Another Strong Entry In The Mission: Impossible Series!

Rating: Null/10 (4 November 2015)

Out of all the franchises that are circulating in Hollywood at present, Mission: Impossible series is possibly the only one that refuses to conform to the norm and continues to defy the weariness that sets in once a few sequels of any franchise are out in the market. While the first two chapters were inherently weak, the third instalment provided the necessary boost to this series and that momentum carried on to the fourth one, which in my opinion is the most balanced entry in this saga, thus far.
And now, we have a new one. Using the rogue agent formula of Mission: Impossible as the basis of its plot, lifting a key action segment from Mission: Impossible II & enhancing it to deliver a smashing sequence, incorporating the relentless energy of Mission: Impossible III, and aiming for the near-perfect balance of Ghost Protocol, Rogue Nation is a tour-de-force of blockbuster filmmaking that's refreshing, riveting & entertaining from start to finish and is impressive enough to rank amongst the finest films of the year, so far.
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation finds IMF agent Ethan Hunt looking for intel to prove the existence of the Syndicate, a counter organisation to the IMF that has managed to stay invisible while carrying out its sinister duties. But when the CIA chief convinces the Senate to disband IMF & declares Hunt a fugitive who's to be apprehended on sight, Hunt decides to continue with his current investigation and secretly enlists the help of his former team & comes across a mysterious woman, who happens to have an agenda of her own.
Written & directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the movie opens with an instantly captivating sequence, following which the main plot is set up relatively quick & the relevant characters are smartly introduced. McQuarrie expertly paces the whole narrative from the start and his screenplay is brilliantly penned down too for the story presents a tightly packed structure & nicely blends a sufficient dose of well-timed humour into its action-adventure premise. The kinetic direction & focused script does help but what improves its look n feel is its superbly executed technical aspects.
Production design team does a stellar job in putting up the rich, refined set pieces that add a sumptuous feel to its peripheral surroundings & exotic locations. The fluid movements & clever placements of its camera, in addition to its radiant colour palette & effectual lighting, give its images a vibrant look that makes it come alive in splendid detail. Editing is tight & rarely allows the film to switch to a lower gear during its 131 minutes runtime. Furthermore, the entire experience is elevated by Joe Kraemer's explosive soundtrack which maintains a close proximity with the franchise's main theme at all times.
Coming to the performances, Tom Cruise leads from the front in another turn as the famous IMF agent Ethan Hunt, and even though his performance is just as nuanced as before, his devotion to his most popular role is absolute. Ving Rhames, Jeremy Renner & Simon Pegg return in their respective roles of Luther, Brandt & Benji and it's good to see that Pegg isn't in it just for the sake of providing the comic relief. The new additions include Sean Harris, Alec Baldwin & Rebecca Ferguson, amongst which Ferguson completely steals the show, delivers the strongest performance of the ensemble & her chemistry with Cruise just clicks.
On an overall scale, building on the strength of its predecessors while also keeping a close eye on their shortcomings, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation packs in enough surprise, thrills & breakneck action to satisfy its audience, features some outstanding stunt work that makes its action all the more memorable, and emanates ample freshness throughout its runtime to succeed as a quality action extravaganza that's thoroughly satisfying. Definitely a worthy addition to the Mission: Impossible series, a fascinating example of blockbuster filmmaking, and a downright magnificent cinematic ride that's worth your time & money, Rogue Nation comes highly recommended.