Product Details

• Actors: Tom Cruise, Michelle Monaghan, Ving Rhames, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Billy Crudup
• Directors: J.J. Abrams
• Writers: J.J. Abrams, Alex Kurtzman, Bruce Geller, Roberto Orci
• Producers: Arthur Anderson, Bill Borden, Buting Yang
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: French
• Subtitles: English, French
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Paramount
• DVD Release Date: October 30, 2006
• Run Time: 126 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (421 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000HRMAPE
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,593 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Mission: Impossible 3 (Widescreen Edition)" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

At the time of its release, Mission: Impossible III's box office was plagued by the publicity backlash against couch-jumping star Tom Cruise. It's too bad, because this third installment of the spy thriller franchise deserved a better reception than it got. First-time feature director J.J. Abrams (bigwig TV director/producer of Lost, Alias, & Felicity) proves more than able-bodied in creating a Mission: Impossible that's leaner and less over-stylized than John Woo's sequel and less confusing than Brian De Palma's original. Plot is still a throwaway here (Cruise's Ethan Hunt rescues his kidnapped former trainee and works to steal a device that... well, we don't really know what it does, but it's something about mass destruction that costs $850 million), but the action sequences, particularly one where Ethan faces down a helicopter on a bridge and gets flung hard against the side of a car, are particularly impressive since Cruise, at 44, is still doing most of his own stunts and shows no hint of the weathered look that's struck his action-star peers. (Though no Mission: Impossible stunt will ever be quite as simultaneously nail-biting and funny as the first film's wire-dangling break-in of CIA headquarters.)

Mission: Impossible III boasts a pedigreed cast, particularly Oscar® winner Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote) as baddie arms dealer Owen Davian. Hoffman plays Owen all teeth-clenched and cool, especially when threatening to kill Ethan in front of his lovely new wife (Michelle Monaghan) who has no idea of his spy life. But in his first action-film lead role, Hoffman's almost too calm and collected to really make a memorable villain, especially when the rest of the cast--Ving Rhames (the only other cast member to return for all three films), Asian film star Maggie Q, and an underused Jonathan Rhys-Meyers--are a highlight as Ethan's IMF team. Mission: Impossible is still fun popcorn spy fare, and if Cruise chooses to end the franchise here, at least he goes out on a high note. --Ellen A. Kim

Product Description

Tom Cruise returns as Special Agent Ethan Hunt, who faces the mission of his life in "Mission: Impossible III." Director J. J. Abrams ("Lost"," "Alias") brings his unique blend of action and drama to the billion-dollar franchise.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Lived Up To Hype September 17, 2007

By Craig Connell

Format:DVD

I heard nothing but good things about this movie, so I rented it the first day it was available recently.....and I wasn't disappointed. Oh, it does have a bit too much action and a few politically-correct annoyances but neither are much and overall the movie is a lot of fun to watch.

The action scenes are not only interesting; they're spectacular at times. Overall, the photography is slick. It's a good visual movie. Not only the cinematography, but the director did a nice job with many of these shots. The version doesn't have all the gimmicks the first Misssion Impossible film, but it certainly has the best action scenes. The action is improbable as Cruise's "Ethan Hunt" would have to be Superman to perform the stunts and acrobatics he does here. (I would never claim this movie is credible, or even "intelligent" - just escapist fun.)

Just put your brains on hold, and go along for the wild ride.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Utterly unheard of June 14, 2007

By Bill

Format:DVD

Not very often do the studios come up with a 3rd installment of a film that surpasses it's predecessors. I felt that this was one of those rare cases. I was one of the minority who was not blown away by the first MI. I was even more dissappointed by the second MI. The second one was nothing but a "Cruise love-in". God forbid that they shot a single second of footage that didn't include Tom.
With these memories, I avoided this 3rd MI film. Well, today I had the day off and it was on Pay channels. I sat down and was prepared to be underwhelmed. I was pleasantly surprised. The film again relies heavily on Cruise. But, this time the story is greatly improved by the presence of Lawrence Fishburne and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Back again is the tremendous Ving Rhames. All these characters make for a compelling story. There is also the presence of the nifty gadgets and urgency we expect from MI films.
Overall I found the entire film to be much more enjoyable than the previous MI's and would recommend it to anyone.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Mission Impossible III goes more for Noise and Effects than Cunning Intelligence October 30, 2006

By Grady Harp HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

The reason for the success of MI I and MI II, for this viewer, was the sophisticated, scientific devices and plans used to manipulate evil by good. It was always a pleasure to watch the superior minds win. But somehow MI III seems far more interested in pyrotechniques and mass explosions and derring-do than for smart ideas and for that reason it seems less successful - but then that may be the result of watching it on the home television instead of the vast spaces of a theatrical screen.

The story is negligibly the same as usual: impossible villain is superceded finally by Ethan Hunt. The role still fits Tom Cruise well, if a bit repetitious, but the strong point of this third installment is the supporting cast. We have the pleasure of Philip Seymour Hoffman's acting gifts as the arch villain, and the added pleasure of fine actors like Billy Crudup, Ving Rhames, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Laurence Fishburne and the beauty of Michelle Monaghan, Keri Russell, and Maggie Q. And when they are not all covered by fire and broken glass and whirling helicopters and collapsing bridges etc they do make us notice them.

Not a movie for those who prefer intelligent scripts, but for an evening's diversion it is entertaining, Grady Harp, October 06