Mission: Impossible III
Director: J.J. Abrams
Year Released: 2006
Rating: 2.5
It's good to know that at least the third Mission: Impossible is better than the loathsome Part II, with John Woo trying to turn Ethan Hunt into (yet another) James Bond - here, TV director Abrams focuses on making Tom Cruise an emotional wreck. No, the movie isn't always that intelligent (the kidnap-the-wife thing is so gauche) and it expectedly goes too far with its red herrings and "gotcha!" moments and kaboom-ing, but it is a Summer Popcorn Movie - a genre in itself - and exists to entertain. For the most part, I was suitably entertained, which is all I can ask for from an action movie nowadays - Tom Cruise, despite his newfound lunacy off-screen (and extremely harmful words about psychiatry and psychiatric drugs), is still a dominant force on-screen.
