Mission: Impossible 3

Nur eine Actionszene ist wirklich super (außerdem kennt man sie schon aus dem Trailer) und dem Film fehlt der High-Tech-Charakter, der so typisch für die vorigen Teile war. Diese Handicaps werden aber durch das hervorragende Gleichgewicht der Authentizität (!) und der humorvollen Leichtigkeit verdeckt. Die dynamische Story, in der ständig etwas Wichtiges passiert, wird durch Dringlichkeit und Emotionen angetrieben. Ethans Beziehung mit seiner Ehefrau funktioniert toll und wenn ihr Leben auf dem Spiel steht, geht es um mehr als um die Rettung der Welt. Je weniger man den Schuft Philip Seymour Hoffman sieht, desto wirkungsvoller sind die Szenen, in denen er auftaucht. Ein Teil, der anders ist, aber gut funktioniert. Ein Popcorn-Film, der so ähnlich wie Die Bourne Identität auch für einen Intellektuellen OK ist. Am meisten habe ich mich über die halsbrecherischen Aufnahmen gefreut, die auf dem Gesicht von Cruise starten und dann kontinuierlich seine akrobatischen Stücke verfolgen (der Sprung vom Wolkenkratzer, der Lauf über die chinesischen Dächer). Ein würdiger Ersatz der eye-candy Action von De Palma und Woo aus den vorigen Teilen. (02.05.2006)

The intricate espionage games like in De Palma's first film take a back seat, Abrams presents a pure action spectacle, during which you can calmly sit through an unintentionally self-parodic resuscitation scene and the fact that Hunt's emotional relationship with his wife is brought to life through some really toe-curling dialogues, and I, as an ordinary viewer, will hardly care if they are just a mockery of a genre cliché (which I may or may not believe). Leaving aside the recent and brilliant The Bourne Supremacy, the last time I enjoyed a similar ride on the big screen was perhaps twelve years ago with de Bont's Speed. The impressive opening, which introduces Seymour Hoffman as a truly amazing, uncompromising bad guy, is followed by a slowed-down breath to a big continuous action whirlwind that, with a few cool plot twists and very little respite, only ends with the onset of the closing credits. I really enjoyed myself. PS: Cruise seems to be a capable producer and lately a better and better actor, but here again he chose a weaker moment with his sometimes theatrical speech. (24.05.2006)

Uncompromisingly unrelenting from the first seconds, larger-than-life in the action moments with thrilling special effects, and always eases up at the right moment. This is a thriller that is unparalleled in the spy subgenre in recent years (except for the Bourne films, which are in a completely different league). Abrams's direction is like a Swiss watch. It doesn't get stuck even in the more intimate scenes of the engaged secret agent (the return home after a failed operation is one of the most moving parts of the film) and thanks to the brilliant casting, it doesn't slip into theatricality even at its weakest moments. Oscar-winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman is a cold-blooded asshole like no other, Ving Rhames sprinkles dry catchphrases, Michelle Monaghan plays more than just a "damsel in distress," and even Tom Cruise is watchable, though he strikes his usual pose here as well. Even so, Mission: Impossible III is the best possible film for a single watch that can see the light of day from the waters of the standard Hollywood mainstream. (02.10.2006)

Ich weiß nicht, warum ich Ethan Hunt nicht mag... Ich bin mir sicher, dass es nicht am Hauptdarsteller liegt, denn ich denke, dass Tom Cruise endlich ein produktives Alter erreicht hat und eine großartige Rolle nach der anderen abliefert. Aber Scout Hunt ist mir einfach zuwider. Er ist ein großartiger Partner, Liebhaber und ein echter Vorzeigeläufer mit einer vorbildlichen Körperbeherrschung und Handhaltung. Es lässt einen aufseufzen: "Sieh dir an, wie Ethan rennt..." Aber das ist nicht das Schlimmste an M:I:III, das Schlimmste an diesem Film sind die Nicht-Action-Sequenzen. Familiensequenzen. J. J. Abrams beweist leider, dass seine Domäne Seifenopern sind, und ich sage ohne Übertreibung, dass sein seichtes und dummes Konzept von zwischenmenschlichen Beziehungen mich im Kino erwachsen werden ließ. Und Tom Cruises Schauspielerei erinnerte mich an seine schlechteren Tage. Das ist schade, denn der Versuch, Hunt, den Dummy, menschlich zu machen, ist ein guter Weg, aber meiner Meinung nach ist es gelungen, ihn zu einer ganz anderen Art von Dummy zu machen. Zum Glück gibt es noch Action, und damit kann Abrams punkten. M:I:III ist ein Actionfilm der alten Schule, mit Explosionen, wilden Schießereien und minimalen Hightech-Regie-Lösungen. Ein konservativer, aber gut gedrehter Actioner, der mit einer stilvollen Infiltration des Vatikans seinen Abschluss findet - hier zeigt der Regisseur seine TV-Clip-Schule in voller Stärke, und man kann nicht anders als zu sagen: Es ist schön anzusehen und es verdammt viel Spannung. Ein weiterer Pluspunkt ist Philip Seymour Hoffmans brillanter und kaltblütiger Bösewicht... Diese Art von abstoßender und perverser Art macht den Film wirklich süß und erzeugt eine starke Spannung. Diese Spannung funktioniert, auch wenn ich die Beziehung zwischen Ethan und seiner Auserwählten, Jules, ein bisschen nervig fand. Aber das Duell zwischen dem erfinderischen Agenten und dem schleimigen Dealer ist so spannend und die Action so adrenalingeladen, dass die Schlusssequenz, die alle schlimmsten Klischees enthält, einschließlich der lächerlichen Zeitlupe, den Eindruck eines perfekt gelungenen Actionfilms einfach nicht trüben kann. Es ist jedoch ganz offensichtlich, dass die Filmemacher aus Hunt einen großen Charakter schaffen wollten, was ihnen nicht gelungen ist. Er ist nur ein malerisches Kind aus dem amerikanischen Lehrbuch in einer verdammt explosiven Welt. Es hätte besser sein können, doch der dritte Teil ist wahrscheinlich der beste der Serie... Stärkere ***. (06.05.2006)

