Mission: Impossible 3

REVIEW:

After the stylish but divisive second film, Mission: Impossible 3 recalibrates the franchise by delivering a more grounded, emotionally resonant, and tightly woven story that gives us something the previous entries didn’t — a vulnerable Ethan Hunt. Tom Cruise returns not just as a stunt-performing action star, but as a man caught between a normal life and the chaos he’s tried to leave behind. Hunt is no longer the IMF’s top field agent; he’s a mentor, a fiancé, and someone who’s trying desperately to find peace away from espionage. But, of course, peace doesn’t last long in the world of Mission: Impossible.

The film wastes no time in plunging us into tension. Hunt’s student has been captured by a powerful arms dealer, Owen Davian, played with chilling menace by the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman. It’s a rescue mission that quickly spirals out of control and drags Ethan back into the world he tried to escape. What makes this plot hit harder is how personal it is — there’s no doomsday device or global catastrophe to avert. This is about saving people Ethan cares about and outmanoeuvring a villain who always seems one step ahead.

Michelle Monaghan’s character, Julia, brings a new dynamic to Hunt’s life. Their relationship adds depth and raises the stakes in a way the franchise hadn’t explored before. Watching Ethan scramble to keep his personal and professional worlds from colliding creates a unique emotional tension that propels the story. When Julia is kidnapped, it’s no longer just about a mission. It’s survival. It’s love. It’s raw. And suddenly, the “impossible” in Mission: Impossible becomes heartbreakingly real.

Philip Seymour Hoffman is a revelation as Davian. He doesn’t snarl, he doesn’t monologue — he threatens with a terrifying calmness. There’s something genuinely unsettling about how cold and calculated he is. He isn’t flashy; he’s connected, dangerous, and always calculating. That bathroom scene where he gives Ethan a countdown? Goosebumps. He’s arguably the most grounded — and therefore most realistic — villain the franchise has ever had, and his presence elevates the film immensely.

The bridge sequence is a standout moment in the film — intense, chaotic, and expertly crafted. While it might not rank as one of the absolute best set pieces in the series overall, it’s undeniably thrilling and showcases the film’s sharp sense of pacing and tension. Watching Hunt sprint, duck, dodge, and desperately try to prevent Davian from escaping is pure cinematic adrenaline. I found myself gripping the sofa arm during that sequence like I was hanging on for dear life. It’s J.J. Abrams’ direction at its finest — capturing tension, scale, and stakes all at once.

This was Abrams’ first time in the feature film director’s chair, and he proves he was more than ready. The action scenes are crisp, the pacing tight, and there’s a clear sense of character focus that had been somewhat lost in the previous instalment. What’s particularly satisfying are the moments that remind us Hunt isn’t just a man who runs — he thinks. Lip-reading Billy Crudup’s character, mentally solving equations mid-heist in Shanghai — these scenes remind us that Ethan is a tactician, not just an action figure.

The twist in the story is genuinely well-earned, too. Without spoiling it, the betrayal that bubbles to the surface adds a layer of paranoia and suspicion that fits perfectly in the spy world. My only real gripe is the ambiguity surrounding the “Rabbit’s Foot.” I get it — MacGuffins don’t always need definition, but come on! When Ethan literally asks what it is and we still don’t get an answer, it feels like a tease without payoff. And trust me, I’ve searched everywhere — no dice. It’s a small but frustrating oversight in an otherwise carefully plotted film.

So, is Mission: Impossible 3 better than the original? That’s a tough call and probably comes down to what flavour of spy-thriller you prefer. The first movie is more of a cerebral espionage game, while this one wears its heart and fists on its sleeve. Personally, I think this third instalment stands shoulder to shoulder with the first — it has more depth than the second and sets the tone for the action-heavy, emotionally-driven direction the franchise would eventually master. It’s a turning point, a fresh foundation, and a damn good movie in its own right.