‘Mission: Impossible 7’ First Reactions: Tom Cruise Conquers Critics With ‘Impeccably Made,’ ‘Exhilarating’ Action Film

Mission:ImpossibleDead Reckoning Part One was finally unveiled at a starry world premiere in Rome on Monday evening, drawing a packed gala screening in the Auditorium della Conciliazione, a stones throw from the Vatican.

The gala screening was delayed by more than 90 minutes as Tom Cruise was holding an apparently impromptu meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the Palazzo Chigi, seat of the Italian government.

The crowd in the auditorium grew increasingly annoyed with having to watch interviews from the red carpet held earlier on the Spanish Steps in what started seeming like an endless loop on the venues screen, equipped with a Dolby Atmos sound system for the special occasion.

However there was warm applause when Cruise, director Christopher McQuarrie, and a large contingent of the films ensemble including Hayley Atwell; Rebecca Ferguson; Simon Pegg; Vanessa Kirby; Pom Klementieff, Esai Morales, Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis finally arrived.

And as soon as Rome appeared on screen the audience started breakinginto cheers and shouting out: Bravo Tom! which happened quite frequently through the screening.

The event was held in tandem with the Rome Film Festivals independently run Alice in the City section, dedicated to films for youth audiences.The films local distributor is Eagle Pictures, which has a local distribution partnership with Paramount. A substantial amount of the hotly anticipated action film was shot in the Italian capital.

Dead Reckoning Part One follows the events of Fallout, where Tom Cruises Ethan Hunt and his crew of secret agents saved the world from a nuclear apocalypse amid a series of double-crosses. The 2018 release was the highest-grossing entry in the franchise yet, earning nearly $800 million at the global box office.

The new film stars Cruise once again, alongside returning franchise players Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Henry Czerny and Vanessa Kirby. Series newcomers include Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Cary Elwes, Rob Delaney, Indira Varma, Shea Whigham, Mark Gatiss, Esai Morales and Charles Parnell.

As expected, the film drew strong notices out of its premiere for its impressive stunts. One of the most prominent death-defying acts pushed in the marketing features Cruise actually riding a motorcycle off the edge of a cliff.

Simon Pegg, who returns for Dead Reckoning after featuring in the previous five installments told Variety that the films core is the rapport between Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie, which began in 2011 with Ghost Protocol on which McQuarrie served as an uncredited writer.

Its become a kind of self-perpetuating evolving relationship where theyve just egged each other on and challenged each other to move the story forward; to increase the scale; increase the ambition, Pegg pointed out.

The seventh Mission: Impossible entry will be released by Paramount on July 12. See reactions to the film below.

Colliders Perri Nemiroff said it was another winner for the franchise with production values through the roof and well-defined and exhilarating set pieces.

#MissionImpossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is another winner for the franchise. Yet again, the production value is THROUGH THE ROOF with some of the most well-defined and exhilarating set pieces photographed in ways that truly make you feel like you’re in the middle of the… pic.twitter.com/yAX0eJ1t1t

Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) June 19, 2023 Uproxx writer Mike Ryan said Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One works as Christopher McQuarries ambitious examination of/meditation on AI and the dangerous path we might be on.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE works as Christopher McQuarrie’s ambitious examination of/meditation on AI and the dangerous path we might be on. (He doesn’t like it) With the inherent nature of being “part one” (said that a lot lately), not as satisfying as FALLOUT

Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) June 19, 2023 Screenrants Joe Deckelmeier said Hayley Atwell STEALS every scene shes in.

#MissionImpossibleDeadReckoning this phenomenal! Hayley Atwell STEALS ever scene she’s in. This is now my favorite #missionimpossible film. With the AI being the villain, this feels like a cautionary tale. The action had my heart rate elevated. That train scene is mind blowing! pic.twitter.com/raHLqTwqEO

Joseph Deckelmeier (@joedeckelmeier) June 19, 2023 Gizmodo and io9 writer Germain Lussier called it fantastic, with a final set piece ranking in the top two to three of the franchise, despite being a little dense at times.

#MissionImpossible Dead Reckoning Part 1 is fantastic.

Dynamite, timely story. Excellent new characters. Huge variety of action and a final set piece that ranks top 2-3 all-time for the franchise.

It gets a little dense at times but its pace intensity more than cover that. pic.twitter.com/prm2wa6ZD6

Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) June 19, 2023 Indiewire executive editor Kate Erbland said it does the best job yet of recent part 1 of 2 features in feeling like its own film while setting up for the next half.

After the insanity of the last few films, #MissionImpossible7 has a tremendous amount to live up to, but one thing I’ll say now in quick reaction format: it does the best job yet of recent “part 1 of 2!!” features in feeling like its own film while setting up for the next half.

Kate Erbland (@katerbland) June 19, 2023 Fandangos Erik Davis called it an impeccably made action film that does not stop entertaining.

I had the absolute best time watching #MissionImpossible an impeccably made action film that does not stop entertaining. Each action sequence is long, crazy intense. The story is big sprawling, but I like how it both felt complete left you dying for what comes next pic.twitter.com/iNaKlDMH8l

Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) June 19, 2023 See more reactions below:

#MissionImpossibleDeadReckoning is incredible. The fastest 2 hr 30 min movie I’ve seen in a long time. One of the best films I’ve seen this year and @TomCruise has done it again. Demands to be seen on the biggest screen. Cannot recommend this movie enough. pic.twitter.com/GOB1WyX2Mi

Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) June 19, 2023