Mission: Impossible III (2006)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

J.J. Abrams

Writers (WGA):

Alex Kurtzman (written by) &
Roberto Orci (written by) ...

Release Date:

5 May 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Rescue | Mission | Vatican | Arms Dealer | Sadistic

Awards:

6 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Ethan Hunt
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Owen Davian
Ving Rhames	...	Luther
Billy Crudup	...	Musgrave
Michelle Monaghan	...	Julia
Jonathan Rhys Meyers	...	Declan
Keri Russell	...	Lindsey Farris
Maggie Q	...	Zhen
Simon Pegg	...	Benji
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

Also Known As:

M:i:III (International: English title) (promotional abbreviation) (UK) (promotional abbreviation) (USA) (promotional abbreviation)
Heyday (USA) (fake working title)
Mission: Impossible 3 (Australia)
Mission: Impossible III (Germany)

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

126 min | Philippines:124 min (cut) | Australia:119 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English | Cantonese | German | Italian | Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:12A | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-15 | Singapore:PG | Germany:12 | New Zealand:M | Australia:M | Denmark:11 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Sweden:15 | Norway:15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Argentina:13 | Brazil:12 | Malaysia:U | Portugal:M/12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #42616) | Hungary:16 | Philippines:PG-13 | Canada:14A | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The scenic rural Chinese village at the end of the film is not located in Shanghai as suggested but is actually the ancient town of Xitang in the Zhejiang Province, located approximately 90km away. The night scenes involving skyscrapers were actually shot in Shanghai, however.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The railway wagons in the yard at the factory in Berlin have American-style couplings, not European ones.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Colbert Report: Frank Rich (#2.61)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Mission: Impossible Theme

So what is the "rabbit's foot" anyway?

"Mission: Impossible III," the latest installment of the blockbuster movies which in turn were based from a TV series, is for those looking for a way to start off the summer season at the movies. Here is a movie filled with action and nothing more. There are the usual: Tom Cruise running and getting banged up, high degrees of improbability, explosions, gadgets, the whole shebang. Still, "M:I:III" is a fast-paced thriller that manages to get hold of you for the 120-minute span of its running hour and never lets go.

After retiring as Impossible Missions Force (IMF) team leader to lead a "normal" life with his fianceé Julia (Michelle Monaghan), Ethan Hunt (Cruise) returns to the team to help recapture criminal arms dealer Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who has escaped from prison and is now making life difficult for the IMF. As for Hunt, his encounter with Davian has upped the ante for him: he not only has to save the world now, he also has to save the woman he loves. Cruise (either you love him or you hate him) still fits into his role well, and Hoffman, who has just won an Oscar for his portrayal of Truman Capote, also effectively displays a chilling seriousness to his villain role. The rest of the cast - Billy Crudup, Ving Rhames, Maggie Q, Michelle Monaghan, etc. - all give nice performances.

It's a given that this film would offer little in terms of intellect or depth in the script. Yet the way director J.J. Abrams and his co-writers injected humor and emotions, plus how its action scenes were superbly handled, save "M:I:III" from becoming just another passable popcorn movie which is why I liked it. It is a film intended solely for the purpose of escapism and it achieves that purpose. Although there is a feeling that it could have been more, it easily surpasses the first two "M:I" in an explosively stylish way.