Movie Review: Mission Impossible- Rogue Nation

Starring| Tom Cruise (Ethan Hunt), Rebecca Ferguson (Ilsa Faust), Jeremy Renner (Willaim Brandt), Simon Pegg (Benji Dunn), Ving Rhames (Luther Stickell), Sean Harris (Solomon Lane), Simon McBurney (Atlee), Alec Baldwin (Alan Huntley)

Rating| C

I've been a fan of these movies for some time.  In fact, they're probably my favorite spy movie franchise.  But I did not like this one.

And there is one very simple reason: Tom Cruise.  I'm not like my father, who absolutely hates Cruise, but I think his role in this movie completely butchered the whole film.  Sure, he's the main character, and he's pretty important in that regard, but he spent most of the time giving hooded looks and delivering one-liners that were supposed to make him look cool.

I have a theory about Tom Cruise.  He's a great actor when given proper direction and told what to do, who to be, and where to do it all at.  I love plenty of the films he's been in.  But a movie like this, which is pretty much still around only because he is, gives him too much freedom.  He's allowed to play the character more on his own than with a director.  And he can't do that.  It just doesn't work for him, and actually makes him a much worse actor.  So that's my theory.

Overall, the story really bored me as well.  It wasn't super original and I was yawning throughout the whole thing.  My man wandered away, and I could only imagine ways to make this film better.  Something that didn't help: all the trailers that played before the film were for spy movies, many with the exact same premise as this one.

So what did I like?  Rebecca Ferguson.  She was the real draw here.  Her character kept the movie alive, and I wish the whole film was dedicated to her.  I hope she sticks around for further installments because she is a true action star.  Whatever she does next, I'll be following.  Simon Pegg was also, unsurprisingly, great.  I adore him in general, and he made me enjoy this movie a whole lot more.  He was responsible for more than half the dialogue in this film and did all of it wonderfully.  And, of course, Jeremy Renner.  I'm a pretty big fan of his (fingers crossed I'll be able to see him at Comic Con later this month) and his role was part of the reason I wanted to see this movie.  He was pretty decent in it, and I do hope he sticks around for later installments, though I wish he had more action.  His character here was rather reminiscent of Hawkeye, and I want him to add a new spin on this character.

Should you see this movie?  Maybe, but I don't think it's a must-see-in-theatres kind of film.