Rogue Nation is only the fifth Mission Impossible movie in close to 20 years. On occasion, the series has flirted with the idea of continuity, introducing supporting characters and love interests for Ethan Hunt, but for the most part the films have always felt like one-shots – opportunities for Tom Cruise to do increasingly crazy stuff on camera. By that token, Rogue Nation succeeds, with Cruise once again defying the odds in spectacular fashion, but it fails to build on the events of Ghost Protocol.
Early on, it seems that’s the goal. The film opens with Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Jeremy Renner in action, working as a team. (Paula Patton follows Thandie Newton and Maggie Q to become another one of the series’ forgotten female characters.) And what follows is an interesting set-up for the rest of the movie. Ethan Hunt has clearly become a legend within the IMF, but governmental officials have begun to question not only the psychology of the long-serving agent – there must be something wrong with this man – but also the methodology of his organisation. Should the government be backing operations with such a low chance of success? Post-Snowden, the IMF is an embarrassment.
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Early on, it seems that’s the goal. The film opens with Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, and Jeremy Renner in action, working as a team. (Paula Patton follows Thandie Newton and Maggie Q to become another one of the series’ forgotten female characters.) And what follows is an interesting set-up for the rest of the movie. Ethan Hunt has clearly become a legend within the IMF, but governmental officials have begun to question not only the psychology of the long-serving agent – there must be something wrong with this man – but also the methodology of his organisation. Should the government be backing operations with such a low chance of success? Post-Snowden, the IMF is an embarrassment.
Continue reading…
Continue reading...