The Impossible Mission Force is back again and their mission seems impossibler than ever. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his team of secret operatives, Benji (Simon Pegg) and Brandt (Jeremy Renner), take on terrorism in one of the most exciting films of the summer and one of the best films in the series.
Rogue Nation picks up not too long after Ghost Protocol left off. The CIA director (played by Alec Baldwin) views the IMF as a cause of international havoc and is attempting to shut the program down and eliminate its participants. While Hunt is in hiding, he plans an attempt to defeat the Syndicate, a terrorist organization responsible for civilian deaths all over the world. Hunt must enlist his crew once again and track down a file that lists how the Syndicate is funded and where it may strike next. Along the way, IMF must decide if another agent, British operative Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), is on their side or working for the enemy. With the British Prime Minister the ultimate target, the team only has one chance to save the world and justify its own existence as an undercover unit.
The film succeeds in a number of areas, most notably Cruise’s tireless ability to be Tom Cruise. He’s always the toughest, smartest, and coolest guy in the room (or hanging off the side of an airplane), and while we know he will always survive his maniacal adventures, it’s fun watching him come up with new ways to cheat death and catch bad guys. It’s both frustrating and fascinating to see Hunt jump out of a window only eight feet off the ground and get more hobbled and bloodied than when he lays down his motorcycle at 80 mph or flips his BMW end over end.
Though Paula Patton is not in this edition, Ferguson is great as the female lead and mysterious operative, and she kicks tons of butt. Ving Rhames reappears as Hunt's reliable buddy. Pegg remains a great addition to the team, but Renner feels painfully underused here. Baldwin, as the determined CIA head, offers gravitas and should be more fun the next time around.
There are some great action sequences, especially an exquisitely choreographed assassination attempt on a catwalk high above a live performance at the Vienna opera. Hunt faces several would-be threats at once and, while no words are spoken, the action excellently shows both Hunt’s precarious physical and strategic positioning. There is also an exciting car chase through the narrow alleys of Casablanca, and plenty of dynamic fight scenes.
The M:I movies have always been a slightly more serious spin on the James Bond franchise, and that formula works effectively here, while also echoing other well-worn espionage tropes. There are definite hints of the Bourne films, with the conflict between government agencies and secret forces. The second season of The Blacklist also seems familiar here, and there is even a Danny Ocean-esque conversation about the hopelessness of breaking into a secured location.
While the film is quite enjoyable in almost every respect, there are plenty of problems for those willing to notice. The plot has only slightly fewer holes than a golf course, and several action sequences are undercut by subsequent scenes that leave you wondering, “Wait, so all of that was unnecessary?” Also, you can try playing this game: how many items magically appear on screen in order to service characters’ ensuing action scenes? I’ll get you started: look for a defibrillator, motorcycle gear, a pair of sunglasses, and endless changes of clean clothes.
But that may be nit-picking when you know what you are getting into. All in all, it’s good fun and an exhilarating ride. A good test for a sequel is if it can stand alone outside of its origin story, and this one more than holds up. This is a mission you should definitely choose to accept.
Grade: B+
Rogue Nation picks up not too long after Ghost Protocol left off. The CIA director (played by Alec Baldwin) views the IMF as a cause of international havoc and is attempting to shut the program down and eliminate its participants. While Hunt is in hiding, he plans an attempt to defeat the Syndicate, a terrorist organization responsible for civilian deaths all over the world. Hunt must enlist his crew once again and track down a file that lists how the Syndicate is funded and where it may strike next. Along the way, IMF must decide if another agent, British operative Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), is on their side or working for the enemy. With the British Prime Minister the ultimate target, the team only has one chance to save the world and justify its own existence as an undercover unit.
The film succeeds in a number of areas, most notably Cruise’s tireless ability to be Tom Cruise. He’s always the toughest, smartest, and coolest guy in the room (or hanging off the side of an airplane), and while we know he will always survive his maniacal adventures, it’s fun watching him come up with new ways to cheat death and catch bad guys. It’s both frustrating and fascinating to see Hunt jump out of a window only eight feet off the ground and get more hobbled and bloodied than when he lays down his motorcycle at 80 mph or flips his BMW end over end.
Though Paula Patton is not in this edition, Ferguson is great as the female lead and mysterious operative, and she kicks tons of butt. Ving Rhames reappears as Hunt's reliable buddy. Pegg remains a great addition to the team, but Renner feels painfully underused here. Baldwin, as the determined CIA head, offers gravitas and should be more fun the next time around.
There are some great action sequences, especially an exquisitely choreographed assassination attempt on a catwalk high above a live performance at the Vienna opera. Hunt faces several would-be threats at once and, while no words are spoken, the action excellently shows both Hunt’s precarious physical and strategic positioning. There is also an exciting car chase through the narrow alleys of Casablanca, and plenty of dynamic fight scenes.
The M:I movies have always been a slightly more serious spin on the James Bond franchise, and that formula works effectively here, while also echoing other well-worn espionage tropes. There are definite hints of the Bourne films, with the conflict between government agencies and secret forces. The second season of The Blacklist also seems familiar here, and there is even a Danny Ocean-esque conversation about the hopelessness of breaking into a secured location.
While the film is quite enjoyable in almost every respect, there are plenty of problems for those willing to notice. The plot has only slightly fewer holes than a golf course, and several action sequences are undercut by subsequent scenes that leave you wondering, “Wait, so all of that was unnecessary?” Also, you can try playing this game: how many items magically appear on screen in order to service characters’ ensuing action scenes? I’ll get you started: look for a defibrillator, motorcycle gear, a pair of sunglasses, and endless changes of clean clothes.
But that may be nit-picking when you know what you are getting into. All in all, it’s good fun and an exhilarating ride. A good test for a sequel is if it can stand alone outside of its origin story, and this one more than holds up. This is a mission you should definitely choose to accept.
Grade: B+