Where Does The Colon Go?
Posted on | May 8, 2006 at 9:54 pm | 6 Comments
Even though it stars the Master Vole, my friend Bryce and I went to see Mission: Impossible III this weekend. I’m sure to many it’s not saying much, but I did enjoy it more than the first two. I think this was largely due to the involvement of director J.J. Abrams, creator of Alias and co-creator of Lost. Impressive for a first directing gig, although he did have a lot of help from his usual stable of writers and actors. To me, it was more like an extended episode of Alias with a really big budget, so they could actually go on location instead of faking distant destinations, and could afford some decent effects/stunts. And it had Tom Cruise in the Jennifer Garner role. Yeah, the plot twists were fairly predictable. Anyone who has seen an episode of Alias (or 24, for that matter) can see them coming a mile away. Slight spoiler, but c’mon, you already knew this: Why isn’t there a single spy/counter-terrorist unit in the country which does rudimentary continuous security checks on its agents? If I’m not mistaken, this makes the third M:I movie in a row (i.e. all of them) where there’s at least one bad guy who is in or was in the Impossible Mission Force. What is it about signing up for these outfits that makes someone want to betray them?
I was surprised that the movie was projected digitally, which is the first time I had seen such a thing at this theater. It looked really good, though some of the colors looked too bright and artificial to me, especially the yellows and oranges. But again, cinematography-wise, it mostly looked like an episode of Alias on the big screen. Philip Seymour Hoffman was a high point as one of the villains, though he didn’t have enough screen time. Another thing I liked was that there was an actual team in this one, like in the old TV show, and Cruise’s character didn’t do everything himself. I seem to remember that the first two movies were mostly the Ethan Hunt Show. There was also some actual emotional involvement in this one, most of which was telegraphed in the very beginning, and that was a good thing. Hey, and it’s got Denver’s own Keri Russell, aka TV’s Felicity (another Abrams-created show), going all kickass with a gun.
As Sue points out, the box office take on opening weekend was lower than expected for this flick. We went to an early Sunday afternoon showing at a big screen theater in a megaplex, and it was practically empty. I thought this was prime movie going season? It wasn’t like the weather was real conducive to outdoor activities: cloudy and kinda rainy. So where were all the people? Watching their kids’ baseball/soccer/basketball games, I guess (which is what Bryce was doing before and after the movie). I’m assuming this doesn’t bode well for the rest of the summer blockbuster season, though I suspect Poseidon and The DaVinci Code, and perhaps Superman Returns, will do better than this movie. Like everyone else, I’m withholding judgement on X-Men 3, and its success will depend on initial word of mouth. If the omnipresent marketing hype is any indication, things are not looking good. I always worry when a studio hypes a movie too much. Although DaVinci Code has been getting that treatment as well. You can’t turn on a TV these days without seeing a commercial for one or the other.
Latre.
Comments
6 Responses to “Where Does The Colon Go?”
May 9th, 2006 @ 7:11 am
Looks like I spoke too soon about Poseidon.
May 9th, 2006 @ 6:44 pm
I saw a trend starting Wednesday when I saw Abrams getting more press than Cruise. A great drinking game would be chugging a drink every time an Abrams character actor appears or a scene is directly lifted from Alias.
And I have to much respect for classics like Citizen Kane, Casablanca and Poseidon Adventure to see bad remakes.
There has to be a morning after.
May 9th, 2006 @ 9:51 pm
Ha! I’ll have to remember the drinking game if I ever get the DVD. But maybe I’m too old to get that drunk.
Not sure if I’d call Poseidon Adventure a classic, though it was rollicking good fun. Something tells me the remake will be something less than classic. Ah, for the days when Hollywood had an original idea or two…
May 10th, 2006 @ 2:20 pm
My drinking game consists of downloading and repeatedly watching that clip of a young Keri Russell frolicking in a sprinkler.
I’m so “Cruised” out right now, I can’t bring myself to support anything he’s involved in, no matter how good you say it is.
May 10th, 2006 @ 2:43 pm
That anti-Cruise thing is a sentiment I hear a lot these days, and I can sympathize. It probably affected the box office more than anything else.
Yum… sprinkler frolicking…
May 10th, 2006 @ 4:11 pm
Regarding the BO numbers: I’m sure the tidal wave of anti-Cruise (and his miracle baby) sentiment has something to do with it, but wasn’t the movie is trouble from the get-go? I seem to remember some financial/script troubles that required TC to pony up some of his own dough or something.
Ah yes, it’s all coming back to me now…
http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,16926,00.html