Mission Impossible III

Director: J.J. Abrams

Overview

The third entry in Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible film series involves super Impossible Mission Forces (IMF) agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) being forced back into the field just when he was planning on marrying his girlfriend, Julia (Michelle Monaghan). The agency asks Hunt to save an operative (Keri Russell) he trained after weapons dealer Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman) kidnaps her. With the help of his field team -- played by Ving Rhames, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, and Maggie Q -- Hunt achieves his goal, but becomes involved in a web of double-crosses that leave him wondering if he can trust his superiors (Billy Crudup and Laurence Fishburne). Eventually Davian threatens Julia's life in order to get away with his evil plan. Simon Pegg appears as an IMF tech expert.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/30/2006
UPC:	0097363398745
Original Release:	2006
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Paramount
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound]
Time:	2:05:00
Sales rank:	2,152

Special Features

Closed Caption; Commentary by Tom Cruise and director J.J. Abrams; Excellence In film; The making of the mission; Deleted scenes

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Tom Cruise	Ethan Hunt
Philip Seymour Hoffman	Owen Davian
Ving Rhames	Luther Strickell
Billy Crudup	Musgrave
Michelle Monaghan	Julia
Jonathan Rhys Meyers	Declan
Keri Russell	Lindsey Farris
Maggie Q	Zhen
Laurence Fishburne	Theodore Brassel
Simon Pegg	Benji
Eddie Marsan	Brownway
Bahar Soomekh	Davian's translator
Jeff Chase	Davian's bodyguard
Michael Berry	Julia's Kidnapper
Carla Gallo	Beth
Bellamy Young	Rachael
Paul Keeley	Ken
Jane Daly	Julia's mother
Greg Grunberg	Kevin
Sabra Williams	Annie
Rose Rollins	Ellie
Sasha Alexander	Melissa
Tracy Middendorf	Ashley
Aaron Paul	Rick
Kathryn Fiore	Party goer
Colleen Crozier	Party goer
Sean O'Bryan	Party goer
Bruce French	Minister
Ellen Bry	Lindsey's mother
Patrick Pankhurst	Lindsey's father
Tony Guma	Jim
James Shanklin	Hospital chaplain
Anne Betancourt	Nurse Sally
Antonietta De Lorenzo	Roadblock driver
Andrea Sartirettum	Roadblock driver
Antonio Del Prete	Vatican video room guard
Paolo Bonacelli	Monsignore
David Waters	IMF officer
Michael Kehoe	Hosptial employee
Tim Omundson	IMF agent
William Francis McGuire	IMF head of security
Michelle Arthur	Airline worker
Barney Cheng	Janitor
Tim Simonec	Conductor

Technical Credits

J.J. Abrams	Director,Screenwriter
Renato Agostini	Special Effects Supervisor
Colin Anderson	Camera Operator
Arthur Anderson	Co-producer
Colleen Atwood	Costumes/Costume Designer
Yu Baiyang	Art Director
Roy Barnes	Set Decoration/Design
Dennis Bradford	Art Director
Danny Bramson	Musical Direction/Supervision
Maryann Brandon	Editor
Michele Burke	Makeup
Barney Burman	Makeup Special Effects
Yang Buting	Executive Producer
Inti Carboni	Asst. Director
Giacomo Carducci	Art Director
Phillipe Carr-Foster	Camera Operator
J. Andre Chaintrevil	Set Decoration/Design
Scott A. Chambliss	Production Designer
Tom Cruise	Producer
Kevin de la Noy	Co-producer
Shi Dong-Ming	Co-producer
Timothy M. Earls	Set Decoration/Design
Proteus Makeup FX	Makeup Special Effects
Michael Giacchino	Score Composer
Tommy Gormley	Asst. Director
Wang Guichun	Associate Producer
Steve Harding	Production Manager
Sean Haworth	Art Director
Kevin Kavanaugh	Art Director
Gary Kosko	Art Director
Alex Kurtzman	Screenwriter
Bruce Law	Special Effects Supervisor
Stratton Leopold	Executive Producer
Sylvia Liu	Asst. Director
Mark Lucero	Set Decoration/Design
Mary Jo Markey	Editor
Dan Mindel	Cinematographer
Moe Chamberlain	Sound Mixer
Roberto Orci	Screenwriter
Stefano M. Ortolani	Art Director
Alan Rankin	Sound/Sound Designer
Andrew Reeder	Set Decoration/Design
Brad Ricker	Art Director
Han Sanping	Executive Producer
David Sardi	Asst. Director
Lalo Schifrin	Score Composer
Domenic Silvestri	Art Director
Luigi Spoletini	Asst. Director
Jiang Tao	Co-producer
Eugenio Ulissi	Art Director
Stella Vaccaro	Set Decoration/Design
Paula Wagner	Producer
April Webster	Casting
Noah Weinzweig	Camera Operator
Jeff Wexler	Sound Mixer
Joerg Widmer	Cinematographer
Sun Yingrui	Production Manager
Scott Zuber	Set Decoration/Design

