Review by Dennis D. McDonald

OK, let me put my cards on the table:

1. Sometimes I like big, dumb action movies.
2. I like Tom Cruise (War of the Worlds, Collateral).
3. I don’t watch Oprah.

That said, I enjoyed Mission Impossible III a great deal. I’d put it right up there with other big, dumb action movies I actually enjoy, films like Independence Day and Armageddon. Yes, Mission is that dumb and its action sequences are that spectacular.

My favorite sequence was the Bay Bridge attack. I’ve driven that bridge often enough to remember wondering to myself, “What would happen if we were simultaneously attacked by a remotely controlled missile equipped jet drone and a Black Helicopter with a black-clad commando team?” My second favorite was the Vatican Kidnapping of the Chief Bad Guy played by Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Now, there’s a movie bad guy. I’d place him right up there with Auric Goldfinger. No kidding, he’s that creepily evil.

Yeah, Shanghai is fun, too, and so is Berlin. But the memorable scene for me is watching Tom Cruise run. I mean, this guy is in superb shape and can really run — watch his race against time down the side streets of old Shanghai (I’m assuming those scenes are real and that his ramrod straight race against time is not digitally enhanced.)

We shall now resume our reviews of more serious films.

Review copyright (c) 2006 by Dennis D. McDonald