A fine entry in this ongoing series.

Rating: 8/10 (16 August 2018)

Tom Cruise again essays his continuing role of super-agent Ethan Hunt, here tasked with rescuing a protege (Keri Russell) who managed to get herself kidnapped. It turns out, this plot point is just the tip of the iceberg, in a typically extravagant action-adventure spectacular that has Ethan doing battle with a dastardly black-market arms dealer, Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman). For Ethan, the whole operation hits way too close to home when the bad guys kidnap his new bride Julia (Michelle Monaghan), who has no idea what he really does for a living.
J.J. Abrams stepped aboard as the third director to tackle this franchise, giving us our money's worth and then some. The story probably wouldn't hold up to a lot of scrutiny, but at least with movies like this, they entertain you so thoroughly you're not given that many quiet moments to ponder how insane all of it is.
Naturally, there is some first-rate, amazing stunt work, as well as the expected pulse-quickening action scenes, and plenty of explosions to hold our attention. The story does have the requisite number of twists and turns. For example, its opening two minutes just grab you right away, although we can sense that this sequence is actually from much later in the tale.
Cruises' star charisma (and physical prowess) are on full display here, and he's aided and abetted by a very strong supporting cast: Laurence Fishburne, Billy Crudup, Ving Rhames, Maggie Q, Simon Pegg, and Eddie Marsan. The radiant Monaghan is appealing as Hunts' wife. And since movies such as this are dependent on the effectiveness of the villain, Hoffman admirably fills the bill. He's just incredibly cold-blooded and controlled. Aaron Paul of 'Breaking Bad' fame has a small part.
What helps the storytelling is that Abrams and his screenwriters introduce a level of humanity, as we get to see Hunt off the job for once. He truly believes that it's possible for someone in his line of work to have a normal, healthy relationship, although his co-workers doubt this.
Solid stuff overall, and indicative of how the series has continued to flourish, despite its lacklustre second entry.
Eight out of 10.