Scene Index

Disc #1 -- Mission: Impossible III
1. Count to Ten [:21]
2. Engagement Party [3:09]
3. Agent Lindsey Farris [:31]
4. Chopper Chase [4:19]
5. Intelligence [1:42]
6. Trust and Understanding [:56]
7. The Vatican [1:11]
8. Finding Davian [:45]
9. Indentity Theft [3:14]
10. Dangerous Cargo [5:04]
11. Bridge Attack [5:13]
12. The Tables Turn [5:26]
13. Shanghai [:57]
14. Skyscraper [2:30]
15. Night Flight [4:02]
16. It's Complicated [:54]
17. Mobile Navigator [2:32]
18. Point and Shoot [2:56]
19. Mission: Honeymoon [1:02]

Menu

Disc #1 -- Mission: Impossible III
   Launch Mission
   Set Up
      Audio Options
         English 5.1 Surround
         Français
         Commentary by Tom Cruise and Director J.J. Abrams
      Subtitle Options
         English
         Español
         None
   Special Features
      Commentary by Tom Cruise and Director J.J. Abrams
      The Making of the Mission
      Deleted Scenes
         Ethan Fight at Top of Stairs
         Zhen Fight In Computer Room
         Musgrave Cemetery Conversation
         Lindsey Graduates
         Vatican Entry Extended
         Play All
      Excellence In Film
         Play
      Previews
   Scene Selection

Editorial Reviews

Though not lacking in action -- indeed, this installment boasts some of the series’ most elaborate set pieces -- Mission: Impossible III emphasizes characterization more than its predecessors did, raising the film far above the level of the typical “popcorn movie.” As the story begins, Impossible Mission Force agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has retired from field work and begun training younger operatives. When one of them, Lindsey Farris (Keri Russell), is captured while on assignment, Ethan is unable to rescue her but manages to snare brilliant, remorseless arms dealer Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman). This is just the prelude: Upon escaping from custody, the revenge-seeking Davian embarks on his biggest caper yet and kidnaps Ethan’s fiancée, Julia (Michelle Monaghan), knowing full well that Hunt will follow and, eventually, walk into his trap. In the skillful hands of Hoffman, for our money one of the best actors working in films today, the villain becomes far more believable -- and therefore more frightening -- than run-of-the-mill, two-dimensional, action-movie bad guys. The scenes in which he confronts Cruise’s character are unusually chilling, and the viewer has no trouble believing him supremely capable of making good on his blood-curdling threats. Having an actor of Hoffman’s caliber opposite him spurs Cruise to new flights of histrionic fancy, and his performance is markedly better than it was in the second installment. Director J. J. Abrams (Lost) gives his two stars plenty of elbow room, figuratively speaking, without losing sight of what this franchise needs to deliver: high-tech gadgetry, supercharged chase sequences, and physically demanding feats of derring-do. Ving Rhames is back as transportation specialist Luther Stickell, and series newcomers Jonathan Rhys-Meyer and Maggie Q make small but significant contributions as recent additions to the IMF team. Faster, smarter, and more emotionally engaging than most of today’s action thrillers, M:I III ups the ante considerably for future films in this popular genre.

Barnes & Noble - Ed Hulse

There is a thin line between a big dumb action film and a big ridiculous action film. The first assumes the audience will turn out no matter what the filmmakers do, while the second is made by people who enjoy the outrageous over-the-top stunts just as much as the audience. Mission: Impossible III is a big ridiculous action film. The action sequences for the most part do not inspire awe with breathtaking effects, but they do provide giggles because of how the complications pile up -- the big set pieces are well-written. The gadgetry and the pacing will remind viewers of the best of the Bond films, and the supporting cast often provides welcome surprises. Philip Seymour Hoffman is riveting as the bad guy, and fans of the actor will enjoy the moment when he gets to play Tom Cruise playing his character -- a sentence that will make more sense to those familiar with the Mission: Impossible series. First-time feature director J.J. Abrams strikes a fine balance between character and action, allowing supporting players to register without ever letting it feel like anyone other than Tom Cruise is the center of the film. That may be a stumbling block for those who have grown tired of Cruise, but anyone else should feel satisfied with this solid, enjoyable effort.

All Movie Guide - Perry Seibert

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