‘The Impossible’ puts Tom Cruise on an unfinished mission

There is a second part, which may or may not come out next year, depending on the actors’ strike. This means that if you jump in too early, you’ll be watching almost three hours of thriller with no ending.

For star and producer Tom Cruise, it’s an opportunity to do more stunts, delve into the world of James Bond and dig into ancient ruins like Indiana Jones.

Receiving his marching orders from a cassette player, his Ethan Hunt is tasked with finding the key that could allow the Entity (as the AI ​​don is known) to level the world as we know it.

In more places than the Cunard cruise ship, Hunt reassembles his crew (which includes Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames) to help search and destroy. Naturally, he drinks women to help or harm. Paris (Pom Klementieff), one of the latter, chases him through the streets and alleys of Rome in a Hummer. Complicating things? He’s handcuffed to a potential partner (Hayley Atwell), who has to share the driving duties.

Also on the list: Rebecca Ferguson and Vanessa Kirby, two love interests who appeared in earlier “Missions.” They get a chance to fight the villains and (in one case) try their hand at Hunt’s craft: masks. It’s a great throwback to the TV series, but there are also several character actors who look like they’re jumping from one CBS procedural to another.

The real calling card – and this is what the rumors are all about – is Cruise’s ability to run, jump and parachute throughout his search for clues and the answer. He does a wonderful job, but when he fights on top of a train, we get the feeling that this isn’t anything original, it’s just a gimmick that Hollywood can do well (thank you, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Doom).

Director Christopher McQuarrie knows how to maximize Cruise’s appearance. He just shouldn’t keep returning to the same wells.

Although “Dead Reckoning” manages to touch on a futuristic issue (the nuances of Hollywood writers and actors are striking), it does not specify a single villain. Like many recent films, it doesn’t want to alienate potential audiences. So the bad guys end up in a nebulous world where billionaires prosper and everyone else has to deal with the property they destroy.

This makes the story unfocused and encourages a stunt show.

“Dead Reckoning” entertains – there’s no doubt about that – but it didn’t need to go that far so often just to keep the clock ticking.