Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation is the fifth entry in the Mission: Impossible franchise that premiered in 2015. Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, the film stars Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris, and Alec Baldwin. Ethan and team take on their most impossible mission yet – eradicating ‘The Syndicate’, an International and highly-skilled rogue organization committed to destroying the IMF.

When I think of where Mission: Impossible is finding its groove, this is the one I think of most. It is consistent on every front, and for some reason, while retaining a high Rotten Tomatoes score it feels like this is the most forgotten one. I even remember it felt like it wasn’t that big of a deal back when it was released. Aside from a few creative decisions that can hinder the pacing, this is a near-perfect entry.

Bringing Christopher McQuarrie on as a full-time director going forward starting with this one was such a smart move. The guy knows how to craft together action set pieces. From what I understand, the filmmakers have the action set pieces already thought out and build the story around it. It shows, because the action is incredible, while the story may not seem as important. There is one standout within the story and that involves Rebecca Ferguson’s character as Ilsa Faust.

Ferguson is a knockout in this role. Her performance in this made her character iconic, which helped make Ferguson an even bigger star. The dynamic she has with the cast is great, but her story is even better. Mission: Impossible clearly understands the importance of writing good female characters in the later entries and it shows with this one. I just love how integral she is to the story and how her overall design & motives fit into this world.

As per usual at this point, Cruise is working harder and harder with the stunts. As someone who appreciates practicality, I appreciate Cruise going the extra mile with the stunts. From hanging on the side of the airplane to the car chases, Cruise knows how to immerse the audience into the action. The only thing I can think of that has clear CGI was when the car jumped over the water and made those multiple flips. Now, that’s more understandable.

The side characters continue to stand out. With the addition of Alec Baldwin, the story presents a conflict of interest that gives Hunt more problems to deal with other than the main one he is pursuing. While I understand why he didn’t come back after this one, I think Renner is great here, especially with his dynamic with Luther. Benji offers perfect comedic relief while remaining as real as possible.

The antagonist, Lane, played by Sean Harris, is a huge improvement over the prior movie’s antagonist. He feels more threatening as someone that could push Hunt to his limits. I’m glad that he was able to come back in the next entry.

My only real qualm with the film is that I don’t find the third act to be perfect. While it is entertaining, it does feel like too much is happening, resulting in me not fully paying attention to everything that’s going on. It tries a little too hard at being smart and with so many action sequences that came before it, I can feel the pacing drag at times. Other than that, I do love how the film ends with Renner & Baldwin’s character as it offers something different than the prior entries.

Overall, Tom Cruise & Christopher McQuarrie’s collaboration in the Mission: Impossible movies work perfectly starting with Rogue Nation. The action set pieces add conflict on top of conflict. Rebecca Ferguson is a real stand out here as well. A near-perfect masterpiece.

VERDICT: 4.5/5 (Amazing)