M:I-III = I know this is a bit of a hot take, but it's easily my favorite. I love how it pushes back on the Ethan Hunt-centric feel of the previous one and tries to bring back the team aspect; with Ethan at center, of course, but still very much a team movie. I love how personal and grounded the stakes feel, without sacrificing great action setpieces (the bridge ambush is still one of my favorite action sequences). Last but not least, Philip Seymour Hoffman. Best villain of the franchise.
M:I = I've seen this film more times than I can count on; by choice but also because I used to put it to my students back when I was a teacher to talk about computer security measures and whatnot Anyway, I think it still holds up extremely well. It has a great cast, lots of intrigue, and easily the most iconic setpiece from the franchise. Minor issues with the character of Emmanuelle Beart, but other than that, this is a fine spy action/thriller.
Fallout = In a way, it feels like the "culmination" of the arc they started in Part 3, at least regarding the Michelle Monaghan character. It feels grandiose in terms of the world they work in, while also feeling grounded in Ethan's burdens as a team leader and his drive to protect the people he cares for. Cavill is a great addition, and Solomon Lane is a fine baddie.
Ghost Protocol = It continues to build up on the foundations of the third one, with a very strong team element as well as some great action setpieces. I like the addition of Jeremy Renner, even if they didn't follow through with his character. My main gripe with this is that the villain is so underwhelming. I really don't care about him.
Rogue Nation = My feelings on this one are more or less the same as Ghost Protocol to the point that I tend to get them mixed up. Take from that what you may. It maintains a strong core of agents in Renner, Rhames, and Pegg as it continues to push that team element, and adds Rebecca Ferguson to the mix. I like it a lot, but it's not one that has stuck in my mind that much.
M:I-II = As basic and generic as this response might sound, this one is at the bottom pretty far from the rest. I saw this in theaters and even then, I was puzzled by it. It might be a somewhat solid action film, but as a M:I sequel, it just doesn't work. The team aspect is non-existent, the way the action flows doesn't feel natural, and I just don't care about the bad guy's motivations or the way the story is built around the stunts and action setpieces. I've been meaning to rewatch it, but overall, I just don't care.
M:I = I've seen this film more times than I can count on; by choice but also because I used to put it to my students back when I was a teacher to talk about computer security measures and whatnot Anyway, I think it still holds up extremely well. It has a great cast, lots of intrigue, and easily the most iconic setpiece from the franchise. Minor issues with the character of Emmanuelle Beart, but other than that, this is a fine spy action/thriller.
Fallout = In a way, it feels like the "culmination" of the arc they started in Part 3, at least regarding the Michelle Monaghan character. It feels grandiose in terms of the world they work in, while also feeling grounded in Ethan's burdens as a team leader and his drive to protect the people he cares for. Cavill is a great addition, and Solomon Lane is a fine baddie.
Ghost Protocol = It continues to build up on the foundations of the third one, with a very strong team element as well as some great action setpieces. I like the addition of Jeremy Renner, even if they didn't follow through with his character. My main gripe with this is that the villain is so underwhelming. I really don't care about him.
Rogue Nation = My feelings on this one are more or less the same as Ghost Protocol to the point that I tend to get them mixed up. Take from that what you may. It maintains a strong core of agents in Renner, Rhames, and Pegg as it continues to push that team element, and adds Rebecca Ferguson to the mix. I like it a lot, but it's not one that has stuck in my mind that much.
M:I-II = As basic and generic as this response might sound, this one is at the bottom pretty far from the rest. I saw this in theaters and even then, I was puzzled by it. It might be a somewhat solid action film, but as a M:I sequel, it just doesn't work. The team aspect is non-existent, the way the action flows doesn't feel natural, and I just don't care about the bad guy's motivations or the way the story is built around the stunts and action setpieces. I've been meaning to rewatch it, but overall, I just don't care.
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