The weakest link in the series

Rating: 3/10 (4 September 2009)

I've just finished watching through the three MI films (again). And it's somewhat peculiar that the weakest of the three action films is the one made by the most pronounced action-director of them all, John Woo.
It's too bad, because I'm a big fan of John Woo, who's made some of my favorite action movies of all time (Hard Boiled and Face/Off immediately come to mind). But I don't know what went wrong here. His signature use of slow motion, which has worked beautifully in the past, is simply tiresome in this movie.
The scenes drag on for too long. I'm not advocating the George-Lucas-faster-more-intense-ADD /Bourne/ Bond/ camera-mounted-on-top-of-paint-blender-style of film making, which is so popular in action movies today. But the (for example) slow-motion-flamenco, quasi-sexual-foreplay-car-chase and motorcycle-jousting scenes just go on and on and on to the point that I just want start throwing things at the TV and shout "Get on with the story!" Sadly, the story (if there indeed is one) is less than engaging, and the characters are far too dull. I don't buy the supposed chemistry between couch-jumper Cruise and token black girl. The main villain played by Dougray Scott (surely, that can't be a spoiler?) is weak and bland. Anthony Hopkins is there to pick up a paycheck, no more, no less.