Spare a thought for poor Ethan Hunt. Now onto his fifth Impossible Mission™ – having already survived sandstorms, drone strikes, room-sized pressure plates, scaling the outside of the world’s tallest building (Dubai’s Burj Khalifa), generally being shot at, actually dying no more than once, and being directed by John Woo (sorry) – the question is inevitably raised: just how bad is it going to get for this guy? We’ve been teased high-speed pursuits, underwater extractions and vehicular combat – will our man beat his toughest mission yet?
The answer, invariably, is yes. Rogue Nation is still bound by the typical narrative constraints of today’s standard blockbuster fare, even if at heart it retains the shrewdness and precision of DePalma’s original Mission: Impossible. However, despite its relative predictability, the film excels, both as a star vehicle for one of the most ubiquitous action icons of our time, and as another cornerstone in the resurrection of the ‘tactile thrill’ – real stunts, real stakes, and blisteringly real tension.
Ethan Hunt is a man on the run. The C.I.A., directed by humourless busybody Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin), have disbanded the Impossible Missions Force and absorbed its primary operatives into its ranks, calling on Hunt to answer for the havoc that his unorthodox methods have wreaked and in the process flagging him as an international fugitive. Meanwhile, an insidious and near-chimerical organisation known only as The Syndicate are pursuing Hunt and the rest of the IMF agency with an intent to destroy them.
Cruise, now 53, has never looked or performed better in a M:I film. He is all classic-Hunt dedication, good-natured charm and savage muscle mass; he can do anything, best anyone; he is even referred to as the “living manifestation of destiny” at one point, and, as ludicrous as that line may come off as, it’s not so far from the truth. Cruise’s physicality is astounding: apparent in one scene in particular. However, the best representation of character in the film undisputedly lies with newcomer Ferguson, whose characterisation of Faust is so unusually strong for an action film of this sort that all other aspects of it begin to pale in comparison. She is every bit Cruise’s equal, and Faust likewise Hunt’s, though at points it is clear that her intelligence and skill plainly surpasses that of her male confederates. Thusly, Hunt is enraptured with her, the film fulfills the curious asexuality of their working relationship without tipping it over into romance. Though strong representations such as this should be a given – and as this is still, rather dismayingly, far from the case throughout the film industry – Faust and Hunt’s high-octane camaraderie is marvellously freeing, seeding hope for a wider currency of strong female roles in action as of the very immediate future.
The remainder of the cast perform well, and the narrative only threatens to lose steam as it nears its climax but the other main areas in which Rogue Nation excels are its set pieces and its design. There are a total of four major set pieces within the film, all of which are thrillingly realised: an adherence by and large to physical effects amazes, as does Cruise’s commitment to his stuntwork – yes, that is really him hanging onto the side of a cargo plane – all making for a highly credible, tremendously gripping experience. The stakes really have never been higher, and it is testament to Cruise’s commitment as an actor that he still beats them, all whilst making it look oh-so-effortless. Sight gags abound whilst the inherent craziness of the gadgets harks back to the heyday of the Mission: Impossible TV show, each device at once miraculous yet entirely preposterous in its own right. The iconic theme gets a nod, of course, and even the line “Your mission, should you choose to accept it” is referenced with more than a knowing glance, ensuring that the film never truly deviates from its well-loved, comparatively pleasant origins. Rogue Nation is dryly funny, yet not silly; perilous, yet not grave; progressive, in a great number of ways; and, with a sequel already greenlit and in development, poised for evolution. Just don’t expect Mission: Slightly More Possible – Ethan Gets A Well Deserved Holiday – this series is still on the up and up, and Ethan Hunt is clinging on by the tips of his fingers.
Rating: 8.5/10
Words by Tom Grantham
@_cryangosling