Film Review - Mission: Impossible 3

The Action Never Stops
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

The 'Mission: Impossible' franchise surges into another big-budget action film for the third time. Another really mission impossible – kinetic twist and turns, special effects and totally unrealistic plot that there is almost no time to breathe. But somehow, it manages to buy the suspense and emotional engagement with some ‘Alias’-like treatment from Director J. J. Abrams (who also did 'Alias' and 'Lost'). The story may be unbelievable but the twist is well-crafted so as not to poke gaping holes into it. Although it presents such high levels of improbability as the previous installments, this third one injects some humor and emotions – the elements the first two films completely lack. Overall, it is quite a great popcorn flick.


The injected love story and the power struggle, corruption and terrorism issues still persist in this sequel. The crazed match of wits and verbal exchanges among the characters also become good sources of emotional development. But there are moments that it presents mindless montage of land and air fight and chase scenes. Good to know that it maintains a well-structured twisting of events to keep up with its high tech and suspense thriller intensity. And though the getting in and out of trouble of everybody seems to be too unrealistic, it is validated by its title anyway.

The movie is fast-paced, action packed, dense and filled with stunts and yet the plot is still very contrived and predictable. Nevertheless, the heart-pumping action combined with gratifyingly clever, booby-trapped fun really pushes the viewer's pulse rate to a race: the air-to-ground assault at the Washington Bridge; Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) attempting to catapult between two skyscrapers in Shanghai and safely descending from the heights to a busy freeway through a flimsy parachute; running over a gas tanker; and getting away with a bomb explosion from a few feet away without much body damage – all these deliver thrills by the second.

Philip Seymour Hoffman as international weapons and information provider Owen Davian best suits his villain role. With his few minutes of screen time, he is still a legitimate scene-stealer. He effectively makes a considerably one-dimensional role into a deeply layered performance. Tom Cruise takes Ethan Hunt into new heights through Abram's direction. However, his overall acting is just the same, nothing new really. He has been seen like that during the first 2 installments, War of the Worlds, Vanilla Sky, Eyes Wide Shut – his acting has never evolved for all his various characters. Laurence Fishburne is great as the ambiguously dirty IMF head Brassel. Ving Rhames as Ethan's good friend and colleague Luther Stickell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers as transportation expert Declan and Maggie Q as background operative slash hot babe Zhen compose Hunt's reunited IMF team in pursuit of Davian. Casting-wise, they become a team of an A-lister backed up by the fame hopefuls. Nevertheless, these three supporting characters of Cruise do carry themselves to the and for the film. Keri Russell's character Lindsey gives a huge impact for the film's initial turning point just a few minutes after its opening. Michelle Monaghan as Julia, Hunt's fiancee, truly radiates a mainstream film's leading lady role. Other than Cruise, Hoffman and Fishburne who have already marked their names in Hollywood, it is quite noticeable that the casting is more of B-listers down. It's like lead actor-producer Tom Cruise knows how to play a mission for his benefit. But it's good that it has worked out well for everybody as the movie presents a rather healthy ensemble.

Abrams injects fresh blood and energy in his big screen debut. This film is indeed a hands-down achievement for a first-timer as this is the best of the Mission Impossible movies. More than making a reel of tremendous special effects, death-defying stunts and heart-pumping action from beginning to end, this movie makes you think with its twists and suspense-filled plot. Though unrealistic, it provides action-adventure entertainment. If you're in for a non-stop blood-rush on your seats, you could enjoy this third mission.