>>REVIEW
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE III
STARRING: Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ving Rhames
DIRECTED BY: J.J. Abrams
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Anyone familiar with J.J. Abrams’s Alias will know that he is the perfect choice to helm this latest "Impossible Mission Force" outing. Alias’s execution of the classic spy game of "get in and get out" has entertained TV viewers week after week, and now Abrams has brought that same sense of intrigue and adventure to the big screen.
Obviously, the element that makes the concept of Mission Impossible so exciting is the mission, so Abrams has made sure the film isn’t lacking in that department. From the walls of Vatican City to the rooftops of Shanghai, Agent Hunt (Cruise) and his team do their fair share of globe-trotting to find their targets. And while the audience is given the requisite amount of explosions, gunfights and skilfully directed chases and stunts, what will truly draw them into the movie are the relationships between the characters.
Abrams has taken this third instalment and truly made it his own, separating his Mission Impossible from the overly complex plot of the first and the over- the-top visual style of the second. He has created, in a sense, a more personal and intimate action film by letting the audience see the characters as real people and not just the super agents they are hired to be. Digging into these "real" emotions for the characters’ motivations makes their actions much more meaningful, because they aren’t just acting out of duty, they are acting out of friendship, loyalty, pain, vengeance and love. Also, on a technical level, Abrams’s constant use of closeups and tight, shaky camera angles gives the audience a truly "right in there" personal connection to the action and the team.
And the team that the filmmakers have assembled for MI:3 is impressive and worthy of the task. Philip Seymour Hoffman is glorious as Owen Davian, a baddie with a matter of fact, I don’t give a crap about your life attitude, while Ving Rhames gives audiences a great mix of comedy and sincerity. The rest of the cast is equally superb, from Laurence Fishburne’s IMF director, right down to the hilarious lab rat played by Simon Pegg of Shaun of the Dead fame.
So, while MI:3 isn’t going to be hailed as the greatest action blockbuster of all time, Abrams has left the franchise with a solid, thoroughly entertaining film that will remind audiences that it’s still possible to have a fun night out at the movies. |
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