needs more action and less melodrama, I would give dead reckoning a 9/10.

[@NightmareLink110]

Tell me about it. James Bond went super downhill with Spectre. They need to reboot how they make their movies.

[@residentsteve]

@@NightmareLink110make them more like pierce brosnans bonds even dad 😂 it my guilty pleasure the guns and the gadgets we are definitely in the right era imagine bond using an iPhone well he would have the best after all.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

I'd say the recent MI films have had there fair share of melodrama, particularly with the Ethan-Ilsa relationship. You do need to give the actor something to work with rather than just being action.

[@jhatz02]

Would love for you to do a deep dive on your MI thoughts vs recent Bond entries. Like MI through DRP1 compared against Goldeneye through NTTD

[@jamesatkinsonja]

He did do 'Spectre vs Rouge Nation' in the latter review.

[@CarolinaCharles777]

I love Ilsa's character, so...yeah, me too. I enjoyed the film very much.

[@alfonsobiggers2452]

I left that first day screening with my hands shaking from adrenaline... _This film was GLORIOUS!!!_ _Fallout_ may still be my favorite based on the technicality of this film merely being the first part. However, if they escalate the way they are with Part Two, this whole saga may shape up to be the best _Mission_ ever! I've already seen _Dead Reckoning Part One_ twice in cinemas, first with family and then with a friend. I never see movies twice in a theater. The only other exception for me was _Avengers: Endgame._ Between this and _John Wick: Chapter 4,_ this is shaping up to a great year for action cinema! I am jazzed and ready for Part Two, and I'm so happy to see you also loved it Calvin!

[@utkarshkumar4990]

What I love about this film is there are practical action and stunts and no extra effects feel. Hope they continue this in next part.

[@jamesatkinsonja]

The do add extra effects [compare the footage of the train crash or motor bike stunt being filmed to what's in the film] but the fact they make the effort and expense to do the basic stunt practical+ in camera is very admirable.

[@JoeyKane7]

I really loved Haley Atwell’s character in this

[@jamesatkinsonja]

Really interested to see where Part 2 takes her story

[@davidjames579]

Ditto. I always liked her as Peggy Carter in Marvel, but here she was adorable and cheeky. Great chemistry with Cruise. And she wasn't always confident, realistically being scared of some of the things she faces but pulling through. I liked that she wasn't just another spy, but a civilian, except she did have some spycraft skills from being a thief/con artist.

[@bensneb360]

This is one of the few movies I’d check out in D-Box, especially that car chase scene, that would be incredible

[@tlshortyshorty5810]

I saw Lupin III The First to clean up my palate from No Time To Die, and now Dead Reckoning pulls off an absolutely spectacular Lupin III reference.

[@tashrif46]

12:54 yeah that helicopter chase in Fallout is a masterstroke in action filmmaking

[@nothingtoseehere2336]

Did you know the Mission Impossible theme is based on the morse code of the letters M (dash dash) I (dot dot)?

[@francisbartoszewski2284]

Not only my favourite of the franchise, but in my opinion one of if not the best action movie I've ever seen. Completely blown away!

[@foxh8er]

I loved it. Definitely agree that it's not complete because of the fact that it's a 2 parter but I'd put it right behind Fallout. Rogue Nation is great but I think a tad overrated by some folks (I'd say Fallout => Dead Reckoning P1 => Ghost Protocol => Rogue Nation => Mission Impossible => MI3 => MI2) myself

[@bijoybiswas1932]

Spoiler Would've loved for Ilsa to stick around till the end.

[@1977bond]

First of all, i like your review Calvin. And i am agree in most of your review 😊 Anyway, when i watched it first time i felt i did know when Ilsa was going to die. Because i feel Lorne Balfe told you that with his score on that fight on the bridge. So i feel he spoiled how that sword/knife fight would end. Sad that she leave the series but to keep it fresh and unpredictable things like that has to happen.

[@emmanuelmondesir]

Ever since Rogue Nation I feel like Mission Impossible is more James Bond than most Of Daniel Craig era (not his fault for the script he received). It’s fun while still dramatic

[@MultiBum123]

I would say since Ghost protocol, I wish the Bond series would embrace gadgets against like Mission impossible

[@aaradill]

The contrast with the James Bond franchise at this point couldn't be more stark: its hero incinerated after two mediocre movies over a 10 year period, the franchise is surviving based on KZbin channels, nostalgia and the "James Bond brands" (for those that can afford them).

[@jamesatkinsonja]

The Bond franchise still makes the news and getting the Bond franchise was a big motivation for Amazon to buy MGM [and putting the old films on prime was a major selling point in a competitive streaming market]. It's worth noting that Spectre made more money than Rouge Nation and NTTD, despite being affected by Covid, made only slightly less than Fallout while Bond is the franchise which get's Oscar nomination while MI is sadly ignored. Bond has come back from quiet periods before [such as the 1989-1995 gap] as did MI [the 5 years between 3+4] while Avatar 2 was a massive hit despite many saying 'no one cares' after a 13 year gap.

[@christianemden7637]

Saw the movie yesterday and did enjoy it quite a bit, just having 2 gripes. I think both the car chase in Rome and the final train sequence ran for longer than necessary, it got a bit tedious. The second part i didn’t like was the reimagining what the IMF is, how it is organized. We are going from an organization having a secretary, reporting to senate, to a somewhat voluntary organization of freelancers.

