Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation Review

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Alec Baldwin

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is the fifth film in a long series. I haven't seen all of the films in the series, but this is the best from what I've seen. Rogue Nation is just such an excellent action movie, presented with absolute perfection. There was a lot of media attention over the plane scene (pictured above). Guess what? That is the opening, before the credits even roll! Most of what was shown in the theater was completely new material not shown in the trailers. The exhilaration begins in minute one and it never goes away.  If you've lost faith in Tom Cruise, he definitely brings his A-game, and proves he can hold his own as a movie star. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is just such a fun movie, but it's also very well made. I just can't say enough positive things about this movie.

From the opening with the plane, to the final frame, this movie never slows down. Tom Cruise and his team are known for doing their own stunts, and I think it makes the movie seem more believable. And it's hard to make people hanging off of planes and engaging in motorcycle chases in busy cities seem like a believable occurrence. But the strength isn't just in the action sequences. The acting is also very good. Tom Cruise brings a lot to this franchise, and he doesn't disappoint here. He's 53 years old, and somehow I still buy him as an action movie star, so he must be doing something right. While Cruise is the headliner, he is supported by an incredible cast. This might be one of the best supporting casts in an action movie that I can recall. Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg reprise their roles as part of Ethan Hunt's team, and Ving Rhames returns for a fifth time in his iconic role. Newcomer Rebecca Ferguson holds her own as the double (or triple?) agent playing both sides. I completely bought into her performance, and I never truly knew what side she was on or what she would do next. Alec Baldwin also brings a lot to the movie as the stereotypical government official trying to shut down the spies, except he actually breaks the stereotype! His scenes arguing with Jeremy Renner are some of my favorites. And finally, the villain. Every spy movie needs a great villain. Solomon Lane, played brilliantly by Sean Harris is the perfect villain. His voice is eerie, and his demeanor frightening.

The real success of Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is its ability to capitalize on one of the most popular themes right now: the idea of an evil corporation within the "good guys". Yes, Rogue Nation is about "The Syndicate", a chapter of Britain's MI6 who went rogue and became terrorists. We've seen this kind of story numerous times before, most recently with Captain America: The Winter Soldier with S.H.I.E.L.D. being compromised by Hydra. And later this year, we'll see S.P.E.C.T.R.E take over MI6 in the newest James Bond film Spectre. These all are good (or expected to be good) examples, but believe me, it's been done in bad movies too. Rogue Nation makes the idea seem new. And for a franchise that basically repeats the same scenes over and over, like the "This message will self destruct", the movie is remarkably able to feel like a breath of fresh air in a summer filled with by-the-numbers action movies. This is one of my favorite movies of the year, I hope you check it out!

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