Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation

With the possible exception of the Alien series, the Mission: Impossible movies might be the most auteur-driven multidirector film franchise going. So what Christopher McQuarrie-esque qualities does new writer-director Christopher McQuarrie bring to the latest installment, Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation? Other than a Jack Reacher-y high-gloss grit and a cat-and-mouse design to the central plot, hardly any. Rogue Nation is practically a greatest-hits collection—fake latex faces are ripped off for dramatic effect, an impenetrable fortress is penetrated and the globe is trotted to dazzling effect. It's familiar and fun and expertly packaged, and it settles into an eminently watchable formula that's reminiscent of a Roger Moore-era Bond movie. Leading the way is star Tom Cruise, still ageless and graceful and yet increasingly hard and terse. Cruise has always been a remarkable physical actor, and the Mission: Impossible franchise continues to offer an ideal showcase for his talents. D.B.