I'm guessing they'll be a part IV. Which makes the entire story arc in M:3 pointless.

If there is one single thing that bothered me about the film really, was Owen's death. Very...um...not fitting.

It was a diservice to his character for sure.

Where was Ethan's scar btw?

In a film in which they can make 100% real looking latex face masks and fake voices, I am pretty sure, they can get rid of scars as well.

Better question - Where is Nyah Hall?

If they make a 4th film, they will need to find a good explanation for a new female character if they don't keep Monaghan.

Entertaining in fits and well acted by all the major players (especially the criminally underused Hoffman), but a terrible script and some inconsistent direction drag it down. The script is really, really bad. Terrible plot, woefully underwrought characters (this was supposed to be the MI film we cared about the characters most?), and some truly cringe inducing dialouge (WTF was that Humpty Dumpty thing all about?). JJ's direction is scattershot. The action sequences are never truly memorable, and I think that's because of the incessant shaky cam bullshit that's become so prevalent in today's action films. He needs to learn how to film big action before he can successfully pull off a film of this magnintude. He does okay during exposition scenes, though. And yeah, the final ten to fifteen minutes are pretty excruciating. The anti-climactic "final fight" would have been bad enough, but the film piles on with one of the cheesiest final frames I've seen in a long time. I was half expecting two hummingbirds to appear on screen and pull a "The End" banner across it.

C-

The easy out would be the OHMSS or LTK mold and kill her during the pre credit sequence. But then, you'd either have a revenge film or you'll need to flash forward and put the death behind the film.

I wanted a freeze frame of either Ethan laughing (extreme close-up of course) or the two of them jumping in the air.

Actually what was that stupid "here..hit my with that 5000 Volt cable"???I mean CMON....When the tussy is pointing that thing on me I would care a shit if I have a 10 Megatonne bomb in my head..... Then I would really prefere to die with slobber in my head.....not that you would have slobber in your head when you get hit by such a cable

Well the last 15 minutes were dissapointing















But now I know where he got that electric power you can see in that Oprah video fake
Electrotom

So, you'd rather have the bomb explode in your head?

I edited my post. read it again. I just think they could have com up with something less freaky.

Sad thing is, we're joking, but it would have fit perfectly.

I can't help but wonder what Fincher could have done with this.

Well one, it would have better. No doubt.

Quite frankly, the screenwriters here drafted a subpar script. Chances are, Fincher would have had an instant leg up using a screenwriter like Frank Darabont.

Visually, it would have been a more interesting film. The Game, Painc Room, Fight Club, Se7en, Alien3, all visual feasts.

Compare the Vatican sequence to the Prague sequence in the first MI film. Really, the only thing MI:3 has going for it is the Vatican sequence and it's still not as good as Prague. I'm sure Fincher would have used every trick in the book to try to outdo Prague.

For tentpole franchises like Mission Impossible, I think the rule of the thumb should be if you can't improve upon the original, at least do something different enough to be memorable. Adding domestic strife doesn't qualify.

I can go on and on about the two things I mentioned in my earlier post within the spoiler tag. The inclusion of those two story points bother me to no end. Idiotic.

A-

I really liked it, and think it's the best of the three (its pacing is better than DePalma's film). The ending is quite cheesy, though.

I haven't been able to assign a proper letter grade yet. I need a few more hours.

I basically agree with everything loyal and makeshift said. I can't remember the last time that happened.

I pretty much view this in the same way now as a Dukes of Hazzard or Stealth. I was entertained much of the way, and it's probably re-watch-able on DVD, but nothing more. Well actually, it's only a day later, and I wonder if I was actually more entertained by Dukes and Stealth.

I hope they're able to hire a real director for the fourth entry in the series...

SO I saw the midnight showing last night.

And well. The opening sequence was AWESOME, the best scene in the movie. They grab your attention, and fuck with your emotions. Then they jump back to days before and it felt weird. Like it wasn't a MI movie anymore. But that was the point. He had this life, and it wasn't anything like his past. And you could tell by how the movie looked. Then they jump right into the first mission. Very visually pleasing and very well shot. I loved that they didn't save her "just in time". Now, the 2nd mission comes along and this is what MI is supposed to be all about. It's supposed to be about being sneaky and making people think things they wouldn't normally think. It was VERY well done. The plane sequence, imo, was stunning. I loved the "torture". Then they get to the trucks, Ethan gets the video message and the twists start to come into play. The bridge scene was too short, but was the second best scene in the movie. Blah blah blah. Now here comes the 3rd mission. Another almost MI mission, but not quite.

Now, once finding out that they DIDN'T kill his wife... then it starts going to shit. Sure, I can believe she can shoot pretty accurate, its not as hard as it looks. But him coming back alive? UGH! It would've made it ten times better if he had ended up dying.

So... in conclusion... the movie was AWESOME... the ending was NOT GOOD.

9.3/10 A-

MI: II 9.4/10 A

MI: I 9.7/10 A+

I'm not sure there ever will be a fourth if this disappoints at the BO.

