It was hardly impossible: the first edge-of-your seat, roller-coaster ride of the year

Rating: 8/10 (5 May 2006)

Whenever I enter the movie theater expecting to see an action thriller, I always experience a sense of trepidation anymore. So many of today's action films are so poorly shot with nauseating hand-held camera work, terrible dialogue, and wooden performances. Many action films feel they need to have as many shots as possible, facilitated by rapid, disorienting, non-continuity editing in the disastrous Michael Bay style. However, I have found my edge-of-my-seat pleasures on the small screen with the brilliant cat-and-mouse games that are "Alias" and "Lost" penned so tightly by J.J. Abrams, the new auteur television producer. So I was thrilled when I heard that Abrams was going to be directing "Mission: Impossible III" starring Tom Cruise. The first two installments were mindless pablum directed by accomplished directors Brian DePalma and John Woo, who completely sold out to the most extreme inanities of Hollywood. After letting the saga lie fallow for 5 years, Tom Cruise became hooked by "Alias," watching the entire series over the course of a single weekend, and afterwards he knew that he had found a new director for "Mission: Impossible" in J.J. Abrams. Hence, we have the best installment in the series thus far, and the best movie yet of 2006.
"Mission: Impossible III" is an incredibly taut, well-edited, swiftly paced story with many action-packed thrills that don't become repetitive and don't rob the characters of development. Tom Cruise plays Ethan Hunt, a former CIA agent in the IMF (Impossible Mission Force), who has finally distanced himself from the spy world. But of course, the spy world will always find him. As he prepares to get married to his girlfriend Julia, his old life catches up with him when a former colleague gets captured by a black-market arms dealer named Owen Davian, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. The film proceeds like a cinematic version of "Alias" with the narrative alternating between explosive action scenes, shocking twists and revelations, and thought-provoking reflections on what it means to be a spy. What I love about Cruise's character is that we really get to see him as a normal guy. We see him talking with his friends, sharing intimate moments with his girlfriend, and even picking up food at the grocery store. With so many spy dramas in the past like the James Bond series, it is difficult to understand that these spies and villains are real people. It's hard to imagine James Bond going to the grocery store to pick up milk. I think it is a lot more interesting though to explore the juxtaposition between these people's careers as spies and then the "real" lives they lead at home. It makes the spy characters more relatable, and it also grounds the action in reality, making it less cartoonish. There is very little about "Mission: Impossible III" that is cartoonish. It truly is aiming for a certain realism in depicting what it would be like to be a spy in these situations. As a result, the villains are much more down to earth. Philip Seymour Hoffman's character, while certainly evil, is more of a corrupt businessman than a cartoonish super-villain.
J.J. Abrams was an ideal choice to direct "Mission: Impossible III" and his unique sensibility is clearly evident in this film. The movie actually shares a similar story structure to the pilot episode of "Alias" since we explore what it means to be a spy as Tom Cruise's love interest is placed in peril. The question the film asks is whether it is possible to still be a normal person, and be a spy, and I think that the film answers this question with a concrete yes. For me great action films mix explosive adventure with thought-provoking concepts, and "Mission:Impossible III" really fits the criteria. It is extremely well shot so as to allow the viewer to make sense of what is happening on screen. It allows us to better appreciate the stunts and the effects, than so many action films which use rapid editing to cover up shoddy effects, makeup, and acting. The movie also involves critiques of U.S. foreign policy similar to those found on 24 season 5. This intellectually chewy content is perfectly interwoven with action-packed thrills, my idea of a successful action film. Be forewarned, this is a narratively dense movie. You have to pay constant attention to what is happening or you might miss some key plot twist or character reveal. But the script does make sense, unlike so many non-sensical James Bond movies, and the payoff is all the more rewarding when the action scenes have some coherent narrative motivation. This is the first great movie of 2006 and one of the best action films I've seen made outside of Hong Kong or not found on TV. I think it is an impossible mission to not enjoy this film. A-