Mission: Impossible 7's Sword Fight Is Bigger

Mission: Impossible 7 looks to be exploring a new facet of action in its latest installment through swordplay, a trope that is bigger for the franchise than first realized. Mission: Impossible has solidified itself as one of the biggest action franchises in modern cinema for several reasons. Whether it be vehicle chases, hand-to-hand action, spy shootouts, parkour foot chases, or the new, over-the-top stunts that come with each installment, Mission: Impossible has proven its place in the spy-thriller pantheon. With the newest entry though, the franchise looks to be moving ever so slightly in a new direction. While the trailer for the next Mission: Impossible film, officially titled Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, certainly shows a lot of what has made the franchise great thus far, one thing stands above the crowd. Dead Reckoning seems to be exploring a facet of action previously unexplored for the franchise up to this point in sword-fighting, something that means more than a surface-level action sequence.

Dead Reckoning confirmed to be a two-parter, the Mission: Impossible franchise will consist of eight total films after the release of both. Outside of the James Bond franchise, it is uncommon for popular action franchises outside of sci-fi or superheroes to have this kind of longevity. The added benefit of the latter two means each film can feel fresh and new due to the unending possibilities of the genres. However, with more grounded spy-turned-stunt films such as Mission: Impossible, it can be hard for filmmakers to find new ways to give each entry a reason for existing, and keep things fresh and interesting. One way the Mission: Impossible franchise does this is by the aforementioned stunts that seem to get more insane each time. However, with the promise of a swordfight in Mission: Impossible 7, it is clear Christopher McQuarrie, who has directed each entry since Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, is looking for ways to keep audiences interested in the more "conventional" spy action of the franchise. In using swordplay, McQuarrie and his team are showcasing a type of action that hasn't been shown at all in the franchise up to this point. In doing so, it allows the Mission: Impossible 7 story to show something besides the typical action expected of these films and explore something new in terms of character, fight-choreography, and weaponry.

Additionally, the swordfight also works in terms of the characters of the film, outside of keeping the franchise fresh. With Rebecca Ferguson's Ilsa Faust being the one to showcase this type of action, it adds another level to her character. Since being introduced in Rogue Nation, Ilsa has been one of the standout characters of the franchise, with her history slowly being revealed over the course of the last two films. That looks to be continuing here, with Dead Reckoning highlighting another part of her already impressive skill set. Not only does it make Faust more formidable, but proves she more than matches Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt. With Cruise stating that he views Mission: Impossible 8 as the last in the franchise, though without officially confirming it will be, it will be interesting to see how the events of Dead Reckoning - Part 1 ties into the next installment. However, above this, it is more interesting to see how McQuarrie, Cruise, and the rest of the cast and crew will continue to freshen up the action of the franchise. From the next big stunt that the franchise has become synonymous with, to the smaller ways in which the spy-action is improved, like with Mission: Impossible 7's swordfight, the franchise only continues to refine itself into one of the best action-thrillers in recent cinema.