Mission: Impossible Rouge Nation Review

Rating: 7/10 (29 July 2017)

2015 was a prolific year for spy films, we had The Man From Uncle, Spy, Spectre, and of course Mission: Impossible - Rouge Nation which is the best of the bunch. Rouge Nation is Tom Cruise's fifth outing as IMF super spy Ethan Hunt. Mission: Impossible is a franchise that has constantly changed and evolved with every incarnation. This is mostly down to the franchise having different directors that have their own take on the story.
I watched this film upon its initial release in the cinema, and whilst I liked the film then, I didn't think it was particularly memorable. Whilst I still find that true to some degree, upon my re-watch it's definitely a whole lot more fun and engaging then I initially gave it credit for.
The opening scene is the obvious go to argument for the best set piece of the film. It's a fantastic sequence, which is perpetuated by the fact that Tom Cruise is literally hanging off the side of a plane as it's taking off. It's a piece of film-making that solidifies Tom Cruise's position as one of the most dedicated actors of his generation. The film is worth watching just for the opening five minutes. Thankfully though the film doesn't rest on its laurels as it could quite easily of done.
The best sequence of the film, in this humble reviewers opinion is the Opera scene. As Ethan Hunt and partner Benji(played with fantastic comedic enthusiasm by Simon Pegg.) race against time as they try to prevent the assassination of the Austrian chancellor, by a shadowy criminal organisation only known as the Syndicate. The Syndicate is lead by an ex British secret agent called Solomon Lane. Sean Harris tries his best to be a menacing figure as Lane, but fails to convince as a legitimate omnipresent villain in the film. His character is poorly thought out and given very little depth. He becomes yet another throwaway villain in the Mission: Impossible canon.
Whilst on the other hand newcomer to the series, and the female lead of the film Rebecca Ferguson feels like a breath of fresh air for the franchise. She plays a British double agent Ilsa Faust. She does a fantastic job of portraying a complete bad-ass that can beat up anyone in her way, or through her alluring sensuality. She's given the most depth and made the most sympathetic character as a turncoat agent whose loyalties are never trusted, at-least until she no longer requires certain characters expertise.
Christopher McQuarie does a terrific job directing the film. The editing, and action scenes are top notch. They are well put together and the action flows seamlessly, they are coherent unlike a-lot of big budget action films. The film does have issues in the script department, especially with the main villain. It's also fairly predictable in some areas. Whilst this does slightly detract from the film, it's made up for by a fantastic female lead, and a great supporting cast. Overall Rouge Nation is a lot of fun, and one of the better action films from 2015.