At the very least, sequels should try to match the original concept. Yet director Christopher McQuarrie does the next best thing. He creates an emotional experience which feels contemporary and traditional at the same time. There's no attempt to bludgeon or distort the camera's viewpoint. As such, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation comes across as a contemporary classic.

On another level, this extraordinary picture makes me wonder what treats await us in the future. After the glorious Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, I felt like keeping my expectations in check. However, McQuarrie doesn't subscribe to easy plot progressions, a factor which made his Oscar-winning script for The Usual Suspects so darn exemplary.

Simply put, this director gives us Tom Cruise (the everyman secret agent), Rebecca Ferguson (Oscar worthy, intelligent and stunning) as well as the increasingly charming Simon Pegg (resourceful, observant).

This memorable scenario is amplified by the work of two men: cinematographer Robert Elswit and composer Joe Kraemer. While Elswit captures one indelible chase sequence, Kraemer acknowledges such on-screen brilliance with many wonderful ideas. In particular, the famous Lalo Schifrin theme, adapted rather playfully over the decades, resembles James Bond in terms of panache.

The plot represents a spoiler minefield. Therefore, expect terrific villains (the Syndicate matches Hans Gruber and Howard Payne for dastardliness), punchy interactions and summer thrills unlike any previously executed.

(Released by Paramount Pictures and rated “PG-13” 13 for sequences of action and violence, and brief partial nudity.)