Movie Review: Mission: Impossible III

Stars (Out of 10): 6

One Word Summary: Simple

Movie Details: MPAA RATING: PG-13 for intense sequences of frenetic violence & menace, disturbing images & some sensuality Starring Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Billy Crudup, Michelle Monaghan, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Laurence Fishburne, and Bahar Soomekh GENRE(S): Action  |  Adventure  |  Suspense/Thriller   WRITTEN BY: Alex Kurtzman Roberto Orci J.J. Abrams Bruce Geller (television series)   DIRECTED BY: J.J. Abrams   RELEASE DATE: Theatrical: May 5, 2006  RUNNING TIME: 126 minutes   Shopping: Shop Amazon for items related to this movie. Shop for movie posters at AllPosters

"Mission: Impossible III" Review:

          It's been six years since Tom Cruise's last turn as Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible: 2, and this time, in the aptly named Mission Impossible: III, Hunt is settling down and leaving behind the life of a secret agent. Unfortunately for Hunt this is a thriller and not a romantic comedy, so when one of his former protégés is kidnapped by an arms-dealing enemy of the state, Hunt is forced off the bench and into IMF's (Impossible Mission Force) ongoing cat and mouse game.

          Ding, ding, ding! The summer movie season has begun! If Hollywood was anything like the stock market, Tom Cruise would be ringing the opening bell. Cruise, one of Hollywood's most financially dependable yet publicity-haunted stars, has turned back to this most reliable film franchise in hopes of proving that though fans might be sick of reading about him, they'll never get sick of seeing him on screen.

          The first Impossible mastered the concept of a smart action movie. Impossible 2 didn't quite reach the level of its predecessor, but still had enough brains to back its brawn. This installment has digressed into full scale popcorn flick—hosed in butter.

          III is packed with crafty action sequences (including the compulsory bridge sequence) and corny one liners (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers: 'That was luck. We only get one of those.”). It's not a bad movie, not in the least; it just isn't a particularly good one. Anyone can blow things up, but it takes an artist to surround the explosions with good dialogue and story. What do you say right before you ask your new wife to electrocute you? I'm not sure, but definitely not: 'Wait… I love you.”

          J.J. Abrams, one of the creators of my beloved Lost and writer/director of MI3, doesn't bring as much magic to this film as he did to the aforementioned show. He's a fine director, but nothing about this movie is superior.

          Phillip Seymour Hoffman delivers a nice performance, but his decision to follow-up his Oscar-winning Capote performance with this one is odd. Michelle Monaghan is the real standout. She lights up the screen with her beauty, and steals her scenes with an uncanny realness to her personality (a realness Tom Cruise is sorely lacking).

The Bottom Line is that MI3 is a light, fun, action-packed summer blockbuster. Come in with a pair of ear plugs, an appetite for destruction, and not much in the way of expectations.