Action blockbuster hit Tom Cruise returns as IMF agent Ethan Hunt for the fifth time in the new installment of Mission: Impossible. The 53 year old actor is still in prime condition and continues to wow audiences just like he did 30 years ago; if it isn’t the fact that the man hasn’t aged a day since ‘Top Gun’ or the fact that he still doesn’t rely on a stuntman to do his work. Either way, love him or hate him, you have to admit, Tom Cruise is pretty incredible. Deciding to team up with ‘Jack Reacher’ director Christopher McQuarrie, the director takes the franchise into a new stride with a dash of old school action film techniques.
Ethan Hunt finds himself becoming rogue after the IMF becomes disbanded. The subsequent actions of the IMF going under, Ethan Hunt has to rely on close friends Benji (Simon Pegg), Brandt (Jeremy Renner) & Luther (Ving Rhames) to take down the Syndicate, an international rogue agency that want to take down the IMF once and for all. Trying to improve or at least match the previous Mission: Impossible film in ‘Ghost Protocol’ was always going to be difficult in my eyes. The clever addition of Jeremy Renner worked a treat for the film that included the amazing stunt of the building in Dubai. To beat that, ‘Rogue Nation’ has included an impressive actor in Sean Harris to be the villain. A big fan of his work in recent times, the London based actor provides the franchise with a worthy villain that stops at nothing to stop Ethan Hunt in his tracks.
In addition, ‘Rogue Nation’ ups the ante from the previous films and provides us with death defying stunt work and old-school blockbuster action sequences. Including the much talked about stunt when Tom Cruise hangs off the side of a plane in mid-air; but the one stunt that hasn’t been getting the plaudits in recent times is an incredible under water scene midway through the film. That scene is the most nail-biting in the franchise yet; including the fact that Tom Cruise can still perform at his age, makes ‘Rogue Nation’ easily my favourite in the series.
The brilliant balance of comedy and action throughout the film brings the appeal to all ages through the roof. Not only is it a perfect Friday night film with the lads, it’s perfectly suitable for the family to go to as well. Director Christopher McQuarrie continues to expand his CV by adding yet another fantastic action film and should carry the mantle for the next installment of M: I if there is to be another. 4 out of 5 stars.
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