Mission: Impossible III Movie Review

 Mission: Impossible III [M:I:3] (2006)

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Written by: Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci & J.J. Abrams (written by), Bruce Geller (television series)
Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Starring: Tom Cruise, Michelle Monaghan, Ving Rhames, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Billy Crudup, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Keri Russell, Maggie Q, Simon Pegg, Eddie Marsan, Laurence Fishburne, Carla Gallo, Aaron Paul
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
IMF agent Ethan Hunt comes into conflict with a dangerous and sadistic arms dealer who threatens his life and his fiancée in response.

Verdict
This is a great example of the franchise. Ethan Hunt uses slick tools to save the day through over the top action scenes with a story that's purpose is only to link the action. While it's a bit shallow, Hoffman does a great job overcoming his role as a cookie cutter villain that provides us someone against to root.
It depends.

Review
The third franchise entry is certainly a step up from the second though that wasn't a difficult feat.

With an in media res opening, this starts intense but it's a lot of emotional manipulation as the movie gives Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) a fiance and the first scene actually happens much later in the movie.

Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt

In Hunt's like of work is he even allowed to have a fiance? It's a significant risk, and I have to think there would be a rule against because of the exact plot that follows in this movie. Hunt is out of the field, working as a trainer. The IMF wants him back to save an agent he trained.

This movie does a lot of the same things the second movie attempted, but does them much better. While it leverages Hunt's relationship, this doesn't get bogged down by the story like the second one. The relationship grounds Hunt even if it is manipulative. He has to hide his true occupation from his fiance. 

The events of this movie make it personal for him as he has to save his trainee and later must protect his wife from the terrorist Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman). The other movies never had a personal touch like that, at least not credibly. Davian is a true villain, and this doesn't give him any redeeming qualities.

Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Owen Davian

This is certainly a return to form after the second movie with slick tools and plenty of action. Hunt as to extract an agent and then later a terrorist. That mission focuses on the team working together, and this movie introduces Benji (Simon Pegg), who continued to appear in the series.

This does have a propensity for hand held extreme close ups which can be distracting. I get the idea of putting us in the moment, but the intent and result differ. I do wonder how his fiance will affect the future movies or if it will be ignored. This pairs numerous action set pieces with slick tools and a story that is little more than filler. In this case the story works just well enough due to Hoffman as the antagonist.