Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One reactions are in

Tom Cruise on a motorbike in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (Image credit: Paramount Pictures and Skydance)

A little more than a year after saving Hollywood with Top Gun: Maverick (according at least to Steven Spielberg), Tom Cruise is back with another major blockbuster, Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One. The movie, the seventh in the Mission: Impossible franchise, had its world premiere in Rome on Monday, June 19, and critics who had the chance to see a screening of it offered their first Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One reactions.

What did they think of the movie that WTW has as our most anticipated blockbuster movie of summer 2023? Pretty much universal acclaim as it turns out.

"Fantastic," "incredible," "another winner for the franchise" are just some of the overall thoughts for the movie. One critic went as far as to say it was the "BEST 'MISSION' YET" (the of use all caps is theirs).

#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/prm2wa6ZD6June 19, 2023

#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/GOB1WyX2MiJune 19, 2023

FINALLY HERE & WORTH THE WAIT! “MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE — DEAD RECKONING” is ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC & the BEST “MISSION” YET! Great story, awesome cast, incredible action that will keep you on the edge of your seat — @TomCruise has topped himself w/ the BEST ACTION MOVIE OF THE SUMMER! pic.twitter.com/e2otIYcvQ4June 19, 2023

Some of the more interesting thoughts given on the movie came from IndieWire's Kate Erbland, who praised Dead Reckoning Part One as "the best job yet of recent 'part 1 of 2' features in feeling like its own film while setting up for the next half." That certainly has been a trend in recent years, with the likes of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, Dune and Dune: Part Two, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One and Two, and, also in 2023, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse.

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.June 19, 2023

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/iNaKlDMH8lJune 19, 2023

Another thing of note that stood out from the early batch of reactions was praise for Hayley Atwell's new character joining the series. The actress, best known for her role as Peggy Carter in the MCU, was called the "MVP" of the movie and is said to "steal every scene" she's in.

Saw the #MissionImpossible7 embargo lifted and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Fun and slick. Hayley Atwell was MVP for me. Rebecca Ferguson is god-level and has a sword fight that is next level. Impeccably cast, beautifully shot. Ready for the finale. pic.twitter.com/hIVVyGtl0UJune 19, 2023

#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/raHLqTwqEOJune 19, 2023

It should also be of little surprise, considering Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie's track record, that people are praising the action in the movie, particularly the practice of the stunts, which includes what has been described as Tom Cruise's biggest stunt of his career. Critics said the movie has "some of the most well-defined and exhilarating set pieces" and "demands to be seen on the biggest screen."

#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/yAX0eJ1t1tJune 19, 2023

There were a few things that the first batch of reactions was less enthused by — the villain played by Esai Morales seems to be among the big ones.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One is phenomenal on the action front, especially in the first hour.Hayley Atwell steals every scene. The villain, cliffhanger, and runtime didn’t blow me away but the rest is wildly entertaining and brilliantly filmed. It’s solid. pic.twitter.com/z4Im8S0oQcJune 19, 2023

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7 is VERY good, though it lacks the emotion that made MAVERICK great. The climactic train sequence is AWESOME & the entire cast RULES, from my man Tom Cruise to the great Shea Whigham. There are 2 minor issues: Villain backstory & Ethan’s rushed bond w/Grace.June 19, 2023

Overall, though, the buzz around Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One is only going to get louder after these initial reactions. Excited fans are certainly hyped about the early word.