"Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" cruises to success

"Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation," is an intense, intriguing and refreshing entry into Tom Cruise's action franchise, offering fresh additions while keeping many common aspects of a Mission: Impossible movie. It deviates little from being an action movie and does well as one.

In his latest mission, confident and ever-prepared secret agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) must take on the Syndicate, a rogue organization led by calculating ex-agent and villain Solomon Lane (Sean Harris). After being cut off by the U.S. government, Hunt is joined by fellow agent-turned-CIA-employee Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), IMF analyst William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) and veteran hacker Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames). The crew also allies with Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), a mysterious, disavowed British agent who may be working for the Syndicate. They set out to first prove the organization's existence and outwit Lane. At the same time, they must avoid capture by Director Hunley (Alec Baldwin) of the CIA, who is convinced that Hunt is a criminal.

One especially enjoyable part of the movie is female lead Ferguson's character. She is not only a pretty face, but is smart, tough and independent. Her role is believable, and the question of her fidelity to the team is one of the main sources of intrigue throughout the movie. She is also spared from being forced into the role of a love interest for Hunt which allows her to interact well with the team without that complication.

Simon Pegg, of whom we see the most aside from Cruise, is fantastic as comic relief, providing a break from the perpetually unsmiling Hunt. While the movie does have many funny lines, it strikes a nice balance, and ultimately does not compromise the overall serious tone. The film's soundtrack, composed by Joe Kraemer, blended flawlessly with the rest of the movie. The music enlivened many scenes and was never distracting or out of place.

Though "Mission" feels slightly lengthy, director Christopher McQuarrie retains the audience's interest with diverse settings and ever more hair-raising stunts. Hunt and company retrieve biochemical weapons from an airplane, stop an assassination at an opera and infiltrate a heavily guarded data facility, among other heists. The fun action sequences are often interspersed by beautiful shots of the varied locations.

This genre of movies is not known for particularly compelling plots, and "Rogue Nation" is no exception. What with double agents and latex face masks, even the most quick-witted viewers will be confused at some point during the film. However, that is part of the experience, and by the end everything is mostly resolved and explained. Fortunately, the plot does not require quite as much suspension of disbelief as some of the action sequences. One aspect that is left unclear is the motive of villain Lane, who is a rather one-dimensional character as a result. Another issue is the decidedly distracting Windows product placement – several gadgets sport obvious logos in the film.

Although "Mission" does not try to instill any morals in its presentation, the theme of loyalty does persist throughout. Even when abandoned by his government, Hunt emphasizes keeping his companions safe. In one scene, a character suggests that Hunt is refusing to back down from his plan out of pride. Hunt angrily replies that it's the only way to save his friend.

All in all, this movie is a very satisfying ride. With entertaining stunts, fancy gadgets and a fast-paced plot, this "Mission: Impossible" has the best of a summer action flick.

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation is rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence, and brief partial nudity and is now playing in theaters everywhere.