I have to admit that I don’t love the first two of Tom Cruise’s now-seven-film franchise; the first one unnecessarily betrayed Mr. Phelps and the second one I recall as just godawful.  But since then they’ve figured it out.  While most of the public’s focus is on Mr. Cruise’s increasingly dangerous physical stunts, the films have turned into high quality James Bond-type action outings.  So much so that this latest opus, Dead Reckoning, Part One, which was long-delayed by the COVID pandemic, which may have given the filmmakers time to fine tune everything to a fever pitch, is one of the greatest action films I have ever seen.

Christopher McQuarrie’s IMF story starts with the familiar, jazzy Lala Schifrin theme and goes full bore into action immediately.  Artificial Intelligence is going haywire and every government wants to control it, realizing that if they can, anything is possible.  Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team are sent to find the literal key to the controlling device, which takes them across the globe in pursuit of (as well as being pursued by) the people engaged in locating and selling this provocative software.  Meanwhile, it is busy defending itself, and prodding its defenders into place to do so.  Everyone is at risk, and no one can be trusted.  The game is afoot.

There is an artificiality to the premise which may deter viewers who want more conventional believability (which is normally me, by the way).  Not this time.  This film roars from the get-go and races through Abu Dhabi, Venice, Austria and elsewhere as a handful of well-trained agents battle each other to get the goods.  The action and stunts are incredible and the lulls between are filled with intelligent discussion about the future and grief for those who have none.  Character development is superb (for this type of movie, anyway), and humor is abundant.  But so is the threat, the existential threat of power that cannot be contained, and what that could mean for the world at large.

If the second half, which will be released next summer, is anywhere near as good as this first half, the Dead Reckoning movie will stand as one of cinema’s great action spectacles, rivaling Raiders of the Lost Ark, Die Hard and The Road Warrior (or Mad Max: Fury Road, if you prefer).  Combining a powerful story and great relationships with incredible action, a propulsive score and genuine thrills is a remarkable achievement, as rare as alchemy.  This movie has it all.  I can’t wait for the final act.  ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆.  13 August 2023.