Ethan Hunt and his crew return to the big screen, this time to hunt a syndicate bent on establishing their own order, as well as completely wiping out the I.M.F. With the I.M.F disbanded, and Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) out of commission, the team now faces off against a network of highly skilled special agents known as The Syndicate. These highly trained operatives are hell bent on creating a new world order through an escalating series of terrorist attacks and carefully planned assassinations. ‘Rogue Nation’ is in my opinion the very best of the Mission Impossible franchise, and it’s one of the very best handcrafted action scripts of the year. It’s not enough that Tom Cruise is already one of the biggest movie stars in the world, but at the age of 54 he has stuck firm with his decision to do his own stunt work. The film supplies heart pounding suspense to match the very real cause and effects of the high risk stunts that Ethan attempts. I commend the movie several times for it’s lack of fear with hurting it’s main protagonist. From gunshot wounds, to knee scrapes during motorcycle mountain chases, to brain damage as a result of the lack of oxygen.  There were also many scenes in the movie where I felt on the edge of my seat with suspense, despite knowing the outcome based on where we were at with the running time of the film. Any movie that has that ability to still keep you guessing, despite this being the fifth film of the series, is quite impressive. Without giving too much away, ‘Rogue Nation’ is definitely the most down to Earth of the sequels in this series. It never ever feels silly or even contrived, because it stays close to the ground for it’s action. Speaking of action, the camera shots were creative and supplied with lots of back and forth shots to accommodate fans of any action shot style. The close-ups were nice because we are alongside our characters zigzagging in and out of various automobiles. Yet the wide angle shots of the foreign countries while viewing this madness from afar, details a map that is miles wide from where the chase first began. It never relies on shaky camera effects, and thank God for that, as it would feel artificially impactful.  The cast was also greatly enjoyable in more ways than one. Simon Pegg (Benji) really steps it up in the movie. He has always been the comedic enjoyment for the film series, but it’s in this film where we feel the real concrete bond between Benji and Ethan. These are best friends who work best when they work together. Even the building relationship between Luther (Ving Rhames) and Ethan is very apparent, but in a different light. There is a kind of father-son feel with these two that gives the audience our first taste of love for Ethan that has lasted more than just one film between he and a female protagonist. If there is one MVP to this film however, it’s in that of second film actress Rebecca Ferguson. As Ilsa Faust, she is this ruthless force just trying to earn back the trust of her colleagues, who will stop at nothing to achieve this status. She is a badass woman that supplies plenty for the female moviegoer to enjoy this film. Even more important, she isn’t used for love bait for Ethan. There is certainly a chemistry spark there, but the film is a lot smarter than that, and Ilsa is responsible for some of the very best scenes of the movie.  Any minor critiques I have is just that; minor. I still am not a big fan of the mask making machine. This has been a part of the series since the original movie, but it still feels hokey and out of place to the tone of the series. I also could’ve done without the unoriginal traits of the villain (played by Sean Harris) of the film. One thing that has always made this series suffer is it’s lack of a three dimensional villain, with the exception of Phillip Seymour Hoffman in ‘Mission Impossible 3’. Harris grunts and speaks in such a soft accent that it’s hard not to giggle during his moments of threats. He’s smart, but not believable enough as a mastermind in control of these big muscled men.  Overall, ‘Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation’ packs a punch with  even the most dedicated of action genre enthusiasts. It’s tight script combined with ever increasing suspension during these death defying scenes showcase why this film is the Bond franchise for the twenty first century. Definitely can’t miss cinema.

8/10