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[FoneBone]

Yeah the irony I guess is, M:I 3 is apparently by far the best of the series ... but again, I think there's just no audience investment in this franchise.

People do genuinely love the Star Wars, Star Trek, Matrix, Lord of the Rings, Spider-Man, etc. franchises and have an emotional investment in them ... even though some of those franchises dip in quality.

But Mission: Impossible?

Ethan Hunt is a poor man's James Bond and not nearly as fun of a character.

Yeah, I think this comment is pretty apt:
http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/archives/2006/05/upside_of_taps.php

What strikes me about the whole M:I3 weekend box-office debacle is that I have yet to see anybody point their finger at the franchise itself. Was anyone outside of Paramount clamoring for a third trip to this consistently unsatisfying well? Is there anybody who looks back with genuine fondness at either of the prior Mission Impossible movies? How many people even remember what they were about? Did the creators ever bother to turn government agent Ethan Hunt into a memorable, unique character a la James Bond or Jason Bourne? IMO the entire M:I franchise has utterly failed to create any identifiable resilient personality of its own (other than, arguably, Tom Cruise's), so it doesn't surprise me at all that the public's response to this third go-around has been tepid at best. After all: fool me once...twice...three times??? Fat chance.

So between Tom Cruise, weak marketing, and simple franchise fatigue, I guess it shouldn't really be that suprising. Still think it's damn fun, though.

 

[Eric Hall]

1 N Mission: Impossible III Par. $48,025,000 - 4,054 - $11,846 $48,025,000 $150 1
2 1 RV Sony $11,100,000 -32.4% 3,651 +12 $3,040 $31,006,000 $50 2
3 N An American Haunting Free $6,380,000 - 1,668 - $3,824 $6,380,000 $14 1
4 3 Stick It BV $5,522,000 -48.9% 2,044 +6 $2,701 $17,977,000 - 2
5 2 United 93 Uni. $5,211,000 -54.6% 1,819 +24 $2,864 $20,056,000 $15 2
6 7 Ice Age: The Meltdown Fox $4,000,000 -44.5% 2,426 -696 $1,648 $183,274,000 $80 6
7 4 Silent Hill Sony $3,900,000 -58.2% 2,556 -376 $1,525 $40,805,000 $50 3
8 5 Scary Movie 4 Dim. $3,763,000 -51.8% 2,537 -881 $1,483 $83,718,000 $45 4
10 8 Akeelah and the Bee Lions $3,400,000 -43.4% 2,195 - $1,548 $10,663,000 - 2

NOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[DamienIsBack]

Yes MI3 flopped hard, hopefully now the studios will think twice before casting that scientologist clown on their movies

 

[The Faceless Master]

inappropriate

ok, it dropped like the twin towers?

and from what i've heard from several friends who saw it, MI3 was a great action movie.

 

[Willco]

This has to be a huge hit for Paramount. Anything shy of $70 million was going to be considered a major disappointment, especially with the marketing they dumped on this flick. The fact that M:I 2 outgrossed it opening weekend is even worse. That said, there is some good word of mouth attached to this flick, so maybe it'll have some legs, especially if X-Men 3 is as bad as it looks. That'll open up the month of May for some strong legs.

 

[FoneBone]

This has to be a huge hit for Paramount. Anything shy of $70 million was going to be considered a major disappointment, especially with the marketing they dumped on this flick. The fact that M:I 2 outgrossed it opening weekend is even worse. That said, there is some good word of mouth attached to this flick, so maybe it'll have some legs, especially if X-Men 3 is as bad as it looks. That'll open up the month of May for some strong legs.

I have no faith in X3's quality, but Fastball clip aside the marketing has been excellent. You'd have to be pretty much crazy to think that it won't have a huge opening. I don't think it'll have good legs, but by that point, it'll be too late to help MI3.

 

[Shazapp]

I saw the first one and hated it. Skipped the second one and, obviously, I had no interest in the third one.

Didn't matter to me if Cruise was in it or not...it simply didn't have any appeal.

