Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation

Starring: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, Simon McBurney, Tom Hollander, Alec Baldwin
Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
2015

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is hunted by the CIA as he relentless tracks down The Syndicate- a global, shadow organization up to nefarious purposes.

Review:

Tim: Coming off the incredibly strong, franchise rejuvenating Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol, we get another very solid entry in this surprisingly long-lasting franchise. I don't believe Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation quite lives up to the heights of the previous film, but this is certainly one of the stronger entries in the franchise. Even more importantly, it proves that this is a franchise that has a lot of life left in it. For a fifth entry in a franchise, this is an impressive movie.

I love that each entry in the Mission: Impossible franchise has a different director. That allows multiple people to put their stamp on the series. Director Christopher McQuarrie does a strong job stepping in, writing and directing a very entertaining film. This movie does a good job of telling an interesting story that engages the audience and keeps us invested in the story. The plot moves along at a quick pace so the audience can sit back and enjoy the ride.

These films have never really been about the story. The story is important, but it's highest purpose is to give the characters a reason to do what they do. The intense action set pieces and impossible stunts are clearly the reason people show up to see these films. The story here is fine- the Impossible Missions Force is splintered, hunted by the CIA, while trying to track down a deadly international shadow organization. Honestly, while I understood the story while watching the film, I'd have a hard time explaining how this film is different to the previous four films. There's bad guys and the good guys need to stop them. There's some global conspiracy or mass casualty event that needs to be stopped. In the moment, of course it's exhilarating. It's just not especially memorable or different from the rest of the franchise.

The cast is one of the biggest reasons to see this film- the majority of it have been together for a few films now and work effectively together. Tom Cruise is once again zeroed in on what he needs to do to bring Ethan Hunt to life. He'll never be as flashy as James Bond, but Cruise's Hunt is a force of his own, now in his 5th film. Cruise plays this one straight- he doesn't even try (or need to) do anything different. He just shows up, gives an effective performance, and it's enough. Simon Pegg is once again a great supporting add, in his 3rd Mission: Impossible film. He's a perfect compliment to Cruise and is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the film. Ving Rhames never seems to have enough to do, but he's a legacy casting and it's always fun to see him. I liked Jeremy Renner here, but outside of some humorous moments, didn't have a lot to do. I originally thought Renner was introduced to one day replace Cruise (which still might happen), but for now, he just feels like another worthwhile member of the team. Sean Harris makes a strong villain here, but ultimately, he's not memorable enough to really differentiate himself from the other M:I villains.

I do need to make a special note of Rebecca Ferguson. I didn't know of her before this film, but she was the most pleasant surprise of the film. She gives an incredibly strong, believable, engrossing performance. She injects great new energy into the cast. I loved the mysteriousness of her character and that she's someone who can hold her own against Cruise. There's not enough strong female roles in movies like this, so she entered like a breath of fresh air. I loved her performance and it remains perhaps the most memorable part of the film. I suspect her star will continue to rise. Her presence greatly helped this movie.

As we've come to expect, this film has a few big impossible action set pieces. One of the most stunning is the opening sequence, when Cruise hangs on the outside of a plane as it takes off. The stunt is pretty incredible and apparently actually done by Cruise. It only serves as a kickoff to the film, but it's a beautiful, remarkable way to start the film. The big action sequence involves the underwater security system that Cruise needs to penetrate without the use of oxygen. This isn't as amazing as some of the previous films' stunts, but it is pretty intense. It's followed by an effective car and motorcycle chase. I do think the big finale is fairly anticlimactic. It amounts to people running around while being shot at. It's no where near as cool I'd have liked. That does hurt the film a little.

While this movie doesn't quite do enough to really differentiate itself from the rest of the pack, it is still a truly effective, entertaining action movie. I'd place it 3rd out of the 5 Mission: Impossible movies, behind the original and Ghost Protocol. That's fairly impressive. Even more so, it further reinvigorates this franchise, celebrating 20 years next year (that's amazing). I hope we get many more entries and I can't wait for the next one.


Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible 2, Mission: Impossible III, Mission: Impossible- Ghost Protocol