Hunt's most balanced escapade. Innovator Abrams managed to revive a somewhat exhausted series into a position of a strong blockbuster player, and thanks to fast editing, well-developed characters, and a close portrayal of Ethan's character, he achieved a nearly historic success. Despite his specific approach, he never lets us forget which action hero we are watching, taking the best from the cleverly targeted mood of the first installment and the action-packed sequel. This time, I found myself holding my breath for the central adventurer, rooting for him intensely, and shivering during all the action sequences. Until the period when McQuarrie took the series under his wing (forever?), I actually liked the third installment the most among the entire M:I franchise. As the years go by, it loses some of its uniqueness and irreproducibility, but fortunately, not the entertainment value, tangible drive of the story, likable attempts to deviate from genre conventions, and last but not least, the atypical (and cunningly) villain. (31.07.2006)

There is one positive thing I have to admit about this film. Out of the three sequels about the indestructible agent, it is the best one, but I have a problem with the whole series, just as I have a problem with the majority of action movies. It is simply an unrealistic fairy tale, where you need to turn off your brain and not think about the numerous holes in the logic. Unlike the series of James Bond films, it lacks style and humorous exaggeration. The third part is the most mature in terms of filmmaking, but paradoxically it lacks a truly worthy opponent compared to the previous two films. Philip Seymour Hoffman is a great actor, but he doesn't get enough space and the script doesn't demonize him enough, and if it weren't for the betrayal, he would play a rather embarrassing role as a quickly defeated opponent. If someone is to stand up to such a brilliant invincible agent like Ethan Hunt and the American Secret Service equipped with hi-tech technology, it must be truly a devil in human form, who aims at least, but I emphasize at least, to take over the world... Overall impression: 45%. (14.04.2009)

It’s been a long time since I came across such an exciting and unpredictable action thriller (I really didn’t expect to see Pavel Sobotka appearing in it :). Some things were predictable, but Abrams distracts from them more than perfectly and keeps you in constant suspense. It's also nice to humanize, and show the imperfections of Ethan Hunt, who is still as cool as before, but he's unlucky and not everything works out (running out of ammo at key moments are prime examples). Another great change is the team. Finally, we get to see all the team members in action and not just Hunt. This time he relies on them and fully cooperates with them, which is quite different from the previous parts. In addition, Hoffman is a fantastic villain, completely uncompromising and, most of all, believable. Cruise is more or less in good form, as is the rest of the cast. The best installment in the Mission: Impossible series to date (and quite possibly the last). (22.09.2006)

Hands-down the biggest and best action hit of the year, impressive in its forcefulness, continuous adrenaline action, and solid performances. J.J. Abrams raises reality and the laws of physics much higher than Brian De Palma or even John Woo did. Ethan Hunt is completely different for the third time, and this image is damn good. It’s nonsense to compare it to the previous installment, as they are two completely different pieces, technically, aesthetically, stylistically, and in terms of the action itself. It is unusually fierce for an action blockbuster, with a solid dose of realism. In addition, Abrams utterly rules the audience with some set-pieces and fast but incredibly clever plot twists, detailed studies of various tricks (like creating a facial mask), and gimmicks. That is one thing this series was missing. Tom Cruise is a capable actor and his physical condition is unbelievable (see the almost minute-long uncut shot of his sprint in treacherous alleyways), and that's exactly how a special agent should look. And just when it seems like there could be some wear and tear, a cool line and a healthy touch humour come into play. Philip Seymour Hoffman is so arrogant and brutal as the villain that he’s a joy to watch. One of the highlights of this year. (05.10.2006)

A spectacular and thrilling ride that uses a very simple plot to continuously present stylish and very realistic action, just as we would always like to see under the MI brand – the ground-to-air shootout on the bridge, in particular, is one of the best ever in cinema. The ending may be surprising only by how unsurprising it is, but otherwise just about everything works for Abrams, from the aforementioned riveting action to the repulsive bad guys (Hoffman) to the genre soundtrack (was it me, or was one Shanghai theme really that reminiscent of Silvestri’s Predator?) to the all-important element of Ethan's deep relationship with his life-threatened wife, which finally put a more personal and tangible danger on the agenda than just "destroying the world". An honestly supercharged hit that cleverly raises established genre benchmarks to a higher, albeit exclusively visual, experiential level. 80% (28.11.2015)

It was only when I got to this film that I actually realized I had never seen it before. One, two, and four, yes, but the third one somehow cleverly evaded me. I was quite curious, even though watching "M:I 3" at a time when one is nicely chronologically going through all the Bond films is not the best solution. Not that "M:I 3" doesn't have anything to offer, but one has the feeling that it's a bit of the same. However, it is true that J.J. Abrams gave this series a boost again and it's not bad compared to the Bond films. Mainly because the Bond films are often quite exhausted. Abrams added emotions to the film and it really works. Philip Seymour Hoffman once again showed how he was born for acting. (07.03.2014)