Tweak the series and make it about Sam Fisher...and then maybe I'd care a wee bit more. (Not really, but I'd care more about a Sam Fisher movie than an Ethan Hunt flick.)

 

[radioheadrule83]

I thoroughly enjoyed MI:3... Brain De Palma's Mission Impossible is still my favourite of the three but the new one comes pretty close.

Both the first and third movies focus on the IMF-team aspect of things for portions of the movie, they aren't entirely comprised of Cruise-control. The first also has great casting and a great plot with nice twists. Both movies have a certain charm / style that reminds me of the old TV series. In Mission Impossible it was the espionage sequences coregraphed to music, the sunglasses, the under-the-table-camera angles whenever Ethan was in talks with sinister agents... in Mission Impossible 3, its the close ups to signify lip-reading and so forth.

The third Mission Impossible movie is, to my mind at least, what a great action film should be. The cheese, if there has to be any, is light and superfluous. The romance and the corny lines are there, but they're masked away by the story and the explosive action. And its the kind of well sequenced/paced action I don't think we've seen much since the 80s. Philip Seymour Hoffman is great in it and I particularly enjoyed Lawrence Fishburn and Billy Cudrup.

I liked the Alias-esque moments in MI:3 too -- start at the end, Eric Weiss cameo, sweeping rooftop / citiscape shots, slow motion + music / no other audio for certain sequences, Simon Pegg stepping into Marshall Flinkman's shoes?

Mission Impossible 2 is a steaming pile of shit. Slow motion dove shots and motorbike duals n' all.

 

[Diablos]

it's actually pretty good.

Well.

I LOVED the first one. Great setting, good story, cool characters, just an awesome presentation overall!

I HATED the second one. WTF.

If the third one is more like the second one, then screw it, I'm not seeing it.

 

[DamienIsBack]

Well.

I LOVED the first one. Great setting, good story, cool characters, just an awesome presentation overall!

I HATED the second one. WTF.

If the third one is more like the second one, then screw it, I'm not seeing it.

my friends who went to see it said if they insulted mission impossible series with the 2nd one, they totally butt-raped it with the 3rd one. They made it just like any other typical action movies, big bang explosions, gun fights, etc, etc. the mission impossible series as we know it is long gone with the first one

 

[radioheadrule83]

^^^^ Damien is heading the anti-scientology / anti-tom-cruise boycott movement. Thats why he's passing you the opinion of his friends

Well.

I LOVED the first one. Great setting, good story, cool characters, just an awesome presentation overall!

I HATED the second one. WTF.

If the third one is more like the second one, then screw it, I'm not seeing it.

Its not entirely like the first one, so don't expect that but it is good imo.

Its nothing like the second one... which screamed abomination from the desert sets to the slow motion fighting and the Metallica / Limp Bizkit soundtrack. Why oh why I didn't see the signs there is beyond me.

 

[Link1110]

Maybe people are realizing that they don't need to spend $10 to see an action movie in the theatres when they get the Bauer Power for free every week.

 

[littlewig]

I feel sorry for Tom Cruise, he only made $14,407,500 this weekend.

The guy is getting 30% of the Box Office sales, and when the DVD comes out, he is going to get 40% off those sales!

 

[Mooreberg]

ok, it dropped like the twin towers?

It got shot down like a plane heading towards Washington D.C.

 

[Warm Machine]

M: I 3 is the best action movie I've seen in years. As good as the 2 Bourne films and better than any of the Pierce Brosnan Bond films. It felt like a balls out dirty shirt action film in the vien of Die Hard or a A Michael Bay film with taste, a good script, and without the pandering.

 

[Bearillusion]

Maybe people who liked MI 1 have since outgrown movies. Apparently people outgrow gaming.

 

[BlueTsunami]

M: I 3 is the best action movie I've seen in years. As good as the 2 Bourne films and better than any of the Pierce Brosnan Bond films. It felt like a balls out dirty shirt action film in the vien of Die Hard or a A Michael Bay film with taste, a good script, and without the pandering.

