Mission: Impossible III Movie Review

Mission: Impossible III (2006)

The thrills come mad hot and wicked sweet in Mission: Impossible III, the movie to beat last summer of 2006, in the race to push your pulse rate past the danger zone with strong supporting cast, spectacular stunts, and engaging plot. This will be the third in a series of movies starring Tom Cruise based upon the 1960's TV series starring Martin Landau, following 1996's Mission: Impossible and 2000's Mission: Impossible 2.

Each "Mission: Impossible" film, by design, is different than every other, tending to take on the characteristics of the filmmakers making it, so it's no surprise that this iteration from "Alias" and "Lost" mastermind J.J. Abrams, making his directorial debut, greatly resembles his television work - particularly "Alias" - while taking advantage of films' ability to do large and stunning set pieces, of which M:i:III has several and all are generally very well executed. With a reported budget of $185 million, M:i:III is the most expensive movie ever undertaken by a first-time director.

It has a great opening action sequence, full of twists and turns with action elements occurring on multiple levels and engaging the entire cast. The film opens with an amazing, taut two-minute pre-credits teaser that leaves the audience desperate for more. Cruise, as secret agent Ethan Hunt, has been drugged, beaten and handcuffed to a chair. Baddie Philip Seymour Hoffman has kidnapped Ethan's wife, Julia (Michelle Monaghan), and he wants Ethan to watch as he tortures her. As Hoffman coos and flutters around the terrified woman, Cruise squints, blinks and bucks. Though it kind of spoils what happens later in the story, but it hooks the audience and pulls them fully on board for the ride in the movie.

Super-spy Ethan Hunt has retired from active duty to train new IMF agents. But he is called back into duty to confront the toughest villain he's ever faced - Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an international weapons and information provider with no remorse and no conscience in Berlin. Hunt assembles his team - his old friend Luther Strickell (Ving Rhames), transportation expert Declan (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), background operative Zhen (Maggie Q), and fresh recruit Lindsey (Keri Russell) - to travel the globe pursuing Davian. But the mission just results in the capturing of Lindsey and kidnapping of his wife, Julia. Now he's again in the mission to rescue his co-agent and most of all rescue his love, Julia in the hands of Davian.

For me, this is the most action-packed "Mission: Impossible" so far. If you're a fan of the previous "Mission: Impossible" films, I'm sure you'll be pleased with this sequel. It has all the action and suspense of its predecessors and it further develops the character of Ethan Hunt and his fellow spies. It also features more of the clever spy gadgets that would make James Bond green with envy. Fans of "Alias" should also be pleased with this film. Writer-director J.J. Abrams brings a lot of the elements that made "Alias" great into "Mission: Impossible III." There's international intrigue, romance, conspiracy, and tense action. It all comes together to make a solid and entertaining summer action flick.