Ethan and his team are back, and this time they
are hunting down a mysterious terror organization called The Syndicate.
Does that name sound familiar?
Well it should, as that was the mission given
to Ethan at the end of
Ghost Protocol.
This marks the first time a
Mission: Impossible film leads in directly
from the previous film, and it's about time.
It’s a true
connecting point, and as you see throughout
Rogue Nation, the events of
Ghost
Protocol weigh in heavily here, and that is one of the many things that make
this such a great film.
Right away we see that Benji and Brandt
are back in action, and they’re joined by none other than Luther Stickell. That’s right, Ving Rhames is back, and I
couldn’t be happier. However, there’s
one glaring omission from the cast, and that’s Paula Patton’s Jane Carter. She’s nowhere to be found. I thought maybe she’d pop up later on in the
film, but no, she never does, and she’s never even mentioned. It’s like she never existed. This film takes place roughly a year after
Ghost Protocol, so a lot could have happened, but it’s just odd that both Benji
and Brandt are there and no one mentions what happened to Jane. I can understand if Patton had other
obligations that prevented her from appearing in the film, but why not give a
quick line of dialogue to explain her absence. The rotating woman in these films in the one main problem of this series, as they build up some great characters just for them to disappear in the next film.
Rogue Nation starts off with one of Cruise’s biggest
stunts in the franchise – hanging off a plane as it takes off. It’s a fantastic opening sequence that sets
the pace for what is to come, a high octane thrill ride that keeps you on the
edge of your seat. Cruise prides himself
on doing bigger and better stunts from movie to movie. Whether it’s the fish tank scene in the first
Mission: Impossible, the rock climbing scene in M:I-2, or climbing the Burj
Khalifa in Ghost Protocol, these death defying stunts are some of what make
these films so amazing to watch. Cruise’s
dedication to make the best entertainment he can with these films is equal to
none, and knowing he’s doing these stunts himself
make them that much more intense to watch.
But stunts aren’t the only great thing about this
movie. As I said, Rogue Nation introduces us to The
Syndicate, a terrorist organization led by an ex-British intelligence officer
named Solomon Lane. Their goal is to
take down Ethan and the entire IMF and create a new world order through terrorist
attacks and seemingly unlinked “accidents”.
They are a shadowy, behind-the-scenes villain, and their reach is wide
spread. They are a true force to reckon
with, and it’s wonderful to see a villain like this in the Mission: Impossible
series. They are on the level of Philip Seymour Hoffman's character from M:I-3, only bigger in scope, and that makes them much more dangerous.
And with The Syndicate comes undercover British
intelligence agent Ilsa Faust, played by the incredibly talented Rebecca
Ferguson. She shows up in a scene where
Ethan is abducted and about to be tortured, but there’s much more to her than
meets the eye. She is probably the most
interesting and badass female character in this entire series, so if Paula
Patton couldn’t be in this one, at least they brought in a new female character
that can hold up to her. Her ferocity is
put on display during the amazing fight scene with her and Tom after she helps
him get free. This is a level of fight
choreography that we have never seen in these films. It’s fast and brutal, yet precise in that
brutality. It’s like a beautiful dance
unfolding on screen, and their chemistry is electric.
We spend a good portion of the first half of this
movie with Ethan and Benji, and I have to say, they are a fun duo to
watch. These two characters are so
different, yet it’s those differences that make them work so well
together. Benji is the brains and Ethan
is the brawn, so when they come together, it’s magical. Just rewatch the opera scene and you'll understand what I'm saying. We also get to see Brandt and Luther working
together, something we haven’t seen yet, as Luther was only in Ghost Protocol
for about a minute, but their bickering and stubbornness toward one another
makes for a classic odd couple pairing that lends itself to some great humor.
All of the amazingness of this film wouldn’t be
possible, though, without the stellar directing work of Christopher McQuarrie (Jack
Reacher, Edge of Tomorrow). His ability
to create fast-paced, edge of your seat action is astounding. Just look at the vault heist scene. I was so stressed out watching Tom Cruise
hold his breath for so long, especially because this is one of those stunts
that he did himself. I read that he
worked with a diving expert and got to a point where he could hold his breath
for over six minutes. That’s
insane! Cruise apparently wound up with
nitrogen in his blood, which messed him up for a while. And then there’s the car chase/motorcycle
chase sequence, which was one of the best scenes in the whole film. It was intense and nerve-wracking, though I do
feel like Ethan would have gotten far more injured after those two crashes, if
not died.
So, with a great script, stellar directing work, and
some of the best performances of the series, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
is definitely the best of series (though that may change after I go see Fallout
tonight), and proves that sequels can surpass their predecessor when done
well. And with McQuarrie coming back for
the new film, I have all the faith in the world that Fallout will be another
great installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise.
The Merc’s Score: 9.5/10
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