Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is hunting the anti-IMF criminal organization known as the syndicate.   He is captured by them and their creepy blond haired leader with glasses, but he escapes with the help of disavowed British spy Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson) who is in deep cover trying to stop the Syndicate.  With the IMF (Impossible Missions Force) disbanded at the request of CIA director Hunley (Alec Baldwin) and Hunt on the run from CIA, he goes to ground to gather evidence to stop this criminal organization before enlisting the help of his former IMF team like Benji (Simon Pegg), Brandt (Jeremy Renner), and Luther (Ving Rhames).   Can Hunt trust Ilsa to help him bring down and expose the Syndicate or is she a double agent with her own agenda?

 

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE- ROGUE NATION manages to provide a few thrilling action sequences (the opening sequence with Tom Cruise hanging off the outside of the plane and jumping into an underwater data hub) along with more humor in a sequel that draws closer to the feel of a classic spy thriller.    It is the entry in the series closet to the original TV series and it may even be better than MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE- GHOST PROTOCOL.  Rebecca Ferguson is quite capable as Ilsa even though she does have a little bit of a likeness to Tom’s ex-wife, Katie Holmes.  I liked her character’s fashion (especially the yellow dress) while some of Tom’s fashions are sometimes bizarre (like his jacket during the motorcycle chase).   The Vienna sequence in the Opera House (the best 20 minutes of the whole movie) feels like an Alfred Hitchcock version of a James Bond scene done Mission: Impossible style while the London based scenes feel like something out of an old spy thriller.  Director Christopher McQuarrie does a better job at handling the action and drama than Brad Bird was handling the last film.   The action in the climax isn’t over-the-top like it was in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE- GHOST PROTOCOL and it seems very in place with a grounded spy thriller climax and fits in with how the movies end in this series quite well.   Rebecca Ferguson is quite capable as Ilsa even though she does have a little bit of a likeness to Tom’s ex-wife, Katie Holmes.  I liked her character’s fashion (especially the yellow dress) while some of Tom’s fashions are sometimes bizarre (like his jacket during the motorcycle chase).

 

I hear reports that they’re planning another movie in the series and I’m all for it as long as the next movie is as good as the last two films.  MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE- ROGUE NATION is a very enjoyable and thrilling entry in the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE franchise and I would love to see this sequel again very soon.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Blu-ray disc 1-

Ther is an audio commentary with actor Tom Cruise and writer/ director Christopher McQuarrie as they talk about the production and story along with reaction to various scenes.  They have a good rapport between themselves.

 

A few featurttes in the disc including LIGHTING THE FUSE, CRUISE CONTROL, HEROES, CRUISING ALTITUDE, MISSION: IMMERSIBLE, SAND THEFT AUTO,  and THE MISSIONS CONTINUE

 

Blu-ray disc 2- This disc includes the full range of featurettes produced for the movie and some are just exclusive to this disc which you much buy at Target stores-

 

LIGHTING THE FUSE- Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie (McQ) talk about the ongoing evolution of the story of ROGUE NATION

CRUISE CONTROL- a featurette on Tom Cruise and actors/ director praise for him (and how it is to work with him)

HEROES…- focus on the cast who played the various good guys

…AND ROGUES- and then a focus on the cast of bad guys

 

TOP CREWS- this fetaurette is about the production designers, the cinematographer, and the costume designer as it gives a brief behind-the-scenes look at what they do

TRAVEL AGENTS- all about the locations used to make the film special

OPERA-TION TURNADOT- behind-the-scenes of recording the Turnadot opera music which was recorded in pieces for the best audio mixing

PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE- all the practical stunts, props, and locations that go into making an analog film that sucks viewers in

 

STUNTS which is broken down into several featurettes that go behind-the-scenes of several the stunt sequences in the movie:

CRUISE ALTITUDE- all about the airplane sequence where Tom is hanging off the side of the plane

A FIGHT AT THE OPERA- how they filmed the stunts for the opera stunt sequences and they found they had to do it as practically as possible to get the right tension

MISSION: IMMERSIBLE- behind-the-scenes of shooting the underwater computer sequence which involved filming in a pool and visual effects in addition to Rebecca Ferguson not liking being underwater

SAND THEFT AUTO- all about the motorcycle chase sequence

RUN-DON- a look at the climatic chase sequence down various London streets

 

CUT!- a focus on the editing of the opera sequence and praise for the editor of ROGUE NATION

VARIATIONS OF A THEME- the composer talks about the various themes in the film

THE MISSIONS CONTINUE as Tom Cruise and McQ talk about what makes the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE films unique and how they want to make each one better along with homage callbacks to earlier movies (in new ways).

 

DVD of the movie in standard definition and a code to stream/ download a digital HD Ultraviolet copy of the movie and a discount code to get one of the other MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE films for free in HD or SD.

 

There is also a 48 page behind-the-scenes photo book exclusive to the Target release.

 

FINAL ANALYSIS: I wish the behind-the-scenes featurettes were a little more extensive and focused along with all of the extras being on one release instead of a fan of ROFUE NATION having to buy the combo pack from Target.  MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE- ROGUE NATION is one of the best in the series and it holds up for enjoyable repeat viewings.

 

This review is ©12-18-2015 and 1-21-2016 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

 

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