Summer Movie Mayhem 2006, Week 1

The summer movie season kicked off this last weekend with a big, big bang.  Not unlike the start of the universe, it was an explosive onset to an already action-packed Cinco de Mayo weekend with the inclusion of the Tom Cruise action flick, Mission: Impossible 3.  Being that this film itself had an impressive actor in the role of villain this time in Philip Seymour Hoffman and a very capable director in JJ Abrams, anticipation of blowing away both the Brian De Palma version and the John Woo version was quite high. Well, at least it was in my book.

Was it a success?  Well, on many levels, yes it was.  On some levels, I think JJ could definitely do better but still hit one out of the park on his first at-bat.  

We'll start off with the plot itself.  Not necessarily a rehash, but perhaps a more mundane build-up of events than one is accustomed to in most M:I flicks.  We start off with a gratuitous friend of JJ cameo with Greg Grunberg at a seemingly run of the mill engagement party.  Of course, Agent Hunt's fiancee has no idea what he does and no sooner is the party in full swing is he whisked away on a mission returning him to the field.  This, of course, sends him away on several culminating adventures destined to bring him in direct conflict with Mr. Hoffman's villainous Owen Davian and also put the lives of his friends and his fiancee in jeapordy.  Tensely shot and tightly directed, the sequences are quite imaginative in their staging.  Mr. Abrams doesn't pull any punches with Ethan Hunt's predicament and while Tom Cruise's public persona has been critically assaulted as of late, it's hard not to root for his character to make it through each harrowing escapade unscathed.  Unscathed, however, is hard to come by in this film.

Granted, more often than not, the best action films are ones in which the hero is less than perfect.  You don't usually connect with a film in which you believe the lead to be flawless and untouchable and there's no way that would fly in this film.  You're automatically aware that there are consequences, people do make mistakes, and every plan is bound to have errors.  I honestly don't think there is any mainstream action film in which Mr. Cruise has starred in where he's been more tortured, more harassed, and more vulnerable than he is in this film.  On the one hand, this is a welcome change, on the other hand, the film's sequences do get a little comical when he breaks into his trademark run.   Supporting him is a regular cast of characters anchored by the only other actor to be in all three films, Ving Rhames.  The supporting performances are serviceable, with Simon Pegg being a sentimental favorite in a Marshall Flinkman-like role of Reggie, the computer technician.  There are a few twists with each character, and one plot thread I felt was left dangling, but no performance was as good as Mr. Hoffman as the crooked arms dealer.  

Understated, yet menacing, you get the sense that he always feels in control of any situation, moreso than the IMF agents pursuing him.  No sooner do they capture him does one start fearing for the safety of his captors.  Perhaps this is what ultimately does him in, but whenever he's on screen, or delivering a pitch-perfect monologue, one is glued to their seat.  I have to give him credit for going from a fully dramatic role into a film of epic popcorn proportions, but he never plays it too big.  Perhaps this is JJ's real touch on the film (besides some Alias type technology): a villain that really compels you.  More of this credit could go towards the performance of the actor himself, but why not give the director some kudos as well.

Really, I guess that's what this review is about.  The filmic debut of television wunderkind and Los Angeles native, Mr. JJ Abrams.  To go from the early twenties college drama that was Felicity, to the improbable cult classic (at least the first 3 seasons) of Alias, would one have expected a competent full-fledged summer feature?  Truthfully, unless someone told me Chris Carter was coming back to direct the X-files 2, I wouldn't have believed it myself, but I was sorely impressed with the steady hand Mr. Abrams showed in each action sequence.  The unique balance between solid action, high-grade thriller sequences, and over-the-top (yet halfway believable) spy technology is handled beautifully.  Some would expect it to be a rehash of his former work and although there are some shades of familiarity, it is never overwhelming.  I really do love the touch that he added to the franchise, and definitely look forward to more from him in the future.

Great way to start the Summer.  

Overall Score: 4 out of 5 stars