Paramount Pictures, 2006
Watching Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible trilogy seemed like a journey to the life of its main character, Ethan Hunt, and not the missions of the IMF team. Whether it was intentional or not, it was the road taken when its third installment came out last week. It is very obvious that unlike the James Bond franchise where the focus is his mission and his escapades with women, Mission Impossible is about Ethan Hunt.
Brian de Palma's Mission: Impossible is somewhat an introduction to people who are not acquainted with the series (like me!). For fans, it is a recreation of the series that they came to love throughout the years it aired on t.v. Being a fan of the series, Tom made sure that his screen adaptation would be faithful to the series if not surpassed it. However, he received much criticism for his work. Despite that, it became the third highest grossing film of 1996.
In Mission: Impossible, we were introduced to the life of Ethan Hunt and his work. It showed us his work dedication and love of it. It is also all about the gadgets and the thrill of a twisted script. Believe me, I had to watch the film many times just so I could understand the twists and turns of it all. When I thought I'd finally get it by mapping a chart, I'd lose it! It was that crazy! But I still bought it being a solid TC fan back then.
Meanwhile, John Woo's M:I-2 in 2000 is all about the visual stylings of the director and the stunts pulled by Ethan aka Tom. It is very much action-oriented and tried to keep the script uncomplicated but not too simple.
This year, M:I-3 is directed by Alias's J. J. Abrams. It has the stunts and the drama of an Alias episode. It opens with the climax of the film where the Ethan and his wife, Julia (Michelle Mongahan), were held captive by the antagonist, Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Ethan was torn into giving to what Owen wants and into saving Julia. Then, the story bring us back to how it all started.
Ethan is into semi-retirement. He wants to live a simple life with his future wife. However, when his trainee/friend (Keri Russell) was captured by Owen's team, he joined the IMF team to save her. However, saving her turned out to be the simplest of their problems. Behind the kidnapping was a big conspiracy in the agency that would threaten his life and the lives of people around him. You guessed it right, ala Alias!
As I've written earlier, M:I-3 is mostly about the personal drama in the Ethan's life. There were less stunts and action scenes compared to the second part and the story was not as twisted as the first. With this one, it showed the hazards of being an IMF agent in the team's personal lives - either you should not have any or prepare to put your love ones' lives in danger. There were lots of emotional dramatic scenes that deal mostly with love and death.
Despite being emo, this film still manage to put together the bests of the first two parts - story and action. The stunts were not over-the-top and the story is not that complicated to follow. What's best is that we are taken inside the IMF's office and gets to meet their badass boss (Laurence Fishburne)! With him as your boss, you'd never try to go astray with his wishes!
As a (spy) film, its greatest achievement is the ensemble cast. Even if this one is majorly an action flick, there was great acting in it. The cast managed to solidify together like peanut butter to a jelly. Philip Seymour Hoffman is always effective whenever he is in character. He is so bad that in face of pending death, you'd never see him blink an eye! Laurence Fishburne, as you superior, will have your knees shake the moment he opens his mouth! Billy Crudup, as Ethan's direct superior, is as subtle as he should be as the boss with a huge baggage on his back. Maggie Q as Agent Zhen, Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Agent Declan, and Ving Rhames as Agent Luther Strickell together with Ethan make a super spy team. The combination of the four is strickingly good! To add to the team is computer-expert Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead) who somehow adds light moments to the film. However, I'd wish, though, that were more Keri Russell's scenes. Her character, Agent Lindsey Farris, adds more substance to Ethan's character than his wife, Julia. Who would have thought that the fragile girl we knew in Felicity could do well as a kickass agent?
As for Tom Cruise, he is still the same ole Tom. But this time, he has depth and maturity in his acting. The pa-pogis he did in M:I-2 is nowhere to be found in this one. With his instensity as he tears slowly fall on his face, you'd forget that he is the same guy who made crazy antics the year before.
M:I-3 has parts for every movie fan - action, drama, suspense, and romance. For the testosterone-packed fans, there are amazing stunts and the stunningly beautiful Maggie! She is better than any of the Angels combined! For the estrogen-filled circle, there's the romance between Ethan and Julia and of course, hotties in the presence of Tom and Jonathan!
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