Mission: Impossible III (PG-13)

More boisterous and violent action; teens and up.

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About Our Ratings
Common Sense rates it
3
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Pictures
  • Directed By: J.J. Abrams
  • Cast: Tom Cruise, Laurence Fishburne, Philip Seymour Hoffman
  • Running Time: 125 minutes
  • Release Date: 05/05/2006
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 10/31/2006
  • Genre: Action/adventure
  • MPAA Rating: PG-13
  • MPAA Explanation: for intense sequences of frenetic violence and menace, disturbing images and some sensuality.

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie includes frequent, intense scenes of violence, including a few (repeat) shots of a dead character's grisly face, whose loss causes some brief heartache for our hero). Secret agent action includes explosions (including tiny bombs that detonate inside agents' brains), shootouts with automatic weapons, missile fire, car and helicopter chases, falls, crashes, and torture (victims tied to chairs, showing sweaty faces and teary eyes). A couple kisses and then, following a quick hospital chapel wedding, has sex in a supply room (scene cuts away following removal of shirts); girl appears briefly in shower, head and shoulders up. Blood is visible following a few shootings. Ethan's face is repeatedly bruised and scraped. Characters drink wine, champagne, and beer. Villain smokes cigarettes a couple of times.

Families can talk about the tension Ethan feels between his job and his personal life/romance. How does he learn that lying to his wife has various costs, in terms of trust as well as her physical danger? They can also talk about action movies in general, and whether a movie needs violence in order to be thrilling.

Message

Social Behavior:

Ethan rides a motorcycle without a helmet; Ethan lies to his fiancee; villains kidnap Ethan's fiancee, tie her up, and hold guns on her; Ethan and IMF crew operate undercover, so they're lying for a living; villain/mole inside the U.S. government agency.

Consumerism:

7-11 store; Slurpee; Kodak camera; Lamborghini.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Drinking (toast to engagement, champagne, martinis); villain smokes cigarettes; Ethan drinks a drug to become unconscious during ride to hideout.

Violence

Action violence (explosions, fights, gunfire, missiles, two-chopper shootout, car chases, adrenalin shot to the heart, stabbing, throat-cutting, brain zapped by device through nasal passage); action sequences involve lots of shaky handheld camera; Ethan mourns his student's death (crying and holding body); threat of bioweapon ("Toxin 5"); gizmo called "rabbit's foot" (never explained) threatens world decimation; leaps off tall buildings (falling images); Ethan holds villain as if to drop him from a plane; Ethan zapped by weapon, convulses violently; fight in elevator (Ethan slams multiple men into walls); Ethan bites a villain to escape restraints; Ethan runs into people on the street in Shanghai to reach his destination; some slow-motion crashing and shooting; repeated threats to "kill you."

Sex

One agent wears a sexy red formal gown to go "undercover" at a party (shots emphasize men staring at her long legs and visible back/cleavage); Ethan and Julia show affection (kissing, nuzzling) and her siblings discuss the "new family" they'll be starting; Luther and Ethan joke about marriage to each other; sex scene post-marriage in hospital supply closet (brief and suggestive, shirts off, then cut away); Julia in shower (shoulders up), to establish vulnerability before her kidnapping.

Language

A couple uses each of "ass" and "hell," plus "damn," "sonofabitch," "t--s," and four s-words.

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Cynthia Fuchs

In MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise ) faces off repeatedly with Owen Davian (Philip Seymour Hoffman), seemingly over a very expensive ($850 million) world-killing device they call the Rabbit's Foot, but really, over their boy stuff. They are, after all, hero and villain, and they're destined to duke it out for your viewing pleasure. Now married, Ethan has given up field ops to train new IMF agents, but he's called off on an impossible mission by Musgrave (Billy Crudup)> to rescue former student, Lindsey (Keri Russell), who has been kidnapped by the diabolical Davian. Ethan's rushed off to meet with his old partner Luther (Ving Rhames), and the two get help in their series of high-octane action scenes, including a couple of beautiful newbies, Zhen (Maggie Q) and Declan (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), and an aptly twitchy tech, Benji (Simon Pegg).

