Impossible is nothing
Incredible, incredulous and invigorating — you expect no less, perhaps no more, from the Mission: Impossible franchise. Ever since Tom Cruise first appeared as superspy Ethan Hunt in 1996, he and the wildly successful series have fired viewers’ imaginations like few others. India being among the first countries to see the latest instalment ahead of its US release speaks volumes about the franchise’s following in the region.
The formula remains largely unchanged. In the Mission: Impossible universe, “impossible” is not just a word — it’s the franchise’s core principle. Implausibility fuels the thrill and it’s precisely this breathless logic that keeps fans coming back.
Those who’ve seen Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning would be familiar with the villain this time round: the all-knowing, stateless AI dubbed “The Entity.” The stakes? Nothing short of global nuclear catastrophe. From the very first scene, the plot wastes no time revealing that The Entity has seized control of the nuclear arsenal of several nations, including India and Pakistan.
In a world where nuclear anxiety once seemed the stuff of Cold War fiction, today’s geopolitical tensions lend a chilling plausibility. Yet the film makes it clear — the enemy this time is not a rogue state, but a borderless, amoral digital force. Why The Entity seeks to destroy before it controls is explained repeatedly, with reasoning that’s alternately flimsy and surprisingly resonant.
The film takes its time laying the groundwork — perhaps too much time. Lengthy stretches of exposition delay the real momentum, which finally gathers pace in the second half. As always, the mission is to save the world. That’s a foregone conclusion. The question, as ever, is not what will happen, but how.
Within the chaos lie breath-taking set-pieces and stunning visuals, thanks in no small part to Fraser Taggart’s cinematography. Cruise again defies gravity and logic — first diving deep to a Russian submarine holding a critical source code, then clinging to the wings of a biplane in mid-air. The final hour, with Eddie Hamilton’s crisp editing stitching together three parallel action tracks, is cinematic dynamite.
Suspension of disbelief is essential. Ethan’s face-off with his archenemy Gabriel (Esai Morales) — whose ambitions may even eclipse those of The Entity — adds urgency. Ethan isn’t alone: Simon Pegg’s ever-faithful Benji Dunn returns, joined by Hayley Atwell as Grace and Pom Klementieff’s Paris, a French assassin who’s turned against Gabriel. Together, they infuse energy into the action and lend emotional weight to the story.
The action may be relentless, but the film has heart. A poignant twist early on amplifies its emotional resonance. Director Christopher McQuarrie, who co-wrote the script with Erik Jendresen, cleverly sprinkles in socially and morally astute dialogue. For a film built on high-octane thrills and borderline absurd twists — AI as a bottled genie, anyone? — it still manages to strike a chord.
Its central message rings clear: “We live and die in the shadows, for those we hold close and those we never meet.” There is no ambiguity about its moral stance. And Cruise, speaking directly to his Indian fans with a heartfelt “Mujh pe bharosa rakho ek aakhiri baar…” (“Trust me, one last time…”), delivers once again.
Whether this is the franchise’s swan song, whether a 62-year-old Cruise will return or whether the series evolves beyond him — those are questions for another day. What matters now is that this instalment delivers on its promise: a gripping, audacious and surprisingly soulful cinematic ride. Go for it.
Movie Review