Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (Rated T) Cast: Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg Genre: Action Adventure Dwight's Rating: ***

Tom Cruise is officially back!

Of course, he didn’t really go anywhere, and he never stopped acting. He did however seem to lose his way for a bit by the middle of the last decade, with a series of lackluster films.

His trek “back” unofficially began last year with a fantastic performance in the amazing — and underrated — sci-fi adventure, “Edge of Tomorrow”. Cruise displayed a renewed sense of energy and excitement, skillfully striking the right balance between the witty humor and reluctant action-hero called for in that script.

Proving that this wasn’t all a fluke, Cruise returns with another slam-dunk; the fifth film in his “Mission: Impossible” series, “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”. It’s among the best in this long-running franchise, with almost everything anyone could want in a summer popcorn movie. (I actually found myself gobbling down the popcorn at a furious pace during some of the more exciting scenes!)

I haven’t always been a fan of this franchise. Up until last year, when a cable channel was rebroadcasting the first movie — which came out way back in 1996 — I could barely recall the different plot intricacies of the earlier movies. (Seriously, do you remember anything about 2000’s “Mission: Impossible II”?) Seeing it again reminded me how the first movie was stylish, slickly directed and lavishly produced, with a dramatic score and distinctive ‘90s-era, pseudo-art house-style cinematography, replete with unusual camera angles, close-ups and long zooms. But there also wasn’t anything particularly memorable or groundbreaking about it.

Things changed for the better when J.J. Abrams (“Star Trek” (2009) and TV’s “Lost”) came on as director for “Mission: Impossible III”. Abrams — who wrote and directed this year’s highly anticipated “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” — has remained as a co-producer, along with Cruise and others, ever since.

The high point for the franchise, though, was with the fourth and most recent installment, 2011’s “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”, directed by Brad Bird (“The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille”) in his first live-action film. It went on to be the highest grossing of the “Mission: Impossible” films, and Cruise’s biggest blockbuster to-date. Those are some tough shoes to fill. But “Rogue Nation” acquits itself with a well paced, less weight-of-the-world tone than some of its predecessors.

Here, the Impossible Missions Force (IMF) has been disbanded, and Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is now out in the cold and largely on his own. Meanwhile, a team of highly skilled operatives known as the Syndicate is determined to establish a new world order through an escalating series of terrorist attacks. Hunt secretly gathers his team and joins forces with an apparently disavowed British agent, Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson). But it’s unclear whether she can really be trusted, as she may be a member of this “rogue nation”.

The plot is largely unremarkable, and similar to many editions of the various TV versions of “Mission: Impossible”. In fact, this could be the plot of any number of spy thrillers. But it actually works out well here. It avoids being unnecessarily complicated or convoluted, and allows director Christopher McQuarrie to stay laser-focused on the action and aesthetic details. And the action is spectacular! Every movement is expertly choreographed with amazing attention to detail — lighting, music, all perfectly coordinated to wring the most intensity from every scene. Edge-of-your-seat moments abound, particularly during a musically stirring opera performance in Vienna, and especially during a riveting, pulse-pounding motorcycle chase in Morocco.

There are, of course, computer-generated sequences, mainly for the wilder scenes. You can tell which ones they are, for the most part. But even so, it’s clear that it’s been very well done, and seamlessly integrated. Traditional fans may be disappointed that there’s less of those gadgets and gizmos that became hallmarks of the TV show from the 1960s and 1970s. And there are only a couple uses of those famous latex face masks. But that adds to the sense that “Rogue Nation” is less weighted down by gimmicks.

With the exception of the absence of those toys, what’s most remarkable is just how much “Rogue Nation” feels like an homage to another classic spy franchise — the James Bond films of the 1960s and 1970s. Few films since those Sean Connery and Roger Moore movies have so deftly blended compelling spy drama with sexiness and humor. (Conversely, the current Bond films starring Daniel Craig are more hardcore action — cold and severe.)

As such, we see the evolution of Cruise’s Hunt from a robotic, Spider-Man-like creature to one displaying more human characteristics, like a sense of humor. British Actor Simon Pegg, who previously was the primary source of comic relief, shines in a meatier role, and is allowed to demonstrate a few more emotions.

The real standout, though, is actress Rebecca Ferguson. All I could think while watching her was, “Who is she? And how and when can we see more?” The Swedish actress has already earned a Golden Globe nomination for her role in the BBC TV miniseries “The White Queen”. Her chemistry with Cruise is undeniable, and she effectively straddles the line as both the villain and the potential love-interest — the ultimate Bond Girl! I’m looking forward to more from Ferguson.

All of these exciting elements come together to form something that is a tad bit long, at just over two hours and 10 minutes. And it is curious that Ferguson is pretty much the only woman in the entire film. But, that a franchise in its 19th year, based on a TV-show that ran for seven seasons after premiering in 1966, can still have such strong legs, and with the same lead actor, is a shocking achievement. And that it appears to be getting better in many regards is simply mind-blowing. No surprise then that a sixth installment is in the works.

So, it’s good to see that Cruise’s career is not on a path to “oblivion” (the title of one of his recent, less-than-stellar cinematic efforts). And he will likely avoid further comparisons to flop-master Johnny Depp (whom I recently labeled as the ultimate box-office poison), or apparent social pariah Mel Gibson. And at 53-years old — and looking at least a couple of decades younger — and still said to be doing his own stunts, we can expect to be seeing a whole lot more of Tom Cruise in the years to come.

• Dwight Strachan is the host/producer of “ Morning Blend” on Guardian Radio. He is a television producer and writer, and an avid TV history and film buff. Email dwight@nasguard.com and follow him on twitter @morningblend969.

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