Does the same for the franchise as Batman Begins did for Batman

Rating: 8/10 (1 May 2006)

I got to see in advance the first big blockbuster of the summer in a press screening. I must say that the summer begins quite nicely. M:I:III does the same for the franchise as Batman Begins did for Batman. Both had to follow one of the worst sequels of all time. However to put a newly found rising talent as director and take a darker grip on the story both do wonders.
The plot, that was long held secret is as follows: Special Agent Ethan Hunt has left field operations to get married to beautiful doctor named Julia. However, when Hunt's friend and former student gets caught during a mission, Hunt must return. And then something goes terribly wrong etc. Sound like a standard action-movie so far, doesn't it? But the real surprises are yet to come.
J.J. Abrams (Alias and Lost) has directed a film that works as well as his previous work. Feels the same, too. The story twists don't get too big as in the first movie, though.
As for the acting, Tom Cruise isn't the least bit irritating in this one. I got to hand it to the bastard, he sure can pick up the best projects from the best directors. Hunt's team mates are now present throughout the movie, so the movie centrals around an agent team more rather than just Cruise's super agent. Simon Pegg is fun as the Q-like gadget-expert. One would have liked to see more of him. Or at least little better scripted appearances. The best of them all is however Philip Seymour Hoffman as the villain. His weapons dealer is cool as ice, ruthless and totally merciless. The new Bond-movies badly need such baddies, but you haven't seen them since Blofeld was dropped in a chimney.
The bast thing about this movie is that it's exciting. A couple of scenes in the beginning really make you believe that these characters are in mortal peril. You relate to the characters just enough to care what will happen to them. Even Ethan Hunt is a human being this time around. The Bond movies have never had that kind of thing, except maybe On her majesty's secret service or From Russia with love. The action is, of course great and the familiar M:i-clichés, such as self-destructing tapes, real-like rubber masks and jumps on a wire, appear.
All in all, a very satisfying action movie and a positive surprise.
****
The Best Part (Spoiler):
The opening scene, where Hoffman questions Cruise about an object with a gun on his loved one's head.