Two weeks ago, 80-year-old Harrison Ford stepped into the shoes of adventurer Indiana Jones. Now, we have 61-year-old Tom Cruise continuing the “age is no barrier” theme with action hero Ethan Hunt returning to the big screen.  Cruise is showing no signs of slowing down.  A second instalment (obvious since this is billed as “Part One”) will be released in June 2024 and he’s alluded in press interviews that the Mission: Impossible series may have life beyond that.

In keeping with his modus operandi, Cruise does his own stunts wherever possible and that’s again the case here.  It’s not necessary (talented doubles can achieve the same) but it does generate extra interest and publicity… and stress for the insurance company.  As revealed in the trailer, the big moment here sees Cruise drive a motorcycle off a Norwegian mountain cliff and into a foggy valley.  It took months of motocross and BASE jump training and on the day of the actual shoot, director Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher) had an array of cameras and drones perfectly placed to capture every angle.

This won’t garner the same acclaim and wow-factor of Cruise’s last outing in Top Gun: Maverick but as the 7th entry in a franchise which began back in 1998, it’s worth the admission price. The narrative is simple, the action is impressive, and the cast make it fun.  Did it need to be a two-parter?  Probably not.  It feels like the split has been done to create more stunts as opposed to more story.  Where these characters are at by film’s end isn’t much different from where they were at the 30-minute mark.

We’re told the “stakes are higher than ever.”  An artificial intelligence device exists, referred to as The Entity, which is a self-aware, self-learning, truth-eating digital parasite.  It has the power to infiltrate any computer system and change data.  In the words of one character - “whoever controls The Entity controls the truth.”  Villainous folk want their hands on this weapon and it falls upon Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his behind-the-scenes crew from the IMF (the Impossible Mission Force as opposed to the International Monetary Fund) to stop them. Their assignment is to locate a missing key which has a role to play in deactivating The Entity.

Just like a game of Snakes & Ladders, our heroes go through an array of ups and downs.  One minute they have the upper hand… and the next minute they don’t.  It’s a repeating formula across the lengthy 163 running time to build suspense and keep audiences on their toes.  There’s running, punching, driving, pick pocketing, impersonating, and sleuthing.  It’s all done with a neat balance of drama and comedy – the characters maintain their intensity while slipping in the odd joke to highlight the farcical nature of their situation and surroundings.

I grew weary of the slightly repetitive chase for the mysterious key (I’d like a count on how many times the word “key” is said) and wished the plot advanced further but this is still an above average, well-polished action piece.  If you disagree, this review will self-destruct in 5 seconds.