Mission: Realism (with a flat affect)

Rating: 8/10 (6 September 2015)

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) Reviewed July 31st, 2015 after 1st viewing (IMAX) Paramount Studios - Directed by: Christopher McQuarrie
Mission: Realism (with a flat affect)
From the beginning, I was impressed by the pace and flow of the film. The director (Christopher McQuarrie) took the ballsy move to develop the angst, making the action sequences all the sweeter. The decision to promote the film using primarily the airbus sequence, which is the pivotal opening sequence with the desired (and successful) effect of gaining the audience's interest, was a smart one. This enabled us to sit back and enjoy the rest of the film without anticipating certain scenes. I also loved that the title sequence remained in true MI form, not pandering to the current stylistic and contemporary designs. The combined use of practical effects and Tom's commitment to his craft by doing as many of the stunts as possible lend a realistic quality to an otherwise outlandish film.
This time around, Ethan (Tom Cruise) must work to prove the existence of The Syndicate after the Senate shuts down the IMF, with Benji (Simon Pegg) and Brandt (Jeremy Renner) left to help surreptitiously. I enjoyed the reintroduction of Luther (Ving Rhames) and newcomer Rebecca Ferguson as Ilsa Faust, who managed to quite successfully portray a new archetype than previously seen in a MI film—more independent and honest, which allowed for us to see her as more of a real, complex individual as opposed to yet another seductive female stereotype.
The plot flowed well enough, slowing down just enough to allow the tension to build without leaving us with too much down time to contemplate the plethora of possibilities for who the real villain might be. There are just enough twists to keep you distracted while they implement their own slight of hand, always keeping you guessing. Renner as Brandt was enjoyable to watch, opting for a less-is-more approach that felt organic in its own right. I appreciated that there was not an overabundance of action for the sake of action, and instead the filmmakers opted to slowly build the suspense, effectively making us work for it—a very bold tactic that you do not see much in action films these days. To me, it spoke of their confidence in the material and allowed me to appreciate it all the more.
It did get a bit predictable toward the end, however the improvised plan was original enough, entailing a degree of entrapment I hadn't previously seen done before. One of my favorite moments toward the end was that for once, Ethan's relationship with his female counterpart was grounded in mutual interest and respect, not lust and sexual attraction. The writers have gone with the times and finally represented a strong female lead that doesn't have to be inserted merely as eye candy, and I greatly appreciate the mature treatment. As much as I am a fan of the MI series, that has been one of my biggest irritations in the previous films, so kudos to the writers and Tom!
FINAL VERDICT: A worthy successor to Ghost Protocol, the action sequences and original script successfully breathed new life into the film, however the decision to be more realistic left the film feeling flatter than its predecessor.
8.0 out of 10.0
IMAX NOTE: There is a unique opening countdown sequence I've never seen IMAX do before. It was a great way to get us excited before the opening sequence even began (despite the fact that it was not filmed in IMAX, it showed quite well).