MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 3 (4K UHD)

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 3 (4K UHD) REVIEWED

“Mission Impossible 3” has the best opening of any J.J. Abrams or Mission Impossible movie. Arriving in theaters as a response to the Bush era and the rise of Jason Bourne, Abrams brings Ethan Hunt into the world of real stakes. Philip Seymour Hoffman remains the greatest villain in the series, as he’s a true threat. He plays with the IMF and understands how the world works. He wants the means to target Middle East buyers and help sell the means as a way to benefit the greater good. That good being whomever can pay him.

Agents die, new ones get introduced and Ethan Hunt has to face mortality more than once. Michelle Monaghan brings an interesting dynamic to Ethan Hunt’s world, but never really gets developed. However, this is the start of the real modern IMF team. Moving beyond reliance on Ving Rhames allows Cruise to open the world to more talent. I love the acknowledgment that Hunt can’t do everything. I also feel that this movie also began the over-reliance on government shenanigans.

It’s a neat sub plot, but it becomes a full blown story crutch by the fifth film. Still, isn’t Hoffman just the biggest badass throughout this movie? So many actors don’t understand how presence can overcome physical power. A character isn’t defined by what they can do, but by what they will do. The transfer is stunning and sports less of the flat blacks on the first two discs. However, the audio track blows out the LFE and makes the action feel truer to form. Check out the scene with Hoffman dangling in the cargo hold. Great stuff all around.

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Commentary
• Featurettes

A/V STATS

• 2.35:1 2160p transfer
• Dolby TrueHD 5.1

RELEASE DATE: 6/26/18