Is it any good?

3
Mission Impossible IIIis boisterous and violent, a good ride. But for all the fun, it also includes some acknowledgement of costs: emotional, physical, and political. Reconceived by the Cruise-selected writer-director J.J. Abrams, Ethan is here made vulnerable by his love for someone else. That's not to say he's not also the usual Ethan, admirably decisive and troublingly hard-headed.

While the movie tends to privilege Ethan's perspective -- his stunts, his goals, his urgency -- when it cuts to occasional other views, the effect can be jarring. Pursuing his own ends without regard to consequences makes Ethan heroic from one angle, and not a little barmy from another. Ethan's excesses are admirable: he jumps off any building, drives any vehicle, shoots any weapon at any target. But when he risks those close to him, the stakes are different. The scariest possibility in M:I:III is not that Ethan will lose, but that he'll win, and along the way, absorb his pretty little wife into his fearsome orbit.

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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 21 reviews.

3


Posted on 07/14/08 by loucheena Kid contributor, age 12

5


Posted on 12/10/07 by Dman Kid contributor, age 13

Better than the first two, great movie

Age 13+
5


Posted on 09/29/07 by quest13 Adult contributor

Cool for teens and up

Another one you cannot miss better than the first!
5


Posted on 03/24/07 by Comrade12 Kid contributor, age 8

It was SWEET

It was awsome! I enjoyed the action. I watched it with my friend skyler in his dads car. I Reccomend this movie to 11-. My favorite part was when they jumped the vadican wall and had cool disguises. I hope you enjoy this thrilling movie! be thrilled!
Age 13+
3


Posted on 01/28/07 by jonny_nut Adult contributor

Admissibly interesting story

I have to admit I was a little disappointed with this film. As a movie that was supposed to follow in the footsteps of the "Mission Impossible" legacy, I was expecting high stakes, thrilling action and captivating drama. Instead, I was subjected to an admissibly interesting story with a straightforward plot and fairly exciting but not exceptionally great special effects. Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance as the villain Owen Davian was probably the most impressive, but unfortunately not nearly as central to the story as it could have been. I was hoping to see more of Laurence Fishburne as well, but unfortunately his contribution to the plot remained mostly off-screen. The team of Ving Rhames, Jonathon Rhys-Meyers and Maggie Q are great in their supporting roles, but again, their characters seem to be there for the sole purpose of giving a little bit of depth and variety to a one-man show. If you're a big Tom Cruise fan, you'll probably enjoy his portrayal of Ethan Hunt as much as you would any of his other typically average characters, but don't expect an award winning performances like those in the early nineties (Born on the Fourth of July, A Few Good Men, Jerry Maguire). All-in-all, not a complete failure but definitely far from a hit. I give it a 6/10 and recommend it for when there's nothing better to watch.
Age 13+
4


Posted on 12/06/06 by Rachel D Adult contributor

Breath of fresh air

Definitely a step up from number 2, the story line was great and easy to follow. The "tricks" and techie stuff was mostly reused from the first 2, nothing much new in that way. But it is always exhilirating to watch the team get out of those impossible situations! Fun and enjoyable all around.
5


Posted on 12/02/06 by Math-U Kid contributor, age 15

Just Plane Awsome!!!!

Mission Impossible 3 was the best one yet.
Age 13+
4


Posted on 11/27/06 by G3 Adult contributor

BETTER THAN 1&2

3


Posted on 11/23/06 by ski123 Kid contributor, age 14

Lots of Action

Quite violent. Do not let kids under the age of 13 see this movie. There are blood and disturbing images. The plot is interesting and the movie is very entertaining.
5


Posted on 11/06/06 by lulugirl Kid contributor, age 11

See all 21 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 9 reviews.

