Mission: Impossible III (2006)

Ethan Hunt comes face to face with a dangerous and sadistic arms dealer while trying to keep his identity secret in order to protect his girlfriend.

Director:

J.J. Abrams

Writers:

Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci,

Stars:

Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames

7 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Cruise	...	Ethan Hunt
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Owen Davian
Ving Rhames	...	Luther Stickell
Billy Crudup	...	John Musgrave
Michelle Monaghan	...	Julia
Jonathan Rhys Meyers	...	Declan Gormley
Keri Russell	...	Lindsey Farris
Maggie Q	...	Zhen Lei
Simon Pegg	...	Benji Dunn
Eddie Marsan	...	Brownway
Laurence Fishburne	...	Theodore Brassel
Bahar Soomekh	...	Davian's Translator
Jeff Chase	...	Davian's Bodyguard
Michael Berry Jr.	...	Julia's Kidnapper
Carla Gallo	...	Beth

Storyline

IMF agent Ethan Hunt has given up field work to train agents instead, because he is seeing someone, Julia whom he wants to marry and live a normal life with. But his friend, Billy Musgrave, an IMF big wig informs that an agent he trained is being held by an arms dealer. Ethan decides to rescue her and does but because of a dead man's switch that was implanted in her, she is killed by remote. When Ethan returns, high ranking IMF man, Brassel chastises both Ethan and Musgrave for their actions. Ethan decides to go off book and bring the arms dealer in. But before leaving he marries Julia. After apprehending the arms dealer Ethan returns with him to the States but upon arriving they are attacked and the arms dealer escapes. Later Julia is abducted.

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Plot Keywords:

arms dealer | rescue | mission | escape | vatican | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of frenetic violence and menace, disturbing images and some sensuality

Details

Official Sites:

Bontonfilm [cz] Official site [ru]

Country:

USA Germany China

Language:

English Italian Mandarin Cantonese German Czech

Release Date:

5 May 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

M:i:III

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

$150,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$713,859 (Hong Kong) (12 May 2006)

Gross:

$133,382,309 (USA) (14 July 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Cruise/Wagner Productions, MI 3 Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min 124 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Maggie Q had to learn how to drive for the movie, she didn't know how to before. It is revealed in the DVD extras that while driving during the shoot, the heel of her shoe got stuck on the accelerator, leading her car to crash (lightly) into another parked car.

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Goofs

The shot of St. Peter's Basilica when Ethan is on the wall made it look like there are no trees inside the grounds of the Vatican. The actual view of St. Peter's Basilica from wall of the Vatican Gardens includes many umbrella pine trees. The shot also made St. Peter's Basilica look further away from the back wall of the Vatican than it actually is.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Owen Davian: [to Ethan] We put an explosive charge in your head. Does that sound familiar?

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Crazy Credits

Special Thanks: The Hanso Foundation.

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Connections

Follows Mission: Impossible (1988)

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Soundtracks

"A Sunday Kind of Love"
by Louis Prima, Anita Nye, Stan Rhodes & Barbara Belle
Performed by Etta James
Courtesy of Geffen Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Lens Flares, Chases, and Ethan Hunt

This is, without a doubt, one of the best action movies to date and just as good as the new Mission: Impossible film, Ghost Protocol (which means the best). Ethan Hunt (played by the awesome and bad-ass Tom Cruise) has just gotten married; life has never been better, until the IMF calls Ethan in on a rescue mission to secure and transport a fellow agent, whom Ethan previously trained and mentored. Before the mission is completed, things go from bad to worst; Ethan looses a friend, and a massive terror plot is unveiled for Ethan to prevent.

J.J. Abrams, one of the most imaginative and intelligent directors/writers of the decade, mastered this film without breaking a sweat and took it so far that Tom Cruise was even thrown against a car by a (very) close explosion. Tom Cruise is at the top of his game here, giving not just a great acting performance, but a believable take on a man with everything to lose, and shows it in just about every action scene from middle to end. Ving Rhames is Ving Rhames, the genius Luther Stickell, and new arrivals Maggie Q and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers play out their roles perfectly. All in all, this film is a great addition to the M:I film series and a wonderful action-packed thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat until the final scene.

9/10 Stars***