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Film: Mission: Impossible III [PG-13] 91 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.50
Where Viewed: Harkins Cine Capri at Northfield 18, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 7 May 2006
Time: 12:45 p.m.
Review Dedicated to: My entire family who took me to see the movie for my birthday!
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
It is not often that sequels are better than the first film in a series and rare, therefore, that a third film in a series is even made. Mission: Impossible III breaks all the ‘rules’ of the game accomplishing, seriously, what I would have thought to be an impossible mission. The third film is not only nearly infinitely better than the mostly unintelligible sequel, it is hands down better than the original film ranking, in my mind, as one of the best thriller action movies since Die Hard. Those who know me well, know that I hold Die Hard up on my list of one of the best action thriller films of all times, so to say that is saying a lot. For fans of the original show, of which I am one, this one seems to me most like the show with the exception that they still don’t quite have the impossible mission planning part down. That aside, I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. It took a while for me to come to this conclusion. I kept wondering, “Did you like this so much just because you went in with low expectations, and this is the first one of the three with a bang up script? After all, you don’t go to the corner burrito stand and expect to get Chipotle®. Well, after very careful consideration I can safely say that this is not the case. J.J. Abrams (director) has finally made an M: I movie that delivers. From the opening scene which caused a lot of people to shed a tear to the very end, this is a heart-pounding, thriller of a who-dun-it with a perfectly reprehensible villain, great hero, superior special effects, and gadget-technology extremely worthy of fans of the genre.
Of course, the story picks up a few years down the road from where we left off. Ethan Hunt (Tom “hasn’t been this cool since Top Gun” Cruise) has ‘retired’ from the IMF (Impossible Mission Force) and taken a job at the IMF Academy training new field agents. In pre-opening credits fashion—what we call the teaser in the Forensics (competitive public speaking) world which is a scene before the credits or introduction that sets the stage for what’s to come—we witness an incredibly traumatizing event in the life of our ‘favorite’ movie IMF agent at the hands of an evil genius villain, Owen Davian, played deftly by Philip Seymour (Capote) Hoffman.
Of course, the story picks up a few years down the road from where we left off. Ethan Hunt (Tom “hasn’t been this cool since Top Gun” Cruise) has ‘retired’ from the IMF (Impossible Mission Force) and taken a job at the IMF Academy training new field agents. In pre-opening credits fashion—what we call the teaser in the Forensics (competitive public speaking) world which is a scene before the credits or introduction that sets the stage for what’s to come—we witness an incredibly traumatizing event in the life of our ‘favorite’ movie IMF agent at the hands of an evil genius villain, Owen Davian, played deftly by Philip Seymour (Capote) Hoffman.
"...hands down better than the original...one of the best thriller action movies since Die Hard. "
I give Mr. Hoffman all the credit in the world. Certainly, this role from an artistic and cinematic experience was a tremendous step down from his Academy-Award®-winning role, yet there is probably no one on earth who could have brought the same degree of smarmy arrogance to the role while keeping it real and believable. He comes across as one of the most fiendish movie villains in a long time. Just after the scene comes that amazing and ever-so-familiar Mission: Impossible theme song. To this day, it sends chills of excitement up and down my spine. After that, we learn that Agent Hunt has a fiancée named Julia (Michelle Monaghan) and an IMF boss, John Musgrave (Billy Crudup) that isn’t quite ready to have him retire. So, risking his potential marriage, Ethan Hunt takes on a really important mission, “that will self-destruct in 60 seconds’) should he decide to accept, to rescue a brand new field agent he trained, played by Kerri Russell, from the evil grip of Owen Davian. He brings together his ‘new’ team which includes the IMF veteran, Ving Rhames, the new vixen Zhen (Maggie Q), and deadpan agent Declan, Jonathan Rhys (Matchpoint) Meyers, to rescue the missing agent. I won’t give away any more of the plot. Suffice it to say that there will be two more incredible missions after this that will have you poised on the precipice that Ethan Hunt must hit after swinging from one Shanghai skyscraper to another some 47 m away.
