J.J. Abrams Completes His Mission

Posted on May 9, 2006

Mission Impossible III opened this past weekend with a U.S. take of $48.025 million and a European take of over $70 million, which is a great deal of money. But all the headlines are blaring about what a "disappointment" the box office take was, because it opened in the U.S. about $10 million less than MI:2 did.

The New York Times says the film "opened to weak numbers at the domestic box office despite a barrage of public appearances by Mr. Cruise to promote the film."

Of course, what's missing in all these self-absorbed, gleefully vitriolic analyses is the most important point of all: so, how was the movie, anyway? Well, it was great. J.J. Abrams did a fantastic job with the film. He took this mysterious guy, Ethan Hunt, and made him human. He gave him a fiance, a cover job studying traffic patterns at the Department of Transportation, and IMF offices that look a lot like the offices of SD-6 on Alias. And that's not the only Alias infusion: the comraderie between the agents, the conflict between the personal and professional lives of the agents and the marvelous villain portrayed by Phillip Seymour Hoffman. These elements jumpstarted this franchise. The action never let up, but this time we cared about the characters.

When we heard that Felicity herself, Keri Russell, was slated for a role we were less than enthusiastic. But we have to admit, she did a great job with the role. J.J. Abrams accomplished his mission: this was the best Mission: Impossible ever. Now, if we could just get Tom Cruise to take a vow of silence when he's not actually making a film.....

Here's the trailer:

More from Watchers Watch