action over story.

Rating: 8/10 (4 May 2006)

contains Spoilers Mission Impossible 3 I think that MI 3 takes the action movie to a higher level. One notable scene, takes place on a bridge. It incorporates every piece of action movie making presented to cinema audiences over the past five years. It is visually stunning. The special effects are (as usual) amazing. The superb photography plus some deft editing gave the scene an unnerving sense of realism.
This is very much how the rest of the movie develops. One sizzling action sequence follows, hot on the heels of the next.
The acting is good, especially from Lawrence Fishburne who gives a commanding performance. Tom, as usual is gives us his all. Going through his whole repertoire of big movie acting. And he is good.
Where the movie does not quite deliver is in the story line. It seems disjointed. Anyone not having seen the last MI movie, need not worry. They would not have too much problem following this story line, in this movie. I had the impression the story had been written in separate parts, to be spliced around the action scenes.
The music is impressive. The sound, (imo) was too loud. I like action movies to be loud, very loud. Yet, I found the sound very over the top but that may have been due to my cinema. So that should not be taken as a major criticism of the film itself. As it could add rather than detract from your own personal enjoyment.
There are parts of the movie, where you have to suspend belief. The ending itself, the final moments of the film, seemed a bit syrupy. I could imagine one or two of the actors shuffling their feet in embarrassment. Not even Tom's flashed-on-when-demanded, dazzling smile could mask the obvious 'lead-in' for MI part 4.
To sum up. It never pretends to be anything other than an action thriller. In this it achieves brilliantly. Due more to the synchronisation of the Producer, the special effects, editing, and cut and thrust photography. It is, fast, well-acted, well photographed, with brilliantly worked special effects. Oh, and blisteringly loud. But did I mention that already!! If you like action, you got it.