Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation - "Once Again into the Frey..."

Rating: 8/10 (13 August 2015)

The Mission Impossible film-series has got an interesting self-benchmarking style of delivering similar-like, partially predictable but highly engrossing, edge-of-seat action- thrillers.
The trend continues with the fifth installment of "Rogue Nation" – a virtually-existing terrorist congregation of mysteriously disappeared or disavowed secret-agents from all-over (called the "Syndicate") to bring down the powers of the free-world by executing highly- organized and well-timed acts of terror. At the same time, the "Impossible Mission Force (IMF)" is dissolved on grounds of indiscipline and unruliness by the CIA, unknown to the fact that the Syndicate is carefully conspiring to the organization all along. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team (Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson) strive to get matters under control in their most challenging assignment till day, and seem unstoppable and undefeatable in their endeavour; but so are the enemies. It does become scary and really 'impossible' this time.
The MI franchise have a comparatively distinguished take on espionage when compared with the James Bond franchise – a lot less sensuality-oriented and through-and-through spying format; though, it is also a lot lighter than the Jason Bourne franchise with a toned down rustic element, and at par action-sequences. Editing has always been a prime element with a fast-paced thriller and so is Sound Mixing. Fortunately, they're spot-on delivered by – Eddie Hamilton ("Kingsman: The Secret Service", "X-Men: First Class") and Chris Munro (Academy Award winner for "Gravity"), respectively. Cinematography (Robert Elswit; Academy Award winner for "There Will Be Blood") was diverse in shot-selections combining opulence and a rhythmic pace, and have made it fairly-bigger than the previous installment of MI.
Direction and Co-Screen writing by Christopher McQuarrie (Academy Award winner for screen- writing "The Usual Suspects") are mostly theme- based and carry a bit of a comical touch on intervals, making it a little more enjoyable amongst all the action and stunts, which were greatly enhanced by the Special-Effects (Jason McCameron; "Gladiator", "Inception"). A few depicted stunts were already talk-of-the-town since pre-release, especially the opening sequence where Hunt is seen clinging to the door of an Airbus Atlas – been shot without any use of CGI (a faint reminder of his Burj Khalifa feat from "Ghost Protocol", though with VFx). The film is abundant with such gasping thrill-sequences and perhaps, seems to be a little too much to handle by mid-way; though, an action-aficionado won't complain and rather, have appetite for more.
"Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation" is indeed an appreciable attempt to deliver fresh-adrenalin into an era old film series, and Tom Cruise's portrayal as one of "history's most recognized screen-spies" is inspiring even for the fifth time. Watch it to feel that well-known, yet dormant thrill of an action flick (especially of a "MI").