Spy vs Spy on an Epic Scale

Rating: 9/10 (31 July 2015)

Everyone is loving on MI5 Rogue Nation. There is a reason for this. It's what a summer blockbuster movie aspires to be. Rogue Nation is fast paced, intriguing, and extremely beautiful. I wasn't bored at all through this movie. I was either too focused on the action, or trying to figure out what the villain had planned. One would think after the second Mission Impossible failed, or at least wasn't good, that the franchise would have died a few films ago. Now I'm left hoping Tom Cruise can continue as Ethan Hunt until he's 60. Love or hate Tom Cruise as a person, the man is an incredible actor. He has been on a roll with his last few films. Edge of Tomorrow is fantastic, and if you haven't seen it yet, go buy the movie because you'll want to watch it multiple times. He is amazing in MI5, and you don't doubt for a second that he is still able to do all of the action sequences. Mainly because he does all of his own stunts. I still can't believe he actually hung outside of an airplane and didn't use a stunt double. In this movie Ethan has to track down an elite evil spy network setup independent of any nation. He is pitted against the best villain of the series next to Phillip Seymour Hoffman from MI3. It is very spy vs spy. They have to outwit each other to accomplish their goals, and Ethan during the course of the movie wonders if he has finally met his match. Along for the ride are some familiar faces. Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, and Ving Rhames all reprise their roles from previous Mission Impossible film. A newcomer however, Rebecca Ferguson, steals the show. She is amazing as the female lead in this movie. She kicked major ass, and I honestly wouldn't mind seeing a spin off focused just on her character. Probably won't happen, but I think it could be fun. It's time we had a female spy movie (other than the comedy with Melissa McCarthy that came out this year). She was simply stunning in this film, with both her look and the amount of ass she kicked. I loved it, and it was believable. They also did a good job masking what side she is actually playing for. I was never quite sure, and it added to the overall intrigue of the movie. She interacts well with the whole team, but especially Tom Cruise. The rest of the team are great. Simon Pegg is fantastic as the comedic relief. Jeremy Renner and Ving Rhames have good chemistry and I liked their interactions. The fun everyone had making this movie comes across on the screen. It is just an extremely enjoyable time and all the actors give their A game. I was surprised by Alec Baldwin's performance. He had a nice side role and was believable in it. I feel he can overact at times, but he was perfect as the CIA director. Sean Harris plays the big bad dude, Lane. He plays a great villain and I loved how calculating he was. He had a great plan, and is extremely believable as the vicious cold blooded calculating villain. The only issue I had with him, and really the movie, was they didn't really setup why he was doing what he was doing. He was just causing acts of mayhem and didn't seem to have any overall purpose. This doesn't take away from the overall film, he's the bad guy and has to be stopped. Simple, but I would have liked to see just a bit more of the why. The only other issue I had with the movie was the blatant product placements. I don't mind product placements, but these where just a bit over the top. Let's just say, Microsoft dumped a ton of money into the film. There isn't much else wrong about this movie. I didn't see any other issues if there where. I was too busing enjoying myselfJ. The plot has a great espionage feel and the action is insanely intense. The chase scene in the middle of the movie is out of this world good. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It's a tad unbelievable, but hey it's an action flick. I can suspend my belief and enjoy a few stunningly well shot action pieces. I can't tell you enough how intense and enjoyable these scenes are. Each good Mission Impossible has had an intense scene, and this one is no different. I don't think they equal the Dubai or the Langley sequence from previous films, but they come close. So obviously, I loved this film. It has everything a good spy movie should. Great action, a twisting plot, and fun gadgets. This is one you must see in the theaters, maybe even multiple times. Go and enjoy this flick. I don't think anyone would be disappointed when they walk out. My Rating: MUST OWN My Top Five Favorite Tom Cruise Movies: 1. Top Gun 2. A Few Good Men 3. Mission Impossible 4. Minority Report 5. The Color of Money
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