Yep. The scenes in the Warehouse and on the Bridge blew me away. I kinda miss seeing these type of films. Showcasing high-tech technology and espionage type of scenarios. I think i'm just itching for a new Bond film



Though..MI:3 did hit the spot. Loved it!

 

[bumpkin]

I'm sorry, but I cannot buy Keri Russell (sp?) seriously as part of an action flick. She will forever be the epitome of awkward college chicks from her role in Felicity.

 

[RaijinFY]

The movie was average at best, really nothing special IMO. Classic gun fights, dont like how Abrahms shoots his action sequences, really messy in my opinion (but anyway, it seems like directors nowdays just dont how to use their fucking camera to shoot action sequences), I love how Ving Rhames tried to be funny..... and failed miserably.
Monaghan and Russell are not hot at all...

 

[samus4ever]

I'm sorry, but I cannot buy Keri Russell (sp?) seriously as part of an action flick. She will forever be the epitome of awkward college chicks from her role in Felicity.

:lol :lol :lol

 

[SofaKing]

i'm not surprised that it didn't do well this weekend. it was expected with a combination of all Cruise bullshit.
i just saw this movie tonight, and it was incredible. definitely the best of M:I movies... it was more true to the first movie, but much better.
now since this movie was made as good as it was, then it should be the last of the M:I movies. its goes out with a bang, there is no more need for sequels b/c i don't think it can get better then this.

 

[CajoleJuice]

inappropriate

Nah, "Flight 93 crashed and burned" would be much worse.

 

[ToxicAdam]

MI2 was such a shitbomb, it's no surprise this one didn't have a great opening. It's getting good word of mouth, so maybe this will have better legs.

Plus, it's still May. 50 million in the month of May is a great opening.

 

[The Shadow]

Nah, "Flight 93 crashed and burned" would be much worse.

"Flight 93 shot down way too early."

 

[Willco]

Plus, it's still May. 50 million in the month of May is a great opening.

The following movies beg to differ:

1 Spider-Man Sony $114,844,116
2 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Fox $108,435,841
3 Shrek 2 DW $108,037,878
4 The Matrix Reloaded WB $91,774,413
5 X2: X-Men United Fox $85,558,731
6 Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones Fox $80,027,814
7 The Lost World: Jurassic Park Uni. $72,132,785
8 Finding Nemo BV $70,251,710
9 The Day After Tomorrow Fox $68,743,584
10 The Mummy Returns Uni. $68,139,035
11 Bruce Almighty Uni. $67,953,330
12 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace Fox $64,820,970
13 Pearl Harbor BV $59,078,912
14 Mission: Impossible II Par. $57,845,297
15 Van Helsing Uni. $51,748,040

It's not a great opening. And you want to know why? Check out the fourteenth movie on the list. Yeah, look at it. Notice the roman numeral after Mission: Impossible is not III?

 

[Warm Machine]

The following movies beg to differ:

1 Spider-Man Sony $114,844,116
2 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Fox $108,435,841
3 Shrek 2 DW $108,037,878
4 The Matrix Reloaded WB $91,774,413
5 X2: X-Men United Fox $85,558,731
6 Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones Fox $80,027,814
7 The Lost World: Jurassic Park Uni. $72,132,785
8 Finding Nemo BV $70,251,710
9 The Day After Tomorrow Fox $68,743,584
10 The Mummy Returns Uni. $68,139,035
11 Bruce Almighty Uni. $67,953,330
12 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace Fox $64,820,970
13 Pearl Harbor BV $59,078,912
14 Mission: Impossible II Par. $57,845,297
15 Van Helsing Uni. $51,748,040

It's not a great opening. And you want to know why? Check out the fourteenth movie on the list. Yeah, look at it. Notice the roman numeral after Mission: Impossible is not III?

