What Lead To The Creation Of 'Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One' - A Behind The Scenes Revelation

One of the editors of this publication wanted a review of the newest arrival in the Mission: Impossible franchise, the seventh in the series, Dead Reckoning Part One. 

On his bidding, I went to the theatre, and upon entering I found that my presence quickly increased the average age of those present by at least five years. I was perhaps the sole 50+ gent in a cinema hall filled with mostly 20-somethings on a Wednesday morning in Chennai. 

For what it is worth, here is my considered review of this extravagant film: Tom Cruise's action set pieces, stunts and car chases are as spectacular as they were built up to be. 

And that ends my review.

Seriously, I don't mean this pejoratively. The fight and jump sequences were brilliantly choreographed, and basically - spoiler alert - there is no need for any spoiler alert as you get what you expected. 

And come to think of it, that almost all of the live action scenes were done by the 61-year-old Tom Cruise adds an extra layer of attraction especially considering the fact that I developed a stiff back just watching this rather longish film that has a run-time of two hours and 43 minutes.  

But writing such a review, even though it is utterly factful, wouldn't please the Editor, even though some of my readers would be definitely happy.

When we journalists don't get any actual news we usually make them up. So, following in that tradition, here's a revelation of behind-the-door chat between Tom Cruise and the director Christopher McQuarrie had before finalising the script and story of Mission: Impossible - 7. 

Even though we have imagined this conversation, we can't say for sure that this didn't happen. (Also, as luck would have it for us, they spoke in Indianese.) 

Here goes:

Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie meet at a fancy suite of a swanky hotel in Los Angeles. 

Tom: Hi, Chris. Hope you have got the story of our upcoming film all sewn up?

Chris: You do have a sense of humour, Tom. Story? We are talking of Mission: Impossible franchise here.  Basically, you save the world from another deadly catastrophe. It could be from a volatile neutron synchronator that falls into the hands of a vague Middle-Eastern terrorist oragnisation with links to Moscow and now operating out of Prague in the streets of which you have to run at breakneck speed chasing, I do know, a rogue rocket. 

Tom: Volatile neutron synchronator? Sounds seriously scary. By the way, what is that?

Chris: Who knows? I just made it up, Tom. 

Tom: This is not the place or time to be flippant, Chris. The audience these days can't be cheated. They cross check everything, as they are armed with the likes of AI and ChatGPT. . 

Chris: You nailed it there, Tom

Tom: Nailed what? I was just saying that viewers have many smart tools.

Chris: You said AI, right? That is the buzzword now. That is our next villain. 

Tom: You can't be serious. We know nothing about AI.

Chris: Neither do most of the populace. You can say anything in the name of AI and the public will believe it lest they are shown up as imbeciles. 

Tom: Okay, even if that is the case. How do we build up AI as a villain? It is an abstract idea for a plot point, right?

Chris: Leave that to us writers. We are good at imagining. AI is the new nuclear bomb. 

Tom: It still sounds vague to me. We have to have something physically tangible, say, like some secret key to get to that AI entity.

Chris: Tom, you are a genius. You laid out all there without you realising it. We will have a literal key that the villains are after that provides access to the Entity. You may not be able to notice it, Tom. I just capitalised Entity so that we don't have to even think up a name for this AI thingy.

Tom: Okay, the villainous forces want the key and I have to safeguard it, right? Okay, let's cut to the chase, what is the chase that you have planned for this film?

Chris: You have to drive maniacally on the streets of Rome. 

Tom: Every driver on the streets of Rome actually drives that way only.

Chris: Okay, we will make it even more difficult for you. Like having one of your arms in a handcuff. You get chased and you escape by driving with one arm only. Impressive, no?

Tom: Er, most cars these days come with automatic transmission. You don't actually need the second arm to drive around.

Chris: We are in Mission: Impossible universe—no need to bring in actual logic. In any case, since it is a chase, people will have no time to think. 

Tom: They are watching only. Can't they think?

Chris: No, historical evidence suggests that when such adrenaline-pumping action happens on screen the audience mind stops ticking. It is proven science.

Tom: Okay,  we haven't discussed the most important part of the film: Where do I have to jump from?

Chris: Now you are talking business. We have already done aeroplane, Burj Khalifa. Why not fall from, I don't know, a high hill in a jungle?

Tom: Okay, I think I will jump from the cliff while riding a bike.

Chris: Riding a bike on a cliff? Sounds totally absurd. I think it will work wonderfully well. 

Tom: Anything else?

Chris: We will have you fight on a train as we had a fight in a flight in one of the previous editions.

Tom: Flight, train, bus... is there anything else left for me to fight from?

Chris: You missed out submarine.

Tom: Okay, why not that?

Chris: What do you think we are going to fill part two of this film with? Eathan Hunt getting chased in a submarine, it can be every action film buff’s, I don’t know, wet dream. 

*Tom and Chris depart satisfied after this brainstorming session*