Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015)

nMission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015)

nDirector: Christopher McQuarrie

nCast: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames,nJeremy Renner, Alec Baldwin, Simon McBurney, Sean Harris

nI’ve gone down as saying that writers turned directors don’tnalways make the best movies which is true a lot of times, but in the case of ChristophernMcQuarrie this isn’t so. McQuarrie started out writing The UsualnSuspects (1995), then he took a stab at writing/directing with The Way of the Gunn(2000) which I remember not loving so much the first time I saw it. I haven’tnseen it in ages so I might feel differently about it now. His first experience working with Cruise was on Valkyrie (2008), which wasn’t a successful movie, yet started their professional relationship which led to McQuarrie writing and directing Jack Reacher (2012), which also starred Tom Cruise. I remember it having an amazing car chase sequence that stood out. MakingnJack Reacher with Cruise must have been a good experience because here he isnagain working with Cruise on his first big budget summer blockbuster; MissionnImpossible: Rogue Nation (2015). This is the fifth installment in the stillnrunning strong franchise, which is growing in popularity with each picture. In mynopinion, each film has been better than the last. So what’s so cool about thisnfifth installment?

nThis time around the IMF (the Impossible Mission Force) isnbeing disbanded by the American government because apparently their results arentoo destructive. But of course, Ethan Hunt and his team aren’t that easy tondisband, and so they go on one final mission to try and stop ‘The Syndicate’, angroup of terrorists who are out to destroy the Impossible Mission Force, sonthey can go about their usual villainous plans. Can Ethan and crew clean theirnname and prove themselves useful to the U.S. government once again? Or willntheir names remain tarnished for all eternity?

nI’ll be honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of the MissionnImpossible movies, but from the fourth one on, for some reason I’ve startednliking them more. I guess the stunts and the action have gotten way moreninteresting, even more impossible. And the fact that Tom Cruise is doing a lotnof his own stunts makes everything way more fun. I mean, truthfully, screw allnthe crap that’s been said about Cruise, I’m all for applauding genuine talent,nand Cruise has proven himself to be the quintessential action star, unafraid ofngoing out there and really giving us a show. And by going out there, I mean,nreally literally going out there and doing stunts himself! The mannis currently 53 and he still looks like a million bucks! I guess when you’re a millionaire film star, when you’re not making movies you’re in the gym working out with your personal trainers,nwhile a professional cook makes you the healthiest dinners imaginable. The dudenlooks brand new, healthier and more active than a lot of men at his age, sonexpect a Cruise that looks like he’s still 30.

nThe film is none stop action from beginning to end; itnstarts with an action set piece where Cruise is hanging from a plane…literally!nSure he used wires and harnesses, but still, it’s admirable that he wasnactually hanging from that plane in a day and age where everything is done withngreen screen! Tom Cruise, I salute thee! This movie is so gung ho for realitynthat there’s this underwater sequence in which Tom Cruise has to hold hisnbreath for an extremely long time while switching a computer disk on annunderwater computer. It’s an extremely complicated scene that I thought wasncompletely CGI, but upon my investigations of how it was done, I was amazed tonlearn that it was truly shot underwater. This means they built the actual set, filled it with water and shot the sequence down there. Awesome. Any other filmmaker would have done that whole sequence in CGI, again,nmy hats down to McQuarrie and crew for choosing to shoot their film in front ofntheir cameras as opposed to the inside of a computer. On this show Cruise even ridesnmotorcycles at high speeds! There’s this moment in which he scratches his kneenon the road while taking a curve and I was like whoa! That’s what I’m talkingnabout! So yeah, it’s true, Tom Cruise is the big special effect of thisnfranchise. Similar to how Jackie Chan was on his films, Cruise is an actor andna stunt man all in one.

nIt was good seeing the Mission Impossible Force togethernonce again. Here we get Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Renner and heeelloooo,nRebecca Ferguson! Holy Moly, this actress looks stunning on this movie! Younmight remember her as ‘Ergenia’, the bow and arrow specialist in Brett Rattner’snHercules (2014). I mean, this lady is a show stopper. Not only does she looknamazingly beautiful, the epitome of sensuality, she also kicks major ass onnthis movie! She has this fight sequence where she’s saving Tom Cruise’s lifenthat is a wonder to behold, she has great physical ability that’s for sure! Thennwe have Simon Pegg with the comedy relief, he reminded me of the obligatoryncomic relief guy from 80’s action films, where the big action star always had an‘funny’ guy tagging along saying one liners and jokes throughout the wholenmovie, only Simon Pegg is actually likable and funny. So all in all, I’d saynthat this Mission Impossible is a sure fire winner. Even better then MissionnImpossible: Ghost Protocol (2011), and that’s saying a lot because GhostnProtocol was tons of fun, however simple it was. The good thing about the action on this film is that the action sequences are intricate, extensive and aren’t throw aways, they really go out of their way to do something that will entertain, that will sustain our attention for a long period of time. Don’t even think so hard about the story or if you’rengetting it or not, remember everything will be explained in the climax, just gonwith the flow. By the time it’s all over you’ll be a satisfied moviegoer, that’sna guarantee!

nRating: 4 out of 5