An awesome experience!

Rating: 10/10 (29 July 2015)

My most anticipated movie of this year and luckily enough, I had the pleasure... the utmost pleasure of watching it at an advance screening! Loving Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol so much that I'd given it a near perfect rating, I was skeptical and expecting at least a bit of a letdown as I simply couldn't see how they'd top that. Also, I had only limited myself to 2 trailers as I already felt I knew far too much, which only increased my anxiety. Still, I couldn't help but have expectations; my excitement level had peaked before even going into the cinema!
And the movie surpassed my expectations; just blew me away... multiple times. The best elements from all the previous four films are adapted and have been vastly improved upon.
Sean Harris is the antagonist and he does a fantastic job of it. Cruel, mysterious, calculating, manipulating, menacing... just evil to the point that Hunt is at the end of his wits, feeling helpless. His luck seems to be running out... his skills, his way of operating, all his usual tricks and methods - they've all been exhausted and you are actually scared for him!
The way this movie is presented to us, the audience, we aren't just viewing it; it's made to feel just as much of an experience. That's how the whole film is and I am in awe of the ingenuity. Just when you think you've got it all figured out - how the scene and then the movie are gonna play out, it twists & turns and throws you off. And then, in the back of your mind, whilst taking in all of this unexpected awesomeness, you're off again... trying to figure out where that shot and the entire film is headed. It just takes you on an exhilarating ride. For the most part, the movie feels so perfectly realistic even with all the crazy awesomeness going on. And I love how unpredictable it was.
In regards to the characters in general - actions taken by them, the pieces of dialogue they speak with everything occurring in the background and taking into consideration everything that has happened so far you find yourself being uncertain what their motivations and intentions are, what they're thinking, what they are going to do next, what's going to happen, what's the plan, etcetera etcetera – every character; not just the new ones but even the previously established ones. That is how exceptional the performances are, in tune with the direction of the story... the entire cast has their A game on!
Also, there's a lot of humour, scattered all over the movie and that makes the movie more fun. There is development, too, with most of the characters - especially Hunt.
The action in the movie is just insane... they went all out! From stunts to fight sequences and chases - absolutely sensational; it's like you're feeling every hit and every move. The whole scene where Tom Cruise actually clings onto the door of a plane while it's taking off - my heart was racing so fast. It was very well shot and the fact that he actually performed the insane stunt adds to the feeling; CGI just cannot compare. This intensity and excitement is constant throughout the movie, on some level. Also, Tom Cruise is riding a motorcycle once again and it is sweeeeeeeeeeeet! There's a scene of him running, as well, as usual.
The cinematography is just spectacular and quite literally breathtaking throughout the film. Be it action sequences, landscape, anything... there's amazing wide-angle shots, there's POV shots that feel like you're really there, the whole lot. The movie looks and feels so great.
The gadgets and gear in this movie are unreal! I don't mean they are unrealistic; they are believable in a very plausible-in-the-future way, creative and incredible.
There's more than a few things going on in the movie, yet none of it feels forced or unnecessary and it all works together very well. It runs at a tense, thrilling and suspenseful pace - in an enjoyable way. Not a single moment is wasted; every scene on the screen is essential and every shot is impeccably acted, directed and delivered. I could go on & on about how every little aspect of the film was awesome, but to conclude, I loved it all.
Also, TOM CRUISE IS A GODDAMN LEGEND!