When is a bad film a good film

Take any summer Hollywood blockbuster, low on quality high on quantity add a global star who’s all teeth and ego and you have a recipe for an inexorable two hours with the popcorn munchers.

Yeah fine cuisine is tres bien; however, sometimes a burger does the trick.

Case in Point Mi III

Synopsis: Recently retired, Agent Ethan Hunt lives a slower-paced life training new IMF agents. With this change, new opportunities enter his life, including a possible marriage to his girlfriend Julia. However, when a new conflict arises, Ethan is called back to duty to confront the toughest villain he's ever faced -- Owen Davian, an international weapons and information provider with no remorse and no conscience.

So far so bad. Thing is Mission Impossible III is impossibly enjoyable.

In particular the rescue scene; explosions, gunfire, quips, helicopters, missiles, bombs, grenades, wind turbines, remote controlled artillery, sheep, explosive cranial implants it’s got the lot and is filmed and edited in a spectacularly thrilling manner. Then we have another rescue on a bridge with hi tech gadgets, body armor, running, jumping, extreme weapons and juddering thuds. Not to mention intense hero villain standoffs and civilians suddenly becoming adept action heroes. Yes everything I've written would be putting me off, but, and here’s the thing; Cruise and Director JJ Abrams perfectly understand the genre and they manage to tick boxes in a more than perfunctory way.  It's exciting and action packed and of course it isn't 'serious' cinema but what it does it does well. I can't help myself i like it!

If Die Hard was the blueprint for the modern day action movie then Mi III is much more than a tribute act.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcGUzNVgEo8