ROTTEN TOMATOES: Cruise and Abrams Embark on Fourth Mission: Impossible Comments

Cruise and Abrams Embark on Fourth Mission: Impossible

by | June 18, 2009

Summary

Confirming earlier rumors, J.J. Abrams and Tom Cruise have announced plans to collaborate -- at least in a production capacity -- on a fourth "Mission: Impossible" film. Back to Article

(1-20 of 31 posts) | Reply

Sulaco2k writes:
on Jun 18 2009 04:31 AM

Good, MI3 was far superior to the first and especially second films. Abrams brought his usual brand of kinetic energy from beginning to end and Cruise is great in the Hunt role. Shame it didn't make as much at the B.O.

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Chris C. writes:
on Jun 18 2009 05:10 AM

Sounds good to me. I liked all of the MI movies...2 was ok...1 and 3 were good. As weird as Cruise is in real life he's always entertaining on screen and that's all I really care about. J.J. Abrams is doing just fine in my book as well after MI:3, Lost and Star Trek.

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Boxman writes:
on Jun 18 2009 05:35 AM

Mission impossible 3 was the best of the three. The 2nd was ok and the first one i didn't like that much. So its good to here their gonna do part four together again.

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DarthRage writes:
on Jun 18 2009 05:50 AM

JJ needs to concentrate on the next Star Trek. And Cruise needs to make a Les Grossman movie.

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Rob M. writes:
on Jun 18 2009 06:06 AM

@ Chris C.
I totally agree, Cruise gets so much crap for his personal life, but the guy can flat out entertain and I really do enjoy most of his movies. MI3 was awesome, I'm not big on going out and purchasing DVDs/Blue Rays, so the 20 or so that I do have are obviously some of my favorite movies and I made it a point to buy MI3 when it came out on DVD a few years back or whenever it was.

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crystalwhiteeyes writes:
on Jun 18 2009 06:26 AM

In reply to this comment (#2514030)
I second that one!

Looks like I need to see MI3 then. I mean if there still going to do another Bond, and another Bourne movie, why not another Hunt film too?

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Cole_Cash writes:
on Jun 18 2009 07:02 AM

Tom Cruise has had more than his fair share of media crap slung at him over the last couple years. Why do people care about his personal life so much? I don't care about his or any other organized religion. I don't care that he "jumped the couch". What I do care about is that this guy has starred in some great films:

Risky Business, The Color of Money, Top Gun, Rain Man, A Few Good Men, Jerry Maguire, Eyes Wide Shut, Magnolia, Vanilla Sky, Minority Report, Collateral, Mission Impossible(s), and Tropic Thunder.

I have yet to see Tom Cruise in a film where I thought his acting was terrible. I wish I could say the same for: Will Smith, Keanu Reeves, John Travolta, Nicholas Cage and Eric Bana.

Note: Eric Bana has to be one of the worst actors I've ever seen. I've hated him in EVERY role I've ever seen him in.

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martinscorsese25 writes:
on Jun 18 2009 07:56 AM

wow! Cruise might really loved working with JJ. will JJ be just a producer, or will he be a director too? if so, then JJ is the only director to return after directing one. HA!

if he does this first, which i think JJ will, then the next STAR TREK will be in 4-6 years. i feel JJ has that Chris Nolan kind if mind of wanting to skip his "baby" films(a quote from Michael Bay) LOL...

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Astro C. writes:
on Jun 18 2009 08:04 AM

Yeah, Cruise should play the MI:4 team leader to a bunch of new, young actors in starring roles, including Zack Quinto as his son.

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rle4lunch writes:
on Jun 18 2009 08:56 AM

@ Astro. Get the fu.ck outta here with that talk. Why does a franchise always have to bring in new people to take over for their roles? It's lazy story telling at its best. Cruise can still act and do stunt work, and still come off believable in the character as an actioner. Keep him in the role, surround him with quality co-stars, and the movie will do fine without bringing in a 'new team'.

I will give you the option of having sarcasm in your post, but I doubt that's the case.

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The Cunning Linguist writes:
on Jun 18 2009 09:12 AM

I actually think Astro C. is on to something. Maybe Tom Cruises' Hunt turns evil and clones a younger version of himself (Quinto). The younger Hunt then betrays the older hunt and joins the MI team and ultimately take down the older Hunt. I think the younger Hunt's first name should be Mike. Sounds like a winner. I'm stoked.

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Hamboner writes:
on Jun 18 2009 10:56 AM

MI:3 was like a live action cartoon and I thought it was awesome. Let Tom do these movies as long as he wants... they're always entertaining and sometimes flirt with complete awesomeness.

I have no interest in seeing anyone else play Ethan Hunt. It'd be like Ice Cube taking over as XXX. Ewwww.

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Rob M. writes:
on Jun 18 2009 11:31 AM

The only way this movie would work by bringing in a younger group for Hunt to mentor would be if Shia Lebouf was somehow involved...

sarcasm

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M.C.P. writes:
on Jun 18 2009 11:44 AM

Sounds good, the 1st and the 3rd were really good.
The 2nd was pure cheese, I blame Woo...

I say they should go the mentor route w/ the story, if not then Cruise as Hunt should still be as good.

