Not Smart Like M:I 1, no real action like M:I 2, A Rather Bland Movie. Disappointing!

Rating: 4/10 (9 May 2006)

***may contain spoilers*** M:I 3 was a very disappointing movie in my opinion when compared to the first two movies. In all three movies, the direction and story lines have gone in entirely different directions with three very different type of MI movies. The first movie was a great spy movie and a bit of a thinker with a bit of a twist at the end when the villain was revealed. The second MI was all style and action with no real attempt to make the viewers think. The action was brilliant (at times over the top), the direction from John Woo was very stylistic and beautiful to watch and the soundtrack was an amazing piece of direction with Hans Zimmer composing. It was an excellent action movie.
M:I 3 on the other hand was neither a smart spy movie like the first or a great action movie like the second. Instead, it tries to be dramatic and inject character into a movie that doesn't need it. This time we see Ethan Hunt's personal life as he has fallen in love and gets married. The whole storyline is fueled by Hunt's attempt to save his wife from death at the hands of Phillip Seymour Jones' character. We see all sorts of personal touches as Luther (Ving Rahmes) tries to sympathize with Hunt's position. In fact the first part of the movie is all about Hunt and his relationship with his fiancé/wife. It is so slow to watch. You keep waiting for the action to start and when it does it is completely disappointing. The first action scene you have involves a little bit of shooting, a couple of explosions and a helicopter chase. The helicopter chase could have been a lot better. It takes place in the dark over top of some electric producing windmills. However, its just a little bit of flying with one stunt that was pretty lame (flying under a windmill's blade?). Later on they include a mask scene, which works pretty good like in the first M:I, but there is no action involved (we've seen it before and its been done better). The real action scene of the entire movie is the bridge scene that takes place about ¾ through the movie. Its sort of cool, but you've scene the best part in the trailer. How about the action at the end of the movie, at the height of the movie's climax? Basically there really isn't any, it is the most anti-climactic scene I have ever watched. In the first M:I we had the awesome channel tunnel train scene with Tom on top of the train traveling at 220 miles an hour trying to stop the villain escaping on a helicopter (the cool "red light, green light" scene). M:I 2 which had excellent action all the way through had an awesome, over the top, half an hour long action scene. It began with the bunker scene and trick mask scene and exploding into a crazy motorbike chase scene, which ended with a fierce one on one fight. M:I 3's climactic action? Hunt runs through the streets of Shanghai, has a brief little skirmish with Hoffman, which result in Hoffman accidentally dying in a manner we don't even get to see. The surprise bad guy gets shot by the girl, when he tries to catch her by surprise. Nothing for action, no real crazy chase scene and no real fight, and both bad guys die in a boring fashion. There is no real action at the end of the movie! None, nothing! Who makes a spy movie that has no action and/or no real twist at the end.
Lastly, the soundtrack and the direction. It was the director's first time directing a movie, having been a TV director of some reknown (apparently). The direction has no style and is incredibly flat to watch. The accompanying soundtrack is also flat and does not support the movie well. Also, I know its nit picky, but who ends a spy movie with rap music by Kanye West?
By all means, see the movie, but just don't expect much and you may appreciate it more than I. Once again, no good action scenes, weak plot and too much time spent on drama with between Hunt and his fiancée.