Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One delivers as a high-grade action thriller in which star Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie continue to push the boundaries of daredevil blockbuster filmmaking, in which our heroes combat insurmountable odds and clunky dialogue during a high-stakes mission to save the world.

There is always giddy excitement whenever a new Mission: Impossible film hits theatres, and for good reason. In a market overpopulated with superhero movies and other IP driven cinema “content”, there is something refreshingly old school to Mission: Impossible as movies made for the cinema without any spin-off streaming content to tide over the time between years long releases. Then there is, of course, Tom Cruise, perhaps the last great movie star standing whose displays of daredevil showmanship continues to put butts in seats.

Cruise reprises his role as IMF agent Ethan Hunt: incorruptible, daring, and always fighting for the side of good. That fight this time pits him against an old foe in Gabriel (Elias Morales) who has on his side a powerful artificial intelligence program called “The Entity” with which he plans to take over the world. When Ethan learns of way to destroy The Entity, the race begins to gain the upper hand in a mission with consequences both personal and world-shifting.

Fans of the Mission: Impossible film series can expect many of the series’ calling cards: cool gadgets; bone-crushing car chases; dastardly villains; gorgeous women; and a McGuffin with world-destroying implications. Thankfully, director Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher) succeeds in keeping the quality of the filmmaking and storytelling at a high-standard, with the stakes at play (although familiar) nevertheless worth investing in, despite a near three-hour runtime with which editor Eddie Hamilton (Top Gun: Maverick) does a great job in maintaining an engaging pace.

Cruise, of course, delivers upon the star-studded, risk-taking expectations placed on his well-seasoned shoulders. The real surprise is franchise newcomer Hayley Atwell who, in her portrayal as an unwilling player in a high-risk game of espionage, delivers a charismatic, at times comedic, and spellbinding performance that hopefully will ascend her star further. Great too is Pom Klementieff as a sadistic assassin who leaves carnage in her wake.

Although it doesn’t quite reach the heights of 2018’s …Fallout, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is action thriller cinema at its best, and another achievement for the Cruise-McQuarrie partnership.