"From the jaw dropping opening sequence, you knew this was going to be a good, old-fashioned action film"

At the age of 53, Tom Cruise is showing no signs of slowing down as he stars in the fifth instalment of the Mission: Impossible franchise. From the jaw-dropping opening sequence, you know this is going to be a great, old-fashioned action film.

Christopher McQuarrie (Jack Reacher) steps in to direct and follows on from where Ghost Protocol ended. With the IMF disbanded and Ethan Hunt (Cruise) out in the cold, the team now faces off against a network of highly skilled special agents known as the Syndicate. These highly trained operatives are hellbent on creating a New World Order through an escalating series of terrorist attacks. Hunt gathers his team and joins forces with disavowed British agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), who may or may not be a member of this rogue nation, as the group faces their most impossible mission yet.

Nowadays, not many films remind us why going to the cinema can be one of the most exciting places to be - that you’re so gripped you can’t take your eyes off the screen. Well this is what McQuarrie and Cruise have supplied with Rogue Nation. It’s funny, gipping and makes you think, and doesn’t let the audience know what’s happening next.

For a lot of the film, it’s the central trio of Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, and Simon Pegg, who have great chemistry and it’s enjoyable to see Cruise and Pegg play off each other with witty banter. While the relationship is one of respect between agents Hunt and Faust, it’s refreshing to see there’s no romantic or (not even a flirty) connection, as Faust shows she can more than take care of herself.

Ferguson joins the franchise proving she’s just as kick-ass as Cruise, and you don’t know if you can trust her until the third act. It was great to see a character so complex and I hope we get to see her again in the next film or even a spin-off.

Add a great support cast of Jeremy Renner, Alec Baldwin and Ving Rhames (who has been with the franchise from the beginning) into the mix, as well as Sean Harris who is the perfect villain. M:I – Rogue Nation is a winner, in fact, this could be the best Mission: Impossible movie yet and, if I were you, I’d accept this mission and have a great time doing it.

Verdict - Rogue Nation has a gripping story and a fantastic mix of action, humour and intelligence – arguably the best film in the series.