The first 10 on that list are pretty well sequels to movies or properties of legendary status in the eyes of the movie going public. M:I 3 did have to fight against the weakness of the 2nd film and battle against the negative Tom Cruise public image. Tom hasn't had a movie do less than 100 million over its life in a long time. It'll make its budget back and then some before it hits DVD. It is also Cruise's biggest opening in a while besides War of the Worlds. Collateral, Last Samurai, and Minority Report opened with 1/2 the dollars in the bank that this did.

 

[CajoleJuice]

Jesus, Bruce Almighty made that much money opening weekend?


Oh fuck, I was part of that.

 

[J2 Cool]

What the hell? Do people know how fast Tom Cruise runs in this movie?

 

[Regret Truth]

What the hell? Do people know how fast Tom Cruise runs in this movie?

:lol :lol

I was thinking the same thing during some of those runningh scene. They made seem as if he were running at 200mph.:lol

 

[Mute]

What the hell? Do people know how fast Tom Cruise runs in this movie?

Hell yes! 17mph.

 

[Meier]

Lost $2 million today in HSX. Ouch.

 

[Edwood]

It also shows that Tom Cruise is losing his audience with his crazy behavior. Flight 93 also dropped like a rock.

Well, there is hope for us after all. Two badly written fictions failing at the box office.

 

[tedtropy]

Eh, I went into MI: 3 expecting a dumb, enjoyable action movie and got exactly like that. As others have said, it was like a longer, big budget episode of Alias. Plus, I always buy children's tickets at the credit/debit ticket machine, so I figure it was worth my $5.50. I'm surprised it did this poorly.

 

[El Papa]

Wait, you buy children's tickets? What do you tell the ticket people when they take your ticket and see you're not a kid? :lol


Or do you just tear off the stub and flash it quick style?

 

[Guzim]

Plus, it's still May. 50 million in the month of May is a great opening.

Episode 3 made 50 million in its opening day!

 

[LM4sure]

Lost $2 million today in HSX. Ouch.

:lol


I stayed far away from MI3. Expectations were way too high. I had some Hoot stock too, which I fortunately dumped after seeing the awful reviews.

 

[DaMan121]

:lol :lol

I was thinking the same thing during some of those runningh scene. They made seem as if he were running at 200mph.:lol

I just kept thinking of that stupid Just Cruise ytube commercial poseted a few weeks ago. On MI3.. great cast, average action, average script, horrible ending.. should have ended with:

SPOILER***********************




Hunt dying.. Fade to the funeral, wife is crying, crowd disaptes as the cermony ends, camera zooms onto a man, hides behind a tree, rips mask of to reveal Hunt with a tear in his eye... Seriously the ending mad no sense since it was building up to a "cant have it both" message.

SPOILER***********************

1 good movie out of 3? Let the series die.

 

[pinkatrophe]

Oh, I've definitely heard that argument before, and yet it *still* bugs me to no end how general audiences are completely content with watching the same bullshit, only in a different package...

Besides, there are many other aspects you could fault MI:3 against, excusing the tired action-spectacle cliches:


- A $150 million blockbuster that consists of nothing but congested close-ups, no doubt due to J.J. Abrams' complete and total misunderstanding of what separates film from TV (Besides the whole "more money" angle...)

- Barf-inducing "love" story. Total garbage.

- Extraneous Tom Cruise showboating - extended "running" sequence, anyone?

- Incoherent action sequences, complete with frenetic editing and the still-popular Shaky-Cam. Golly gee, do I love those.

- Humour. Which I'm not sure really constitutes as humour, because it requires the viewer to actually laugh or feel somewhat amused after the joke finishes playing out. Seeing an overly-animated Ving Rhames deliver pandering and predictable banter like that is just inexcusable.


Trust me, I was not expecting much at all, and yet I barely could find anything redeemable or noteworthy about this picture at all. Besides the helicopter shootout.. that was pretty neat, I guess.

Ah, I didn't know you'd seen it and had assumed that you fell into the camp of some film enthusiasts that dismiss everything that's mainstream hollywood. Apologies.

I haven't seen it, nor will I pay to see it, but from the trailers I thought it looked pretty good.