johnlinkmovies

The three MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE movies break down like this. The first is a movie which fits well as one of the better 90s summer blockbusters. It is big and loud, but has a stronger story then one might expect. The second film is a perfect example of early 21st century summer movie excess. Too much brawn, not enough soul. The third, the one reviewed below, shows that a series can get back on track when put in able hands.

The third installment of the M:I series deals with Ethan Hunt (Cruise) facing off against a villain (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who wants to make things personal.

I watched MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III (2006) on 8.26.09. It was my second viewing of the film

NOTE: THIS RANKING UTILIZES THIS SITE’S ORIGINAL SYSTEMIC ARTICLE WRITING METHOD. THE METHOD BY WHICH THE RANKINGS WERE ARRIVED AT, HOWEVER, REMAINS THE SAME.

FILM

In taking the series over, JJ Abrams does several things right. They include:

– The weapon is a true McGuffin. We never know what it really is. But it doesn’t really matter, does it? It is merely the device which gets things going.

– It focuses on story before spectacle. Like the first film, the big action pieces complement what is happening, rather than the choice in the second film to have the story build around big action pieces.

– Solid supporting cast gives great support. I like Tom Cruise, but always feel like he is better when he has a strong group of actors around him.

– Intense action sequences. The ‘impossible’ missions feel intensely real. Now, I know that the knowledge at hand and the technology is way out of wack, but I like the action itself. I also like the choice to not really show us what happens in the building in China.

– Less masks. The second got mask silly. The best part of the masks is when get to see how they are made, which is way cool.

All in all, Abrams lended his typical style to the film. I saw moments which reminded me of stuff I’ve seen in LOST (the style of shooting on the bridge), FRINGE (the brain-bug tech), ALIAS (the Maggie Q character), and FELICITY (well, Felicity herself). Plus, you know it is Abrams when Greg Grunberg makes a cameo. But, despite all this, it never felt derivative. I think this is as well executed as any of the big summer movies of recent memory. SCORE: 6

MOVIE

The opening scene sets the bar for intensity, and places this movie as a grittier entry into the M:I series. It tells us that this one is less about show, and more about the characters. It tells us that this is going to be personal. And it tells us what we’ve been missing by not having PSH as a big villain all these years. This movie gets going, and never stops. I know I’m supposed to be annoyed by how crazy Tom Cruise is in real life, but I can’t hold it against him once this thing gets going. SCORE: 9

ACTING

The cast is great. Some of the actors don’t get to do too much, (i.e. Jonatahan Rhys Meyers and Laurence Fishburne), but the film is much better for its inclusion of Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, PSH, Billy Crudup, Michelle Monaghan, and Keri Russell. Plus, for the most part, the solid and intense Cruise from the first one is back, replacing the smug and silly Cruise from the second. SCORE: 6

WRITING

Love the McGuffin. Love the intensity of the script. Love that the missions feel impossible (though sometimes a little TOO impossible). I really liked the decisions Abrams made for this film, and how he built this world. I could use a couple less silly lines (i.e. ‘Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall’), but won’t begrudge it those eccentricities too harshly. SCORE: 6

BONUS

The score, by Michael Giacchino (who has worked on most everything Abrams) is old-school awesome. It sounds like a score by a John Williams for a big movie. In other words, it adds to the action, keeps the on-screen stuff feeling more intense, and knows when to get out of the way. The variations on the classic M:I theme are very cool, and I found myself wanting to pick up this score. SCORE: 1

FINAL TALLY

FILM: 6; MOVIE: 9; ACTING: 6; WRITING: 6; BONUS: 1

6+9+6+6+1=28

FINAL SCORE: 7

So the series breaks down like this

M:I I: 6.8.5.6.0…. 25  SCORE: 6.25

M:I II: 3.5.3.3.0… 14 SCORE: 3.5

M:I III: 6.9.6.6.1…. 28: SCORE: 7
I always said the first was my favorite… guess I was wrong!

~ by johnlink00 on August 26, 2009.

Posted in ~ M ~, ~~~ 2006 ~~~
Tags: action