In theory, the Mission: Impossible franchise should not be running anymore. But man, am I glad it is. In fact, for my money, the series' revival, starting with Ghost Protocol, has made it better than ever. The cast is always great and likable, the action and stunts incredible, and the spy movie cliches used to brilliant (and sometimes hilariously over-the-top) effect. Rogue Nation is no different; motorcycle chases, underwater deathtraps, and on-top-of-flying-plane fights are just a sampling of the action this fifth outing with Tom Cruise and company has to offer, and each is absolutely stunning in their own way.
Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), an agent working for the Impossible Missions Force, is wrapped up in an ongoing chase to uncover an international crime syndicate called... uh... the Syndicate (note: this is not a series known for its strong villains). After stopping a terrorist plane full of nerve gas in the most entertaining way possible, Ethan tries to convince the CIA that the Syndicate exists and they are too dangerous to be ignored. CIA director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) not only doesn't believe Ethan, but wants to disband the IMF altogether. Ethan continues his search against his orders, and is labeled a fugitive by the CIA. Six months later, Ethan has been putting the pieces together in order to find out where the Syndicate will strike next. He needs the help of Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), a technical field agent (with excellent comedic timing as a bonus). Ethan and Benji get mixed up with Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), a double agent trying to infiltrate the Syndicate and take them down from the inside. Are chase scenes, gunfights, and outragous explosions soon to follow? The answer is a resounding YES.
The film as a whole is exiting, funny, and full of fantastic special effects, but nothing compares to its action. Its story may be cobbled together from other action-spy movies, but Rogue Nation's shear energy makes it all seem fresh. Tom Cruise is famous for insisting on doing his own stunts in these films, and with the opening sequence (wherein he was actually strapped to the side of a real plane as it took off), he might just have outdone himself. Another breathtaking scene involves a motorcycle chase in Morocco, where in my IMAX theater, I felt such exhilaration and impact... it was something special, as was an assassination attempt scene that was edited to perfection. I won't go too far into describing a certain underwater scene, but I won't deny that I had to remind myself to breathe every so often.
While Cruise remains the star of the movie with his charisma, Simon Pegg is essential. His comedic timing may be at its peak in his collaborations with Edgar Wright, but the man's a gifted comedian all on his own. He helps ground the movie when things gets too absurd, and even though he's a tech expert, he gets his fair share of action. The only other performance of note was Ferguson's Ilsa Faust, who kicks a considerable amount of ass and never feels like a shoehorned-in love interest for Cruise. She remains unpredictable and interesting throughout, though Ferguson's physical presence leaves more of an impression than her actual performance. The rest of the cast is fine (I was letting wishing Jeremy Renner had more to do), but nothing to write home about.
Sonically, Rogue Nation delivers on all fronts, from the outstanding sound mix to the classic theme song. While most modern action scores are still BWAM-sound fests, the Mission Impossible movies keep their iconic TV theme alive and well throughout their film scores. How damn hard is that, Transformers? The action would be nothing without its sound design, and the film's many locations settings, car chases, and operatic assassinations rely on a steady sound mix to keep everything feeling grounded. Visual effects are pretty much top notch, with a great deal of notable practical effects as well as CGI-aided set pieces. I'm always happy to see more in-camera effects used in action movies, because they age better and create a better sense of tangibility. I think Rogue Nation finds a good balance between the two methods, something I really wish the Marvel movies would take note of.
When I wasn't gushing over how incredible the action scenes were and how hilarious the comedy was, I was wishing Rogue Nation had a better villain with more clear motivations. What does the Syndicate, or in other words, the titular Rogue Nation, really want? If you're going to have a villain rehash a "take over the world" plot or give them a revenge story, make that character interesting. We don't remember The Dark Knight's Joker because he had elaborate plans or even a defined backstory; we relish in his character. I'm not saying every movie villain has to be the Joker (I'm not even sure there can even be another Joker), but the best action/spy movies give me someone I love to hate. Rogue Nation might as well not have true villains, and that's a problem.
Although I didn't find myself getting caught up in the story's mystery, I did care about what happened to these characters. That's where the joy comes from, and Rogue Nation is happy to be what it is. If it doesn't quite match the balls-to-the-wall awesomeness of Ghost Protocol, that's not a criminal offense. It does come close, and in spite of its weightless story, I desperately want to revisit this world. I'd even call it better than this year's Bond film (Spectre), and that film features the largest practically-filmed explosion in cinematic history. Full of spectacle and heart in equal measure, it's just a great time.
8/10
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