A really nice surprise - I"m not a fan of this series but it feels as though Chris McQuarrie has really flowered as a filmmaker. Or make I needed to see Rogue Nation on the big screen.
It's a noir-ish smart take - the vibe I got was it was like William Goldman in Marathon Man mode. There's lots of reversals and clever bits though basically the story is easy to follow with two mcguffins, some plutonium and the captured villain from the previous film. That bloke annoyed me in that film - I didn't mind him here and I liked Rebecca Ferguson for the first time.
Simon Pegg seems really skinny as if he's given up sugar. Ving Rhames looks heavy like he should give up sugar. I like how they bring back Michelle Monahan (she gives some much needed warmth) and Wes Bentley was good casting as her husband because he's got the same crazy eyes as young Tom Cruise so it makes sense she would marry him. Alec Baldwin still is a bit too camp but Angela Bassett was perfect as the head of the CIA. Henry Cavill has some great moments - he's big and thick and so contrasts interestingly with Cruiser; they shouldn't give him too much dialogue though. My favourite was Vanessa Kirby she was great fun - I love how she leaps and kisses Cruise - she's like this caged panther and I'm glad they didn't kill her.
As for Cruiser himself... he's getting on and his face seems weirdly young (no lines or anything) but he's still energetic. And there's something touching about this star who's been around so long throwing himself off planes and cliffs etc trying to stay relevant - like Ethan Hunt in a way.
The last act felt like one too many though the last act was good. I wasn't wild how they had a chance to capture both villains and did capture them but let them get away.
Some breathtaking sequences like jumping out of a plane done via long take, then getting into a party, and the chase scenes... actually it's all well done. The second best in the series - still feel Ghost Protocol is better.
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