[@daveroche6522]

Kirk took on/down A.I. in a some (of the very, very few good) episodes of Star Trek TOS - the 'Kirk v Computer' ones....

[@katashworth41]

I loved it (even if “Austria” at the end is very clearly Buttermere in the Lake District).

[@sluggo0202]

Love your commentaries Calvin. That said, when we're introduced to the idea that only expert driving will deliver our protagonists from doom, and then there are the jokey segments in the Fiat, played for laughs, where Grace is botching the whole escape, it breaks the 4th wall for me. "We need a light-hearted segment for laughs to break the tension!" Umm...no. On top of that, the way Ethan crashes into the train car from his parachute attempt at just the right place at just the right time is absurd, and disrupts the otherwise desperate tone of the scene. Curious to hear your reaction. Keep up the good work on your channel.

[@daleywilson8197]

Is that the 'Embassy' track from the N64 game in the background?

[@LETSRUNUNLV]

4 years older than roger Moore in view to a kill. Hilarious haha

[@peterfranks6243]

The car chase was in my opinion very reminiscent of the Citroen 2cv in For Your Eyes Only, (they run towards a super cool sports car only to be presented with the complete opposite) ..... excellent, comedic and brilliant chase still the same

[@Goldeneye1997]

I was very satisfied with DR Part 1. I think Rogue Nation and Fallout rank slightly higher for me. But DR Part 1 is the kind of film to experience in the theaters. I can’t wait to watch it again!

[@Jnensrevenge]

I did enjoy this movie but I do sense shark jumping in the air... I hope they can end the series with a bang and do not take the series to full Fast & Furious territory.

[@joshslater2426]

The one thing about Mission Impossible I don’t like is that it has managed to stay good over many decades whilst Blns has faltered. It has car chases, jaw-dropping action, and underlying character development which doesn’t dampen the fun. Simon Pegg would be a perfect Q if he wasn’t already in the M:I series, and the Paris girl from Dead Reckoning would’ve been a decent Bond girl that might’ve matched Xenia in some regards. Can’t wait for the next one.

[@IAMJOELBURRIS]

Is it just me, but this film reminded me SO much of a Roger Moore bond flick. The yellow car / stairs sequence. The comedy from Ethan. The cliff jump with parachute. Anyone else catch that?

[@jamesatkinsonja]

It took itself a lot more seriously than a Moore film would have done.

[@countgeekula9143]

Saw it last night. Great fun. Probably my least favourite of McQuarrie's so far but still great and head and shoulders over other blockbusters including recent dissapointing Bonds. The train stuff at the end is astonishing.

[@therealmovieman]

Seen all 6 at the cinema. Imo hit their stride with 3 and then catapulted into greatness 4 onwards Great discussion Calvin 👍 stopped at spoilers as hope to see 7th this weekend For me best to worst is 6,3,4,5,1,2

[@Aran.Tech.Television]

Ghost Protocol is still my favorite, followed by Rogue Nation, then Fallout. Brad Bird did a fantastic job with MI:4

[@malcolm_mann]

Dead Reckoning Pt. 1 was such an enjoyable film! I'm very glad you enjoyed it, too. One thing that surprised me about Dead Reckoning Pt. 1 was the way in which it inverts certain aspects of religion, specifically (Catholic) Christianity. Religion has featured in previous M:I films but only in a ad hoc way (is it Rogue Nation when Ethan Hawke dresses up as a priest at the Vatican?). As a result, (SPOILERS AHOY) we have the god-like The Entity. However, it is not a god of love but rather a god of evil. Gabriel obviously draws his name from the archangel and fulfils the same messenger function. Here, though, rather than bringing good news to Mary brings bad news to Ethan (and not just bad news in general but quite literally death). The two keys could also be referred to as cross keys, which is a very Catholic symbol (they feature, for instance, on the papal flag). In the gospels, Jesus gives St. Peter the keys to the kingdom (of heaven). In Dead Reckoning, they give access to the 'kingdom' of the Entity - its 'brain' on the submarine. In theological terms, grace is the strength that God gives to men and women to advance in holiness. Here, Grace starts out as a negative character: she is trying to steal the cross keys - an act that would deprive Ethan of the opportunity to reach the Entity's 'kingdom'. I don't think Dead Reckoning goes all in on the religious angle but it was fascinating to see how religion was used. Also, it was great to see some love being given to Ving Rhames! He is such a good actor and I love his character so much. I hope Ethan is not killed off in Part Two. I very much hope that Luther walks away, too.

[@Aladelicous]

I enjoyed it, thought it was great and really liked the concept of the Entity especially in modern day (not to mention giving me some Metal Gear Solid 2 vibes). But I do feel like Gabriel is kind of a weak villain. I know the villains have been a bit iffy before with some notable standouts, but I never really saw it as a major problem before as it's usually the situations and predicaments the team finds themselves in to be the real villain. But when you build up the hero to the degree the series has, and not just through words but actions, a villain that's supposed to be the catalyst of the person Ethan is now, Gabriel feels a bit underwhelming. The way they had John Lark as a part of the team in Fallout was a nice way to compare and contrast him to Ethan and show his capabilities, and I don't feel like we get that with Gabriel.

[@neiltaylor6645]

Going to see the film on Sunday

[@calvindyson]

Hope you enjoy!

[@neiltaylor6645]

@@calvindyson yes enjoyed it