Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write a movie review of “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One.”

(Insert image and sound of tape-recording cassette smoking, burning and self-destructing.)

“Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One” makes the impossible appear possible.

The latest international espionage thriller returns Tom Cruise to his role as Ethan Hunt, a United States intelligence agent on the Impossible Mission Force.

Agents from the United States are chasing him, even as he and others chase the key to a mysterious operative, or cyber force, called the Entity.

It’s “Spy vs. Spy vs. AI.”

The plotline for “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning” is ripped right from the headlines of today’s news. It’s the story of AI (Artificial Intelligence) run amok. It’s the story of deep fakes. It’s the story of satellite and camera surveillance and facial recognition. It’s the story of what is and what is not real. And to the controller, or ruler, of reality, goes the spoils in the world we live in, or apparently may soon live in.

The plot notwithstanding, and it’s a good plot at that, the big story of this “Mission: Impossible,” the seventh movie in the franchise, are the death-defying stunts of Tom Cruise.

You cannot believe what you see. And yet you do believe it since it’s said that Tom Cruise does most of his own stunts. Yes, there is CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) for backgrounds, certain aspects of scenes and some content. However, most of the stunts seem to be “practical,” as in they are done in real time and space.

Much of the fun of watching the movie is the vicarious thrill of witnessing Tom Cruise perform the stunts. Not to worry. He was successful. “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Two” is set for release in June 2024.

“Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning” sets an exhilarating, adrenaline-rush, pulse-pounding pace from the film’s opening frames in a pre-credits sequence aboard a Russian submarine, the Sevastopol, named for the Russian Navy base of the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea, now occupied by Russia.

After the opening credits, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is caught in a firestorm assault in the Arabian Desert in the Middle East and gets out of there with the assistance of sharpshooter friend, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson).

At a meeting of the United States Intelligence Community, Ethan Hunt eavesdrops on CIA Director Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny), Director of National Intelligence Denlinger (Cary Elwes) and other government officials, discussing the Entity, an experimental Artificial Intelligence (AI), unlocked by a two-piece cruciform key.

Ethan Hunt is convinced that the Entity is a threat to humanity. He and his team, Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), travel to Abu Dhabi International Airport to intercept Grace (Hayley Atwell), who has stolen one-half of the cruciform key, and who is pursued by Gabriel (Esai Morales), a liaison with the Entity. Helping Gabriel is a French assassin, Paris (Pom Klementieff). Also seeking the cruciform key is Alanna Mitsopolis (Vanessa Kirby), an arms dealer.

The action shifts to Rome, to Venice, to the Orient Express. In each location, there are incredible, eye-popping chase scenes. A car chase involving a yellow Fiat 500, police cars and a Humvee military-style vehicle gives the automotive mayhem in “The French Connection” (1971), ”Bullitt” (1968) and “Fast X” (2023) a run for the goosebumps.

A passenger train tops fight scene between Ethan Hunt and Gabriel outdoes that in “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (2023) and the many previous train-roof chase scenes in the history of cinema.

A motorcycle jump scene with Ethan Hunt driving off a cliff, jettisoning the motorcycle and parachuting to the moving train is mind-boggling. To top that, Ethan Hunt later leaps from the disabled train and para-glides to a safe landing.

“Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One” is one incredible scene after the other. It’s more than that. The film has credible characters and action even in the dialogue scenes.

The cinematography by Director of Photography Fraser Taggart uses Dutch angles, whereby a character is shown in a scene with the camera on an angle, to heighten tension. The editing by Eddie Hamilton (Oscar nominee, editing, “Top Gun: Maverick”) also keeps the movie-goer off-guard.

All of this is pulled together tremendously by Director Christopher McQuarrie (Oscar recipient, original screenplay, “The Usual Suspects,” 1996; Oscar nominee, picture, adapted screenplay, “Top Gun: Maverick,” 2022; Director: “Mission: Impossible - Fallout,” 2018; “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation,” 2015; “Jack Reacher,” 2017; “The Way of the Gun,” 2000), working from a screenplay he co-wrote with Erik Jendresen (TV’s “Killing Lincoln,” 2013) based on the television series, “Mission: Impossible” (1966-1973, created by Bruce Geller (1930-1978). The score by Lorne Balfe uses the familiar “Mission: Impossible” theme written by Lalo Schifrin.

