MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION – REVIEW

After four previous impossible missions, Tom Cruise again suits up to take on more bad guys intent on world domination in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. So, is it any good?

YES

Before we get into the nitty gritties, let’s just get one thing out of the way first. Say what you want about Tom Cruise, but the man is a bonafide action star. He consistently cranks out these movies that are a cut above the standard action fare (Edge of Tomorrow is a recent under appreciated gem) with the physicality of a man half his age. I’m not saying the man isn’t cuckoo crazy-pants, I’m just saying that he can run, jump, climb, slide, fight and do whatever else he’s required to do with a hefty slice of finesse.

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Back to the business at hand… Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the Impossible Mission Force (stupid name, but what are you going to do) are again on the most impossible of missions in Rogue Nation. After another crazy stunt which involves a plane full of nerve gas and Hunt trying to get into said plane whilst it takes off (which is the centrepiece of the trailer), the IMF is taken to task for their reckless ways, disbanded, and folded into the CIA under director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin). Caught out in the field, and with the Hunley very intent on catching him, Hunt is focused on tracking down terrorist group The Syndicate and their mysterious leader Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). The Syndicate works as sort of an anti-IMF organisation – all of the skills, none of the regard for human life or rules in general.

Most of the gang returns from Ghost Protocol, so Benji (Simon Pegg), Brandt (Jeremy Renner), and Luther (Ving Rhames) are all there to help get Ethan out of every predicament and add a hefty dose of quipy humour along the way. Paula Patton doesn’t return for this one (apparently chalked up to “scheduling conflicts”), so Rogue Nation continues the series’ tradition of introducing new eye candy to interrupt all the bro-ing out.

The newcomer to the series is Rebecca Ferguson (The White Queen, Hercules), a Swedish actress here playing a British intelligence officer with fluid loyalties, who is either working with The Syndicate, or trying to bring them down. In a nutshell, she is badass! Adept at hand-to-hand combat, riding a motorbike, or wearing the signature side slit dress, Ferguson has a great physicality (her henchmen take-downs are awesome) and keeps you guessing about her character’s motivations right to the last second.

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It’s usually about the third movie in a series that it all tends to go pear-shaped, so for this franchise to still be going strong five movies in is a testament to the talent in front and behind the camera. The blend of showstopping, over-the-top action set pieces and labyrinth plotting makes for a rollicking good time, but the series two biggest assets are it’s ability to not take itself to seriously (we always get the idea that everyone knows what they’re doing is ridiculous), and Cruise. At 53 years of age, he doesn’t quite look as young as he used to (and he’s starting to get an old man muscle body), but he’s 1000% committed to what he’s doing and the fact that he does a vast majority of his own stunts adds an element of believe-ability to the character that you otherwise couldn’t fake. There’s a reason this guy is a movie star.

 

Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher) takes over both the writing and director’s chairs for this one, and he shows a knack for keeping things moving along at a pace and not tripping over the various plot machinations and double-crossings. The movie zips between exotic locales (Morroco, Cuba, Vienna, London), with expertly staged action set pieces, and is gorgeously shot by Oscar winning cinematographer Robert Elswit (There Will Be Blood).

The Mission Impossible series is one of my personal favourites (save for the bloated, mask-happy mess that is MI:2), so I’m glad to see that the franchise is still going strong and seems to be headed for a 6th iteration, probably dependent on whether this one makes the cash that is expected of it. And if future installments are this satisfying to action fans like me, then bring on more impossible missions I say.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION opens July 30th in Australia.

 

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