Mission: Impossible III

PG-13

5/5/20062h 6m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ The mission begins. ~

Overview:

Retired from active duty, and training recruits for the Impossible Mission Force, agent Ethan Hunt faces the toughest foe of his career: Owen Davian, an international broker of arms and information, who's as cunning as he is ruthless. Davian emerges to threaten Hunt and all that he holds dear – including the woman Hunt loves.

Director:

J.J. Abrams

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$150,000,000.00

Revenue:

$398,479,497.00

Key words:

mask
mission
berlin, germany
central intelligence agency (cia)
computer
the white house
shanghai, china
funeral
explosive
secret mission
spy
vatican (holy see)
secret identity
traitor
map
honeymoon
pretended murder
letter
fake identity
covered investigation
secret agent
stamp
hard drive
e-mail
decipherment
suitcase
secret government organization
revenge
murder
hospital
infiltration
duel
disguise
celebration
fictional government agency
research laboratory
government agency
blast
desperate
anxious
based on tv series
suspenseful
amused

Cast

Tom Cruise

~ as ~

Ethan Hunt

Philip Seymour Hoffman

~ as ~

Owen Davian

Ving Rhames

~ as ~

Luther

Billy Crudup

~ as ~

Musgrave

Michelle Monaghan

~ as ~

Julia

Jonathan Rhys Meyers

~ as ~

Declan

Keri Russell

~ as ~

Lindsey Farris

Maggie Q

~ as ~

Zhen

Simon Pegg

~ as ~

Benji

Eddie Marsan

~ as ~

Brownway

View full cast & crew

Reviews (4)

Gimly
Written 9 year(s) ago
4
I would say it is the strongest entry of the first three Mission: Impossible films (the only ones I've seen to date). Even a decade later, it's strengths are still that which the franchise has always been known for, and its weakness are much the same. Much more akin plot-wise to the first film, M:I:III has the one advantage over its predecessors that it's villain is much stronger than any we have seen before. Though arguably not the primary antagonist, Seymour-Hoffman (RIP) is actually pretty terrifying as international arms dealer, Owen Davian.

That said, while this third entry is certainly the most engaging thus far, it still had me checking my watch before the end of the movie, so I can hardly give it a glowing review.

Final rating:★★ - Had some things that appeal to me, but a poor finished product.
CinemaSerf
Written 3 year(s) ago
6
Despite the introduction of the always annoying Simon Pegg, this is an huge improvement on the last instalment. It sees the now retired, loved-up "Ethan" (Tom Cruise) coaxed out of retirement to deal with the menacing arms dealer "Davian" (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who has just bumped off one of the IMF's finest as he tries to offload the devilishly toxic "rabbit's foot" - a weapon with devastating potential. The initial part of the operation goes smoothly enough, but when his prey escapes his clutches, "Ethan" soon realises that he is going to be used to obtain the weapon - else his girlfriend "Julia" (Michelle Monaghan) is going to be toast. PSH is a super baddie here, very much in the less is more school of menace, but not afraid to get a bit brutal when called for. The story itself is all pretty routine, there isn't much jeopardy throughout, but the action scenes are more natural and less choreographed than last time out, and PSH also does add quite a lot of extra gravitas to the proceedings. It also features one of the more assured performance from the usually wooden as a tree Jonathan Rhys Meyers with Ving Rhames having a more substantial, and quite entertaining, role too. I'm not sure what anyone can really do about the inevitability of the conclusion - we just know these films are going to keep on coming, but this one from the established writing team of Kurtzman and Orci keeps moving well with plenty of gadgets, body morphing and action to pass the two hour mark comfortably.
The Movie Mob
Written 2 year(s) ago
9
Mission: Impossible 3 gives the franchise something more than explosions and cool gadgets. It gives the series heart and family.

Mission: Impossible 3 carried the heavy burden of trying to ground the fantastical world of Mission Impossible with its insane stunts and extraordinary gadgets after the franchise took it all a little too far in MI2. JJ Abrams took the reins, simplified the plot to Ethan Hunt’s struggle to rescue his fiancée, and filled the cast with excellent talents like Michelle Monaghan, Phillip Seymore Hoffman, Keri Russell, Simon Pegg, and more. While the stunts and gadgets that define the franchise were still in the film, they were not the focus. Instead, MI3 concentrated on developing Hunt’s character and his struggle to protect his loved ones from his work. This movie frequently finds itself at the bottom of the Mission: Impossible rankings, but I think it’s one of the best in the series and gave the franchise the heart and direction it needed to become the box office behemoth it is today.
BW
Brent Western
Written 7 month(s) ago
7
This is the first mission impossible that starts to explore some form of continuity between characters. It’s a welcome change from the revolving cast that features terrible one minors and allows you to start to build some continuity and familiarity with different characters. To me the big problem in the film is we know what the stakes are but we don’t know anything about the MacGuffin that we’re chasing. It would be better to have some sort of idea as to what we’re chasing so the audience can feel a little bit more invested. Not the best in the franchise, but a huge step up from the second film.