Rent Mission Impossible 3 (2006)

Faster, Grittier & With A Great Baddie - Mission Impossible 3 review by GI

Coming after The Bourne Identity and in the same year as Casino Royale it is no wonder that this third instalment is grittier, faster and much more hardcore action in the hands of director J.J. Abrams in his first feature film. It certainly set what was yet to come in the later additions to the franchise. Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt now a trainer in the IMF and happily engaged to Julia (Michelle Monaghan) but he goes back on operations to rescue his protegé captured by evil arms dealer Owen Davian played with gusto by Philip Seymour Hoffman. The plot becomes a battle of wits between the two and with some excellent action set pieces with great car chases there remains big hints of the TV Mission Impossible legacy again utilising the masks and managing to break into impregnable buildings including the Vatican. Cruise gets to do lots of heroic stunts and with a cast rounded out with Laurence Fishburne, Billy Crudup and the first appearance of Simon Pegg as Benji, as well as a returning Ving Rhames this is a highly entertaining action thriller.

The best Mission: Impossible film. Incredible stunts, perfect script & a stunning Seymour-Hoffman - Mission Impossible 3 review by TB

When Tom Cruise started the film version of the highly popular Mission Impossible TV series, it became a cultural behemoth, doing both massive business at the box office, but also critically adored, raising the bar & changing the dynamic of what the audience wanted & expected from action films going forward. It also was launched with perfect timing, as in the previous year, James Bond had been rebooted after a 6 year hiatus to similar adoration & box office takings.

After the success of the 1st film however, things went off the rails. John Woo, who had been brought in after his success in the Far East cinema, managed to create a film which was the highest grossing of 2000 but also one of the most poorly received, by both critics & audience members. So, when looking to create the 3rd film, Cruise took no chances & turned to JJ Abrams, who had recently created the iconic TV series Alias. The result is a staggering, technically flawless & stunningly acted piece of perfection. And despite the multiple sequels of extremely high quality following this one, for me, none of them have come close.

Ethan Hunt has retired from active field duty & now trains new recruits. He has also met & proposed to Jules, his beautiful fiancée who is blissfully unaware of his real job. Hunt is approached by the head of the IMF due to one of his protégés, Lindsey, being kidnapped whilst investigating Owen Davian, an international arms dealer. Despite Hunt's best efforts, the mission goes awry & he is forced to hunt down Davian personally.

Everything about this film is wonderful, but for me, the way the film starts just literally grabs you by the throat. Cruise, strapped to a chair, is subject to a horrific interrogation and for the first time in the series, shows real vulnerability & fear. From then on, the action never lets up. We see taken all over the world, with incredible stunts & a story that really makes you care about every element of it.

Cast wise, alongside Cruise, we have Michelle Monaghan as Jules &, like everything else she is in, her performance elevates the film. Jules is in no way just the smiling damsel in distress, but a fully-formed incredibly strong woman who is the beating heart of not only Hunt but the film as well. The rest of the team are also great in their respective roles. However, this film belongs to Phillip Seymour-Hoffman. Owen Davian is a monster, a complete & total psychopath who, from the moment you first see him, makes you physically uncomfortable & reviled. His plan & the way he simply takes apart physically anyone who crosses him just knows no limits.

This film is amazing. I loved it and the fact it has stood the test of time & is still today every bit as incredible as it was when it was released is a testament to it. Watch it and be blown away.