Raises the bar in terms of stunt-work and palpable action-sequences.

Rating: 9/10 (29 July 2018)

'Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)' introduces a new level of palpability and is responsible for the whole series' retroactive, but slightly unwarranted, reputation for tangible, essentially 'real' stunt-work, thanks to its many fantastic set-pieces built solely around the slightly insane idea of Tom Cruise being as close to death as possible every moment he's on screen. This is really the reason why the film works so well and is as purely exciting as it is, as it always feels absolutely authentic and manages to keep the audience as engaged as possible with both its action and the characters caught up in it. It's interesting that each film in the series has significantly raised the bar in terms of action, and this is no exception. Thus far, the sequences in this picture are possibly the best in the series: fast, frenetic and fantastically composed. They're all very well conceived, crafted to be as exciting as possible. There's an ever-so-slightly darker tone this time, though things aren't dour and moments of levity are used to great effect. This vibe is bolstered by a smaller but seemingly more personal plot, which sticks closely to the roots of the franchise but does avoid many of its predictabilities. It's certainly an ensemble piece, as much as its direct predecessor. It has possibly the best cast in the entire series, and the most focus on them. All the core players are given several moments to shine, which means that you understand and care about them all. The momentum of the piece is kept thoroughly forward-moving without ever compromising on the character moments that make the narrative so impactful. The movie really is just incredibly entertaining when it gets going. 9/10