Good Action Floats a Weak Story

Cruise delivers a predictably intense performance on action sequences, while Michelle Monaghan endears the crowd to a warm love interest on this 3rd installment of Mission Impossible films. Initially, I liked the opening sequence pulling you right into the action, and creating some tension, but it was soon apparent that the writing or directing would hold this film together. Even and casting of Lawrence Fishburn and Ving Rhames in supporting roles doesn't add anything significant to the collection of clich'd plot turns this money-grabbing film draws you through.

But, really, this is not all that different from most action films of this type. The real problem is that the hopeful fan of good action looks for things to get better: hopes that directors and writers will stop reusing one another's ideas; hopes they will stop reshooting the recognizable car explosions and high wire action for another 200 million dollars in the studio bank accounts. We hope, but this film doesn't help us achieve those hopes.

Yet, the action is good, the explosions do deliver, and the tension and fights are worth seeing? Worth paying $9 per person? Well, I don't think so.

So who should go? Well, action and Cruise fans will find this film a quick jaunt on another reasonable ride of thrills. But even they will be looking for a little more "fresh" twists and effects than just a sideways explosion blowing Cruise into a nearby car, which is what we see in the commercials without paying a dime. Seems kind of lame that it is also the best action in the movie.

What was real disappointing here was that the standard problem of a government agent being in conflict with an inside agent gone bad. And add to that the capture of the love interest to hold it over against the hero. Now come on- why can't we get off those two cliche'd plot moves. It's tiring and we all know how they turn out. How about a good old fashion bad guy who just needs the pulp beat out of him? Oh well... I guess we'll just have to settle for rehash # 17... at least the action is engaging, if not imaginative.

See it if you have nothing else to do. Otherwise, wait for the video on a night at home. One thing parents of teenagers who may want to see this-- the film has no sex scenes or any nudity, and the language is fairly clean. The violence is still there, but not gore-laden and not intense.