I was very satisfied. Abrams pulled quite an entertaining flick out of a fairly conventional story. The visuals are great, the score is quite great, and it actually manages to be tense. Its one of the better "action" movies to come out in quite some time. I think this one will sit well with audiences. And what an improvement over MI2

B+

The summer movie season is finally here as several big budget films prepare for release in hopes of huge box office success. Most of these films are good for what they are - simple popcorn entertainment. This is what made films such as The Fast & The Furious so successful. These films don't rely on plot or performances, but make up for it with awesome action sequences and strong special effects. The first and second Mission: Impossible films fell into this category. Both were very strong for what they were, but they were not "great" films. The third film in the franchise is the exception. Mission: Impossible III is an excellent film.

Several years have passed since the events of the second film and Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has started a new life. Retired from his job as a spy for the IMF, he now trains up-and-coming agents while living with his loving fiancee Julia (Michelle Monaghan). But when one of Ethan's former students named Lindsey Ferris (Keri Russell) is kidnapped by the sadistic arms dealer Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and his team, he is called back to the field in an attempt to rescue her. He assembles a new team for the mission, including old friend Luther Strickell (Ving Rhames) and newcomers Declan (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) and Zhen (Maggie Q). But when the rescue attempt goes horribly wrong, Ethan must discover what Davian is really up to - and who he can really trust.

The film is directed by J.J. Abrams, famous for creating TV's spy drama "Alias" and deserted-island thriller "Lost." Both of these shows are brilliant - balancing well-written storylines and developed characters with lots of action and thrills. M:I3 is no exception. Abrams, who also co-wrote the screenplay, creates a storyline that is actually fairly easy to understand and adds a lot of wit and energy to the mix. The movie doesn't take itself too seriously for its entire duration, which allows several successful comedic moments to come into play. The characters are also richer than ever before, with many dialogue-based scenes present for the sole purpose of developing each one. This is something that the first two films failed to do for the most part, and the improvement really shows. You actually become fairly attached to these characters and understand what they are really going through.

Abrams is also brilliant when it comes to direction. M:I3 is full of memorable moments that are exciting and visually stunning. A scene that takes place on a highway bridge is sure to be one of the year's best action sequences. It feels completely real and not computer-generated, as most films seem these days. The scenery is also used to perfection, with the visual beauty of the various locations prominently on display. He also makes a very wise decision on how to start the film. It is a particularly jarring sequence very similar to what was once seen on "Alias" that immediately grabs hold of the viewer's attention.

The performances here are also great for an action film, thanks to the talent of the all-star cast. Tom Cruise, despite all the media frenzy, is actually quite a solid actor, and this role is no exception. He seems very comfortable with this character now and knows his various strengths and weaknesses. He is undeniably charismatic, but is also able to handle dramatic sequences in a believable manner. Philip Seymour Hoffman is terrifying here, playing against type as a deranged madman. Any memory of his past work will vanish once this character really gets under your skin. Michelle Monaghan is great as well, after excellent work in last year's underrated Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. She is extremely charming and likable, and her chemistry with Cruise is completely believable. Their scenes together are some of the film's most memorable moments.

Supporting performances are also very good. Ving Rhames, like Cruise, is a veteran to this franchise and once again excels as Luther. He injects the character with a great deal of wit and provides some of the film's more comedic moments. Billy Crudup, as Ethan's close friend and co-worker at the IMF, is better-than-average thanks to strong dialogue. Keri Russell makes the most of her limited screen time by really making an impression on the audience, leaving them wanting more. Laurence Fishburne, after giving a brilliant performance in Akeelah And The Bee, is good here as the mysterious chief of staff, but his character isn't as developed as the others. Simon Pegg of Shaun Of The Dead fame is hilarious in a small role. Unfortunately, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Maggie Q are underused, but both of them still deliver decent performances for the most part.

Despite a few small flaws, this is the perfect summer action film. It is not only fast-paced and full of excellent action sequences, but it also features great performances and spectacular direction. J.J. Abrams is officially a genius.

9/10 (A-)

So, this has been bothering me all day long...

Did the Humpty Dumpty line have some sort of secret meaning that I missed? Was it an in joke, or something? To me, it felt totally out of place and brought the film to a screeching hault. They pretty much broke the fourth wall just to deliver an insanely lame one liner.

Oh, and I would have given this an A-range grade if not for the anticlimactic finale. I do agree with the cliched shot of them walking off and the lack of boldness, class, or pretty much *thought* that Owen's death should have packed. For such an interesting character, I was somewhat disappointed.... No worries, as the film still manages to excel at being pure escapist entertainment at its best. I'd actually consider it one of the better entries of the year so far.

After the 2nd film disappointing me more so than Matrix reloaded, I was very skeptical about the next, the same of course with Cruise's recent craziness, but I will say that I really liked this film, and truly got you ready for summer. Its a much different film, and although the story has a lot of problems, the acting is quite great (Cruise especially and its fun to see Shuan of the Dead in there too, action was quick and never let up, and the visuals were great, as it still kept some of the reality that the original had. The vatican scene was hands down great filmmaking, minue humpty dumpty.

A, Bring on Poseidon next week

MI- A
MII-D

C+

Pretty boring been there done that Start to My summer movie watching. It had a few good action scenes, but they all felt like something was missing. They were more like teases. We got a great body snatch caper within the first hour and then nothing. I mean why not show what happened inside the building he went in to get the "Rabbits Foot", instead we got silly baseball distractions. I was hoping this one would be as great or better than the first M.I. but no we got something that was on par or just a little bit better than M.I. 2

Roll on to X3

It was him letting the team know he was on the wall. Not exactly rocket science.