But who to direct?..

This comment will self destruct in 5 seconds...

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Shatter24 writes:
on Jun 18 2009 11:50 AM

I was a big fan of Mission Impossible 3 from the beginning, though critics took turns bashing it b/c of Cruise's off-screen behavior. I took the opportunity to call out a critic on his biased review of MI:3 and ended up getting a part-time job out of it. I think having Cruise step back into a supporting role and help lead a new group of agents would be awesome and a great step for the franchise. Please don't reboot it?! I'm getting tired of the very term "reboot."

Who would I want to see in it? Maybe Shia Lebouf, that babe from Lost would be a good choice, I could see either Chris Pine or Zachary Quinto making the leap, and maybe Tyrese Gibson (he's pretty good in Transformers). A young action-oriented cast, who can act and have already made a cultural impression.

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Ico fan writes:
on Jun 18 2009 01:39 PM

I thought mission impossible 3 was kind of weak, felt like a tv show more than a movie. There just weren't any memorable moments in it either, not like part 1, where you see Hunt break into the CIA, or the whole Subway chase at the end. The score was also much better.

For my money, Mission Impossible one is easily the Best, JJ Abrams is no Brian Depalma. I like the way the first one was filled w/ espionage, the third one is definetly a step in the right direction though.

Plus, any movie where Emilio Estevez dies an elevator shaft death is automatically superior.

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NTROST writes:
on Jun 18 2009 03:59 PM

In reply to this comment (#2514067)
@martinscorsese25
"if he does this first, which i think JJ will, then the next STAR TREK will be in 4-6 years. i feel JJ has that Chris Nolan kind if mind of wanting to skip his "baby" films(a quote from Michael Bay) LOL..."

J.J. Abrams is only going to be a producer for "Mission: Impossible 4". Second off, 4-6 years? what are you smoking? Dude, Paramount Pictures has plans to put the sequel to Star Trek out as early as 2011. It's already in early treatment development. Third off, nothing has been said yet as to what J.J. Abrams next film he will direct as he has a slate of films in certain stages.

@Shatter24, Astro C. & The Cunning Linguist
Now, for this talk about having Ethan Hunt mentor a bunch of young guys? how about NOT! They are already doing that for "Ghostbusters 3" (which doesn't sound good by no means). I'm getting tired of every film nowadays must have some early 20 year old(s) in every damn film. It's just absurd & total nonsense. I'm not talking about the guys in there late 20's/early 30's such as Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Sam Worthington & such who are a few guys with some flair & endowment(finally!). I'm just getting sick of these damn early 20 year old so called "talents" like Zac Efron (a wannabe Gene Kelly/Fred Astaire which he is by no means every will be), Shia LaBeouf (who is a passable actor but overhyped), Vanessa Hudgens (who's about as talented as Jennifer Lopez or Beyonce Knowles which is pretty talentless acting wise), & then you have all of these other talentless actors & actresses from such shows as "Gossip Girls", "90210", "The Hills" (if you want to call them actors), & such. It's just preposterous & farcical that these are considered top talents.

As far as the mentor thing goes & putting Cruise in a supporting role? No! just bring back Ving Rhames, Laurence Fishburne, & such for "Mission: Impossible 4".

@CtrlAltDestroy
"JJ Abrams is no Brian Depalma"

You are right, Abrams isn't the guy that made the dissatisfyingly flawed & insufficiently executed film called "Twister" (luckly he had "Mission: Impossible" come that same year). Comparing Abrams to De Palma is like night & day. Brian De Palma hasn't had a solid film since the days when he made "Mission: Impossible" (which was his last hit), "Carlito's Way", "Scarface" & "The Untouchables". All of which these films where done nearly one or two decades ago. Basically, it's just bad & misguided comparison in so many ways. One other thing, I don't get how it felt like a TV show more than a film because the quality between the two medias is again night & day.

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Dachshund96 writes:
on Jun 18 2009 04:17 PM

Didn't see 2, Didn't see 3, will not see 4.

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Ico fan writes:
on Jun 18 2009 04:23 PM

Uhh, Brian Depalma never made Twister...that was Jan De Bont of Speed fame.

And Brian Depalma is a master of his craft who has pretty much stepped away from the director's chair in the last decade. Say what you want about his films, but even when they are underwhelming they are still awe enspiring on a technical level. His opening in Snake Eyes is thought to be one of the best tracking shots ever committed to film.

Mission Impossible 4 felt like I was watching an episode of 24. It was another forgetable action movie. Don't get me wrong, I give Abram's credit for Star Trek, but I think he belongs in T.V.

Abrams version of Mission Impossible just didn't have the personality or style like Depalma's.

And JJ Abrams will be lucky if he can come up with a filmography 1/2 as good as Depalma's during the course of his career.

Great Depalma Films:

The Untouchables
Dressed To Kill
Mission Impossible
Scarface
Blowout

Carrie
Carlito's Way
Raising Cain

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alsanali writes:
on Jun 18 2009 05:12 PM

One thing I liked about the Mission Impossible series is how each film was completely different from the other (even if they sucked... *ahem* M:I-2). I hope they go with a new director who can once again bring a different take to the series.

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