Mission Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One is action-packed 

Christopher McQuarrie (The Way of the Gun; Jack Reacher; Mission Impossible—Rogue Nation; Mission Impossible—Fallout) returns to the franchise to helm this new two-parter that follows Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF as they race to track down a cruciform key and the dangerous new weapon it operates. (163 min.)

Glen Generally speaking, I find these two-part money grabs pretty annoying, but I understand that it's often because most people won't sit through a four- or five-hour film, and the filmmakers don't want to decimate their story arc. Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2 were certainly worthy of separation, but do we need Dead Reckoning to be five hours long in two parts? I don't know yet. Don't get me wrong: This is action-packed and propulsive throughout, with just a couple of respites for bathroom breaks. Otherwise, the film feels like one long chase scene, and if Hunt isn't running or fighting, he's about to. Apparently, someone has unleashed an artificial intelligence called "the Entity," and it's already infiltrated a Russian sub's operating system. Whoever gets the key and the location of the lock it fits will perhaps be able to control the A.I. Part One has been all about the various players running around trying to get both parts of the two-part key. We'll have to wait for Part Two to see who's able to find the lock and whether they're able to control the A.I., or as Hunt and his team wisely want to do, destroy it before it does more damage.

Anna The first Mission Impossible film came out in 1996, and here we are just a few years shy of 30 years later, still watching Hunt save the world. Listen, I've got my beefs with Tom Cruise, but there's no denying that dude is savvy when it comes to buying in on a film franchise. I think I've watched all the MI movies, and some are more memorable than others. There was something special about that first one, the ceiling drop scene, the gum that exploded, the masks that changed identities that felt really cool and novel. By this point, "cool" and "novel" aren't words I'd use to describe the series anymore, but propulsive is right. Hunt is charming enough to like, but also jaded and tired. I'll give Cruise props, he doesn't just know this character, I think he believes it to be a bit of himself. I'll certainly see the second part of Dead Reckoning when it comes out, but I'm with you—I'm not sure if we need a five-hour storyline here, but it will definitely help sell tickets now and in a couple of years when Part Two comes out. If impossibly high-flying stunts and nail-biting action are your thing, see it on the big screen.

Glen If you've seen the trailer for Dead Reckoning, you saw one of the film's biggest stunts: Ethan Hunt driving a motorcycle off a cliff and parachuting down. That wasn't a stunt double. Tom Cruise actually performed the stunt himself. The dude's 61! I'm 61 and I wouldn't jump off a step stool. Cruise did 500 hours of skydiving training, and yes, part of the stunt involved wires as he jettisoned the motorcycle and the skydiving was separate from the motorcycle jump, but still. The dude's a badass. The whole film is fun, with multiple bad guys—some in the U.S. government and some out of it. I especially liked Pom Klementieff as Paris, henchwoman to the enigmatic Gabriel (Esai Morales), who has a past with Hunt. Her character turned out to be amazingly three-dimensional. If you like action, this one's 100 percent worth it.

Anna It is an absolute ride. I'm always impressed by the stunts Cruise decides to take on himself, be it skydiving here or rock climbing in the fourth film. The dude's ego extends to death-defying lengths. Any way you cut it, these MI films are solid blockbuster entertainment. Δ

Senior Staff Writer Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Glen compiles listings. Comment at [email protected].