Age 13+
5


Posted on 09/29/07 by quest13 Adult contributor

Cool for teens and up

Another one you cannot miss better than the first!
Age 13+
3


Posted on 01/28/07 by jonny_nut Adult contributor

Admissibly interesting story

I have to admit I was a little disappointed with this film. As a movie that was supposed to follow in the footsteps of the "Mission Impossible" legacy, I was expecting high stakes, thrilling action and captivating drama. Instead, I was subjected to an admissibly interesting story with a straightforward plot and fairly exciting but not exceptionally great special effects. Philip Seymour Hoffman's performance as the villain Owen Davian was probably the most impressive, but unfortunately not nearly as central to the story as it could have been. I was hoping to see more of Laurence Fishburne as well, but unfortunately his contribution to the plot remained mostly off-screen. The team of Ving Rhames, Jonathon Rhys-Meyers and Maggie Q are great in their supporting roles, but again, their characters seem to be there for the sole purpose of giving a little bit of depth and variety to a one-man show. If you're a big Tom Cruise fan, you'll probably enjoy his portrayal of Ethan Hunt as much as you would any of his other typically average characters, but don't expect an award winning performances like those in the early nineties (Born on the Fourth of July, A Few Good Men, Jerry Maguire). All-in-all, not a complete failure but definitely far from a hit. I give it a 6/10 and recommend it for when there's nothing better to watch.
Age 13+
4


Posted on 12/06/06 by Rachel D Adult contributor

Breath of fresh air

Definitely a step up from number 2, the story line was great and easy to follow. The "tricks" and techie stuff was mostly reused from the first 2, nothing much new in that way. But it is always exhilirating to watch the team get out of those impossible situations! Fun and enjoyable all around.
Age 13+
4


Posted on 11/27/06 by G3 Adult contributor

BETTER THAN 1&2

Age 2+
1

Posted on 11/03/06 by Anonymous Adult contributor

I lost like a MILLION brain cells watching this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mission Impossible is for for two year olds. WE ALL should be watching something MATURE,ADULTLIKE like Barbie Fairytopia The Movie!!!!! Your children or spouse might complain in the beginning,but in the end they will be weeping over what a beautiful movie it is.
Age 13+
5


Posted on 06/30/06 by baconbrother4 Adult contributor

Age 13+
4


Posted on 05/28/06 by sassy007 Adult contributor

Age 13+
4

Posted on 05/26/06 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Age 13+
5


Posted on 05/05/06 by lotr1967 Adult contributor

See all 9 adult reviews>

Kids Reviews

There are 12 reviews.

3


Posted on 07/14/08 by loucheena Kid contributor, age 12

5


Posted on 12/10/07 by Dman Kid contributor, age 13

Better than the first two, great movie

5


Posted on 03/24/07 by Comrade12 Kid contributor, age 8

It was SWEET

It was awsome! I enjoyed the action. I watched it with my friend skyler in his dads car. I Reccomend this movie to 11-. My favorite part was when they jumped the vadican wall and had cool disguises. I hope you enjoy this thrilling movie! be thrilled!
5


Posted on 12/02/06 by Math-U Kid contributor, age 15

Just Plane Awsome!!!!

Mission Impossible 3 was the best one yet.
3


Posted on 11/23/06 by ski123 Kid contributor, age 14

Lots of Action

Quite violent. Do not let kids under the age of 13 see this movie. There are blood and disturbing images. The plot is interesting and the movie is very entertaining.
5


Posted on 11/06/06 by lulugirl Kid contributor, age 11

1


Posted on 11/05/06 by star1515 Kid contributor, age 12

Not for kids !!

kids under 12 should not read this book but if you are 12 ask an adlut to read the book and give you an ok to read this book.
4


Posted on 10/31/06 by that_one_guy726 Kid contributor, age 13

Action-packed!

This movie is tons of fun! But be warned, it was rated PG-13 for a reason. But if you obey the rating you'll be fine, because it's fine for anyone 13 and up! There's lots of violence, some language, and a bit of sexuality.
4


Posted on 06/10/06 by NickTwo Kid contributor, age 8

4


Posted on 05/12/06 by Red Sox Kid contributor, age 12

See all 12 kids reviews >
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