Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Starring Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
By now you’ve seen the image – 53-year-old action star Tom Cruise hanging from the side of a cargo plane as it speeds along a tarmac and swiftly rises into the sky with the actor clinging desperately for dear life. Yes, it’s really him (several takes and some digital scrubbing perfected the sequence) and, yes, it occurs before the opening credits of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. It’s a bold move that surpasses Cruise’s Burj Khalifa stunt in 2011’s Ghost Protocol and solidifies the leading man’s status in a series that still feels fresh and relevant.
The espionage thriller reunites Cruise and Jack Reacher director Christopher McQuarrie along with the rest of the gang, including the addition of Alec Baldwin as the scenery-chewing head of the CIA and Swedish star Rebecca Ferguson, whose mysterious spy character’s fierce fighting and sultry charisma make for one hell of a breakout role.
The fifth installment doesn’t reinvent the franchise playbook; in a nod to the original TV series, the looming threat of the nefarious criminal organization, known as the Syndicate, finally comes to the forefront with an understated but effective Sean Harris taking the reins as main antagonist Solomon Lane. At its worst, Rogue Nation gets bogged down by heavy-handed exposition that occasionally awkwardly details the meticulous plot. At its best, the film provides a wonderful sense of escape with a blend of exotic locations and breathtaking action with plenty of room for well-timed humour.
In short, Cruise still proves nobody does it better.