To talk a little bit about Tom Cruise in this one, well, Mr. Cruise as we all know as been one of the most infamous actors of the past year stealing the spot light from the likes of Russell Crowe and Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie. His new baby with Katie Holmes just having been born, and his now ultra-famous appearance on Oprah, both have detracted from his fans’ ability, actually, to enjoy him. Well, toss that all out the window. This is vintage Tom Cruise from Top Gun and Risky Business softened a tad with age and responsibility. He’s possibly never been in better physical shape, and he just seems like the superhero for the rest of us—a real guy who just happens to be an extraordinary spy. I thought he did an outstanding job in this film. They say 40 is the new 30, and Tom Cruise would certainly prove that.
This film’s script avoided the area of having a great and timely message (inspiration), however, sometimes you want to go to a film that doesn’t preach. Still, such films then choose to carry less weight when compared to other more socially conscious movies. Overall, this was the best Mission: Impossible film yet and a phenomenal way to start the summer 2006 movie season. Action, suspense, great special effects, a story that really works, brilliant gadgets, and we get to see how they make those amazing Mission: Impossible masks. My only deductions from a perfect W.I.P. Scale™ score of $15 would be: minus $1 for the fact that the final confrontation with the major villain was not as strong, inventive, nor interesting, as the movie deserved and minus $0.50 for a little convolution in the area of how the IMF leadership ran amok (this factor, actually was a bit reminiscent of the two previous films).
To talk a little bit about Tom Cruise in this one, well, Mr. Cruise as we all know as been one of the most infamous actors of the past year stealing the spot light from the likes of Russell Crowe and Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie. His new baby with Katie Holmes just having been born, and his now ultra-famous appearance on Oprah, both have detracted from his fans’ ability, actually, to enjoy him. Well, toss that all out the window. This is vintage Tom Cruise from Top Gun and Risky Business softened a tad with age and responsibility. He’s possibly never been in better physical shape, and he just seems like the superhero for the rest of us—a real guy who just happens to be an extraordinary spy. I thought he did an outstanding job in this film. They say 40 is the new 30, and Tom Cruise would certainly prove that.
This film’s script avoided the area of having a great and timely message (inspiration), however, sometimes you want to go to a film that doesn’t preach. Still, such films then choose to carry less weight when compared to other more socially conscious movies. Overall, this was the best Mission: Impossible film yet and a phenomenal way to start the summer 2006 movie season. Action, suspense, great special effects, a story that really works, brilliant gadgets, and we get to see how they make those amazing Mission: Impossible masks. My only deductions from a perfect W.I.P. Scale™ score of $15 would be: minus $1 for the fact that the final confrontation with the major villain was not as strong, inventive, nor interesting, as the movie deserved and minus $0.50 for a little convolution in the area of how the IMF leadership ran amok (this factor, actually was a bit reminiscent of the two previous films).
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
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M:I:III (Widescreen Version) [DVD](2006) DVD
M:I:III (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) [DVD](2006) DVD
Mission: Impossible (Letterboxed Version) [VHS](1996) VHS
Mission: Impossible [DVD](1996) DVD
Mission: Impossible 2 [DVD](2000) DVD
Mission: Impossible Collector's Set [DVD] DVD
Mission: Impossible [DVD](1996) DVD
The Tom Cruise Action Pack [DVD] DVD
Movies Starring: Tom Cruise • Philip Seymour Hoffman • Ving Rhames
Billy Crudup • Michelle Monaghan • Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Keri Russell • Laurence Fishburne
Films Directed by: J.J. Abrams
| CD Soundtrack | VHS | DVD |
| Related Game | Related DVDs | Related CD |
Review-lite [150-word cap]
Mission: Impossible III breaks all the ‘rules’ of the game accomplishing seriously, what I would have thought to be an impossible mission: it is leaps and bounds better than the first two films ranking it as one of the best thriller action movies since Die Hard. Fans of the original show will find this film to be much closer in look and feel to the original also. M: I III delivers. From the opening scene which caused a lot of people to shed a tear to the end, this is a heart-pounding, thriller of a who-dun-it with a perfectly reprehensible villain, great hero, and special effects and technology worthy of fans of the genre. Tom Cruise proves 40 is the new. With great action, suspense, special effects, a story that works, and brilliant gadgets, M:I:III renews the franchise and restores the faith in both Cruise and the M:I concept.
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