Spectacular and Immensely Fun, "Mission: Impossible" Keeps Soaring

Rating: 9/10 (2 August 2015)

*VERY MINOR SPOILERS*
The fifth installment of the now quintessential action spy franchise has arrived 19 years since the original. Times change, the crew changes, yet our hero is always going to be Ethan Hunt. This time, he's going to face his most seemingly impossible mission yet: take down a mysterious anti- IMF group called the Syndicate, with the help of a few allies and a disavowed British agent who may or may not be on his side.
Let's get on to the points.
Pros (Things that I enjoyed about the film)
1. The film starts with a blast with full-throttle action and doesn't hold up until the end of the movie. It's very fast-paced and an exhilarating adventure.
2. Our main team is made of our favorite agents: the nearly- superhuman Ethan Hunt, the lovable tech-genius Benji Dunn, the kick-ass William Brandt, and the return of original computer hacker Luther Stickell. It's worth to note that there aren't any female IMF agents though.
3. The two mega-action sequences here are able to stand alongside the stand-out scenes from its predecessor: the underwater scene and the airplane scene.
4. Tom Cruise is an action machine and here, he continues to just prove that he's the best at what he does, and despite his increasing age, he's also increasing his credentials as an action movie stars. It also amazes me that even at more than 50, he's still willing to do his own stunts. Incredible.
5. The villain here is the mysterious Syndicate. I found its motives to not be that original but not too preposterous and lazy either. (I'm pointing at you M:I 2. Spreading a disease and curing a disease?)
6. Rebecca Ferguson's character is a welcome addition to this film. Her presence adds another layer of mystery and keeps us guessing on whose side she really is on.
7. The story takes place on many different locations around the globe and including an exotic one (Morocco). This is one of the many things I really like about global espionage films.
8. The humor here is spot-on too. It does not feel forced and for the most part, it works. But more importantly, it does not detract from the direction of the plot and does not become distractions.
9. The climax is very smart and is immensely satisfying. It's lengthy and even without a jaw-dropping moment, it culminates into a very thrilling and pleasing finale.
Cons (It doesn't necessarily bog down the film but I felt that it could have been changed for the better)
1. There are many action sequences but I was disappointed that there was a lack of action scenes led by Jeremy Renner. We've seen him kick-ass in the previous installment, as Hawkeye in the "Avengers" films, and even become the leading role in "The Bourne Legacy". I really thought I would see him get some solo time, but not here.
2. I felt that the ending was a tad bit too abrupt. I would love to see more of the immediate aftermath for those more involved in the conflict.
3. The situation faced by the heroes is very similar to "Ghost Protocol", in the sense that they are disavowed by the authorities and therefore they are wanted people.
4. (Minor spoiler) The whole four-man team only get together halfway into the movie, so there's not a lot of action sequences where they all team up together where each does their own job and depends on the other (i.e. the Burj Khalifa scene and the India scene from "Ghost Protocol"). In most scenes here (especially the beginning), the main team is separated and off doing their own missions.
5. The conflict here is between Ethan Hunt and the Syndicate. At one point, it becomes personal, but I felt it was not just as personal as the one present in "M:I 3" where Ethan's girlfriend is abducted by Philip Seymour Hoffman's character.
6. Alec Baldwin's character is more comic than imposing as his role suggests (can be a good thing, depending on how you look at it?)
Overall, "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" is a very solid and very well-done action movie that is on par with the previous installment, which itself is already an incredible thrilling ride. It doesn't necessarily add anything game-changing to the franchise, but it doesn't put anything "Ghost Protocol" accomplished to waste. It certainly was very fun and ranks among the best entry in the franchise alongside "Ghost Protocol". It identifies what we love about the previous installments to deliver an entry that is immensely pleasing and satisfying. This movie is highly recommended whether you're a fan of the franchise, of action spy films, or of Tom Cruise.
Even after 19 years, the franchise just keeps soaring and if sequels are as good as this, I will certainly be looking out for future installments.