None of this would have the impact it does without Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt at the center of the action. Tom Cruise is a minimalist actor. He knows when to remain silent and clench his jaw and when to let his expressive eyes do the talking.

“Mission: Impossible” has taken the James Bond 007 formula and updated it. There are no Bond Girls, per se. Rather, there are female agents, who are equal to the task rather than being a girlfriend on the hero’s arm.

Hayley Atwell creates a charming yet somewhat malevolent presence as Grace, on who’s side one is never quite sure she is on.

Rebecca Ferguson is intense as Ilsa Faust, who fights alongside Ethan Hunt.

Also memorable are Vanessa Kirby (Alanna Mitsopolis) and Pom Klementieff (Paris).

Excellent in supporting roles are Esai Morales (Gabriel), Simon Pegg (Benji Dunn) and Ving Rhames (Luther Stickell).

“Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One” sets new standards for action films. It’s a thriller from beginning to end.

The movie raises important questions about the future of military intelligence, cyber warfare and the world we live in.

This review was written by yours truly, with no assistance from ChatGPT, the generative pre-trained transformer.

Mission accomplished.

“Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One,”

MPAA rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.) for intense sequences of violence and action, some language and suggestive material; Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller; Run time: 2 hours, 43 minutes. Distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous:

“Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One” was filmed on location in Norway, England, Italy and United Arab Emirates.

At The Movies:

“Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One” was seen in the IMAX at AMC. The movie is terrific on the big screen. It can be enjoyed in the Dolby or standard digital format, as well.

Theatrical Movie Domestic Box Office,

July 28-30: Movie-goers apparently wanted to continue playing Barbies, assuring that the box office was still in the pink with “Barbie” No. 1 with $93 million in 4,337 theaters, $351.4 million, domestic; $750 million, worldwide.

“Oppenheimer” continued being explosive at No.2, with $46.2 million in 3,647 theaters, $174 million, two weeks.

“Haunted Mansion,” inspired by the Disney theme park ride, opened at No. 3 with $24.2 million in 3,740 theaters.

4. “Sound of Freedom” dropped one place, $12.4 million in 3,638 theaters, $148.9 million, four weeks. 5. “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One” dropped one place, $10.7 million in 3,191 theaters, $139.2 million, two weeks. 6. “Talk to Me,” a low-budget horror film, opening, $10 million in 2,340 theaters. 7. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” dropped two places, $4 million in 2,165 theaters, $167 million, five weeks. 8. “Elemental” dropped one place, $3.4 million in 2,105 theaters, $144.9 million, seven weeks. 9. “Insidious: The Red Door” dropped three places, $3.1 million in 1,914 theaters, $78 million, four weeks. 10. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” dropped two places, $1.4 million in 833 theaters, $378.7 million, nine weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of July 30 is subject to change.

Unreel,

July 30:

“Reinventing Elvis: The ‘68 Comeback,”

No MPAA rating. John Scheinfeld directs the documentary about Steve Binder’s TV special.

Unreel,

Aug. 2:

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem,”

PG: Jeff Rowe and Kyler Spears direct the voice talents of Rose Byrne, Jackie Chan, John Cena, Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Maya Rudolph, Post Malone and Hannibal Buress in the Action, Adventure Animation film.

Unreel,

Aug. 4:

“Meg 2: The Trench,”

PG-13: Ben Wheatley directs Jason Statham, Jing Wu, Sienna Guillory, Cliff Curtis, Skyler Samuels, Shuya Sophia Cai, Melissanthi Mahut, Whoopie Van Raam, Kiran Sonia Sawar and Able Wanamakoka in the Action, Adventure Horror film. Sequel to “The Meg” (2018).

“Corner Office,”

PG-13: Joachim Back directs Jon Hamm, Allison Riley and Bill Marchant in the Comedy. A bureaucrat discovers a secret room.

Movie opening date information from Internet Movie

Database as of July 30 is subject to change

Five Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes