The Film
Whatever you think about Tom Cruise, his looks, his personality, his height or his religion, the guy is a bona fide action star. If you've forgotten that, the Mission: Impossible Extreme Blu-ray Trilogy is certainly a nice refresher course.
That refresher couldn't be more current, either. Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (also known as M:I4) is just a few weeks away. What better time for Paramount to push out a box set?
When audiences heard that Hollywood was planning to bring another TV classic to the big screen, it probably looked like another blip for the box office. That said, Mission: Impossible went on to become a massive blockbuster. Director Brian DePalma certainly helped fuel the legitimacy of the franchise, and Cruise locked in his action hero status. This is certainly a nice introduction to the character of Ethan Hunt, as well as the type of action that Cruise is capable of.
By the time M:I-2 wraps up, you may be a bit drained or completely ready to bring on Mission: Impossible III. Yes, director J.J. Abrams apparently has a penchant for Roman numerals. Thankfully, he also likes his action, and you will too. He also appreciates good actors, which is why we're treated to a bevy of them alongside Cruise in this adventure. Philip Seymour Hoffman is a very bad man, and Keri Russell, Billy Crudup, and Laurence Fishburne are all on board.
The Picture
All three of the films are presented in the 2.35:1 format, but offer up very different visual experiences.
Even though it's 15 years old, M:I has is all about super high-tech toys. It's a shame that the actual image is so darn low tech. Blacks crush all over the place, there's very little detail in wider shots, and all of the characters look like they've been tanning slightly too long. Also, there are noticeable flecks throughout the film. That's not to say that it's a total mess. Close-ups fare a little better, with good detail particularly on Jon Voight's weathered face. Overall though, this transfer is a little disappointing for a Brian DePalma film, as well as the flagship of a multi-million-dollar action franchise.
M:I-2 is a little more polished, and so is the Blu-ray -- but just slightly. The film does boast some brighter, better colors, but it's also plagued with some of the similar problems of its predecessor. It kicks off with a noisy skyline and an overbaked Cruise. The guy is hanging from a cliff, so it's obvious he's had some sun. However, he seems to almost blend into the rock he's scaling. Sadly, the film doesn't really pick up from there, offering the same low level of detail.
At least the series goes out with a bang (so far), with M:I-3. This is easily the best M:I movie to date, in every sense of the word. Of course, it's the most recent film. The colors are still a little overdone, but that seems to be a franchise staple at this point. However, it does have some pretty decent detail for once. Fans should finally be pleased with the overall display here.
The Sound
For some bizarre reason, Paramount released all three films with a lone Dolby Digital 5.1 track (in three languages). It's not completely horrible, but it's certainly not suitable for a franchise of this caliber. Where are our PCM, Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio options, people?
M:I features a ton of good explosions, a lively soundtrack (which often includes the infamous theme song), and plenty of other action for your surround enjoyment. The train scene, in particular, offers some of the film's best rumbles, flaps, whips, and other interesting sound effects. Besides the Dolby Digital, our one complaint is that the track is virtually silent in some of the movie's down moments. More atmospheric sounds could have made this a more immersive experience.
Some of that is remedied in M:I-2. The film opens on a slightly louder note, with a burst of the soundtrack and the swoop of an airplane. It's not the best audio experience for an action movie, but there's some good directionality and a fairly kick-ass motorcycle chase.
Once again, the series redeems itself with M:I-3. Wow wee. Without a doubt, this is the most action-packed audio track of the entire series. Explosions, gunshots, breaking glass, and plenty of other audio goodies are present here. Once again, though, why Paramount went for the DD 5.1 is anyone's guess. For a film of this magnitude, we'd expected the studio to break out the big guns for, well... the big guns.
The Extras
Each of the discs has a fair selection of extras, which are mostly of a promotional nature. Without a doubt, M:I has the best collection of the bunch.
Just don't get too excited; if you already have any of the M:I releases, you won't find anything new here. Well, you'll actually find less in the case of M:I-3. Paramount completely clipped out the second disc offered with the M:I-3 Blu-ray release. It's so obvious that the included Blu-ray actually says "disc 1" on the actual disc. Yeah, there's no disc two. As a result, the third film only has one commentary track. Of course, it's the only commentary that actually features Cruise (as well as director J.J. Abrams). Still, there are no other extras. It's as if Paramount plucked each Blu-ray release from the warehouse and shoved it inside a cardboard box. Hey, it's a discounted box, right?
Final Thoughts
If you choose to accept this Mission, you are probably just in it for the action. We certainly don't blame you. Without a doubt, the Mission: Impossible franchise is very worthy of a Blu-ray box set -- just not this Blu-ray box set. The movies are still entertaining and each one should be a showcase for your home theater. For the most part, both the audio and video are not up to par here. As far as extras, they are non-existent for M:I-3. If you already own any of the films, this is certainly not worth the upgrade. Also, with the fourth M:I film on its way, we have to wonder if Paramount will eventually release another, better box.
Product Details
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