Rogue Nation picks up shortly after its predecessor Ghost Protocol left off. But if you didn’t see or don’t remember that one, not to worry — everything you need to know about the state of the IMF is summarized in a handy courtroom scene after the action-packed opening. The action soon picks up again, and doesn’t really stop for the next two hours.

The success of the film mostly rests on an excellent script, which manages to pack in seemingly endless twists and turns performed by a great cast playing at the top of their game. Cruise gets to play the action guy here, and is in his element. The dialogue and exposition is left mostly to Jeremy Renner and Alec Baldwin, who do a great job of leading us through a very complex plot seemingly effortlessly, while Simon Pegg provides comic relief without seeming out of place. The highlight, though, is Rebecca Ferguson, who does a masterful job of making us like her without ever really trusting her.

While it lacks a moment as definitive as the skyscraper scaling in Ghost Protocol, the action in Rogue Nation is as intense and exciting as you could hope for. From the aforementioned plane trip through to underwater espionage and high-speed motorcycle chases, the film gives you everything you’d expect, and with style.

Rogue Nation is brilliant — quite possibly the best Mission: Impossible film to date, and one of the best action movies of the year.