After a summer of disappointments and fizzling duds, we have a movie that lives up to the hype. Stunning action, compelling characters, and an eye for human moments make this film truly the most entertaining movie of the summer.

The film picks up with super agent Ethan Hunt, played again by Tom Cruise, as he is given an assignment and he of course chooses to accept. The mission is to find two halves of a key that will unlock an artificial intelligence system so powerful it could destroy the entire world.

But we aren’t here for the artificial intelligence. We’re here to see what these characters are willing to do to get it. This movie series understands that better than any other. It’s not about the goal, it’s about how achieving that goal pushes our characters. After so many movies with these characters it is thrilling to see them challenged like this. Whether its Ethan Hunt jumping off a mountain, or a beloved friend potentially making the ultimate sacrifice the movie is full of compelling challenges and moments of truth.

The movie finds the perfect balance between massive set pieces like the car chase in Rome in which Ethan and forms an uneasy alliance with a woman named Grace, played by the always amazing Hayley Atwell. They try to escape in one car then another and finally another. They are pursued by an assassin and pretty much every cop in Rome in a case that steadily grows in insanity until the incredible conclusion. But within this massive chase the movie has time for human moments, like when Ethan accidentally turns on the windshield wipers because he’s unfamiliar with the car he’s just commandeered.

There’s an incredible train sequence where Ethan and Grace are trying to escape a train that is hanging off a cliff. It’s like that scene in Jurassic Park the Lost World cranked up to eleven. It’s intense and riveting as they narrowly avoid death only to find themselves in worse trouble. But the sequence makes time to show Grace panic stricken shake her head no when Ethan asks if she trusts him. It’s a human moment in the chaos.

My favorite human moment is a wordless scene between Ethan and Ilsa, played by Rebecca Ferguson. She has been a friend and sometime adversary to Ethan in several films now, and their relationship has been one of my favorite parts of this series. In the scene, Ethan is in deep contemplation as the weight of the world hangs on his next decision. He stands alone on a roof, a stoic figure who carries too much. Ilsa walks out and without a word pulls him out of his reverie. It is the silent interaction between them, the push and pull of looks that breaks Ethan out of himself. It is this beautiful moment that implies so much about these two and their connection. They understand each other and take care of each other. It’s such a great moment.

Amazing action, great characters, compelling human moments in all the chaos, it’s got everything I hoped it would have. It also didn’t bother me that it is a part one. I worried it would feel like an unfinished movie with a “to be continued” take at the end, but the movie feels like a complete story with a compelling finish and just enough loose threads to merit that part one status. I can’t wait for the next one.

What are the drawbacks? The director and cinematographer made some weird choices. So much of this movie is shot in close ups that jump from the left side of the frame to the right that it felt like watching ping pong at times. They also overuse dutch angles. It’s not bad, but it felt like they were leaning too much on that trick.

There’s a lot of exposition even though it is handled in a fun way. And a lot of that dialogue is about this artificial intelligence and waxing philosophically about it and its importance in the world. I could have done without some of that.

Conversely, I really like the depiction of artificial intelligence here. It’s not some evil computer. It’s not HAL or Skynet. It’s just a powerful tool, and it’s danger is it can be used. The tool isn’t evil, the person who uses the tool is. I like that nuanced take on the future of A.I.

Those are minor quibbles. This movie was a rock solid entertaining thrill ride start to finish. I had a great time with it. I can’t wait to go see it again. It’s worth your time and your money to see it in a theater. It’s an awesome experience. I highly recommend it.

It’s my cup of tea. A