Mission: Impossible III (2006)

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While the first 'Mission: Impossible' movie was entertaining, the second one ended up disappointing me. So, I never went to see 'M: I-3,' and therefore missed out on what could have been a pretty awesome big-screen experience. Out of these first three films, when I think of bringing 'Mission: Impossible' to modern audiences with a contemporary feel, this is one chapter in the series that stands out. Somehow, it just feels like everything is done "right" in this movie, and it provides me with the things I came to see.

This chapter is another good example of a movie that cherry-picks the best parts of its predecessors and brings them to the forefront, combining the spycraft of the first film with the heavy action of the second, topping it off with a great villain, new mainstays getting introduced, keeping you on the edge of your seat throughout its entirety, and of course, some of those ever-famous Tom Cruise stunts. Without a doubt, this one is easily one of my favourites in the series and a film I highly regret not seeing on the big screen.

After a considerable amount of time, IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has finally decided to retire from the field of high-stakes espionage and attempt to lead a somewhat everyday life with his fiancée, Julia Meade (Michelle Monaghan), who is unaware of Hunt's current job of training recruits. One such recruit, Lindsey Ferris (Keri Russell), investigates an arms dealer named Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), who manages to capture her; thus, Hunt gets called into action due to his special interest in the situation.

Once again, the team is made up of the IMF for Hunt, including skilled pilot Declan Gormley (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), expert marksman Zhen Lei (Maggie Q), and, by now, our favourite secondary character, Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames). Without spoiling too much, during the mission to save Lindsey, things go awry. However, soon Ethan, with the help of newcomer Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), obtains information on a weapon Davian seeks, known only as "The Rabbit's Foot." We do not know what this thing does or even what it is.

Soon enough, Ethan plans his special mission to find Davian and interrogate him about the "Rabbit's Foot" and its location so it can be intercepted and turned in. However, Ethan doesn't count on just how ruthless and powerful Davian is, which is a big part of why I like this chapter so much - it gets dark, and it gets personal, and Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance makes you hate him, which is always a good thing in a villain. Anyway, soon, Ethan finds his personal life threatened, all in the name of some weapon that could potentially be anything.

Aside from a great villain and the high-speed pacing of the action throughout the film, no 'Mission: Impossible' movie is complete without a stunt or two, and here, we get some incredible in-city stunts that include swinging from one building to another, sliding down a steep high-rise roof, and a rough parachute landing among other things. While there are, of course, elements of CGI in all of Cruise's stunt sequences, I still have to give him my utmost respect for what he can accomplish and the passion he brings to that work, which enables him to deliver a solid final product.

In the tradition of a different director for each film, this one comes to us from the great JJ Abrams, who can take pride in this being his directorial film debut. Between the stunts, action, Hoffman's performance, and just staying engaged the entire time, I give this chapter full credit for entertainment value alone. While there is one thing I can't reveal that I find irksome, it's not enough to ruin the good time that the film provided. This chapter made for a pretty damn solid roller-coaster ride of an action flick.

4/5

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