Review of Mission: Impossible III (2006) by Matthew D — 11 May 2018

Mission: Impossible is revived and reinvigorated like never before.

Director J.J. Abrams brings back the beloved action franchise Mission: Impossible to new heights with this thrilling third installment. Abrams returns this series to its former glory after the horribly lackluster Mission: Impossible II. The spy work and fun gadgets are back from the first film, with better choreographed action sequences than any other Mission: Impossible movie. Abrams elevates this sequel to new heights compared to the dated first film and the cheesy second sequel.

Thankfully, Abrams makes the tone serious and the narrative more focused. His excellent writing keeps you focused on the character study and drama more so than any action tropes or distractions. The cool action set pieces are still present, but we do not need to know about the mysterious Rabbit's Foot item Ethan Hunt must seek out, but his motivation is more that he needs to save his new wife. It's quite clever at getting you to care about these characters. Funny quips and one-liners lighten the dreary mood to keep you having a blast at Mission: Impossible III runs through locale to locale. From Berlin, Germany to The Vatican in Rome, Italy, M:I-3 keeps changing up the scenery with new gorgeous backdrops and settings. It also helps keep the heated quick pace that the movie managed to maintain to the tense finale.

Mission: Impossible III keeps in tradition with these movies setting the standard for fun action and original situations. Upon revisiting this film, I am reminded that it is a pop culture phenomenon that has been parodied, ripped off, and paid homage endlessly. Tom Cruise's elevator fight scene has been duplicated in Drive as well as Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The hostage sequence continues to be utilized by other directors. Abrams did an admirable job following in the footsteps of Brian DePalma and John Woo. Abrams brought Mission: Impossible 3 into the modern era of action thrillers with a sleek style. He even pays tribute to the older films with callback references and similar lighting to the original film. I am impressed by J.J. Abrams' direction completely reinvigorating Mission: Impossible for the foreseeable future.

Tom Cruise delivers his most emotionally dramatic performance in any M:I movie to date. You really believe Cruise's Ethan Hunt character is struggling to leave the Impossible Mission Force. He clearly portrays a man at odds with his work. Ethan wishes to marry the likable Julia, played by the wonderfully sweet Michelle Monaghan. Cruise captures your attention with his manic action fights, shootouts, and jumps. But for the first time in this franchise, Cruise pulls off a convincing emotional performance. His acting has continued to progress and develop as Mission: Impossible maintains its status as potentially the most enjoyable action series ever.

Notably, the villain, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, is absolutely terrifying and a worthy antagonist to Ethan Hunt's heroic agent. Hoffman is so subtle and cruel as the vindictive crime lord Owen Davian. He is just as monstrous as when Mission: Impossible III first released in theaters. He is the greatest villain the series has seen at this point.

The supporting cast is a much needed highlight in M:I-3. The first two movies suffer from overacted supporting cast members, but everyone plays their part effectively. Enjoyable performance after another keeps you engaging, laughing, or stunned throughout this movie. Ving Rhames is as fun as ever as the reliable hacker buddy to Ethan Hunt. Simon Pegg is the new comedy relief tech wizard in a pleasant show of skill. Maggie Q is peerless as the newest teammate on Ethan Hunt's IMF group. She is sultry, sizzling, and sexy, but she also serves as extra gunfire and a key point as a disguise artists in the various heists Hunt schemes up. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is okay as the quirky pilot and driver for the IMF squad. Billy Crudup is excellent as Hunt's IMF retainer. Finally, I really enjoyed Laurence Fishburne's appearance as IMF's leader.

Musically, Mission: Impossible's score is sharper than ever thanks to renowned composer Michael Giacchino. His symphony is more subtle and varied than either Danny Elfman's original score or Hans Zimmer's follow-up soundtrack. Giacchino adds a sleeker sound that builds up or gets very quiet to appropriately match each scene's atmosphere. It's thrilling and as memorable musically as any Mission: Impossible movie. I really like Giacchino's music for Mission: Impossible III.

Overall, Mission: Impossible III is an absolute blast. It is sleeker and more serious than the first two films. The action is more explosive and the plot is more character driven. Abrams directs it very well. I think most audiences will have fun with this one.