Generally speaking, movie sequels are never the best. With the exception perhaps of the Godfather Part 2 and Terminator 2: Judgement Day, sequels never quite live up to the expectation set by the original (see the third instalments of those films). This is because normally the film is a franchise which, whilst it’s a variation on the original, the film almost always follows the same story arc as its predecessors. Mission Impossible 5 is no exception.

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is back. This time however the tables have turned and the Impossible Mission Task Force are being shut down by the CIA who have decided that the group’s links with terrorist attacks in the past years are no coincidence. Ethan and his team however are on the verge of exposing the evil Syndicate (a group who I’m still unsure of their motives or what they do but they’re just bad guys: Boo hiss!) so they’re forced to go rogue in order to thwart the syndicate and save the team’s reputation. And save the planet, obviously.

The newest instalment does follow a very familiar storyline and have the classic foes, but it’s actually pretty good. There are no moments as iconic as the first film, but there are some fantastic scenes. One in particular is at the Vienna Opera set behind the scenes of Puccini’s Turandot is brilliant. Tom Cruise performing nearly all his own stunts and looking still completely shredded at the age of 50 is both amazing and terrifying. So, yes, the plot is familiar and without the Mission Impossible tag line, it would be just another action film. But MI5 succeeds where other franchise sequels failed (looking at you Rocky 3), it brings something new without spoiling the original.

Mission Impossible 5 is a good watch, should you choose to accept it.

3.5/5