The opening scene of Mission Impossible 3 establishes the main characters as a couple attending an engagement party. Through lighting, costumes, and interactions between the couple, the audience learns they share a loving relationship. However, clues such as a worried facial expression and a mysterious phone call hint at looming danger and an unexpected mission. Fast editing, close-ups, and an ominous phone call build suspense for the action-packed thriller that is to come.

1. The Opening to
Mission Impossible 3
Emily Willmer

2. The Director and the Film
• JJ Abrams was born on the 27th June 1966, he is
known for Super 8(2011) but more recently, Star
Wars- The Force Awakens (2015). He is known for
his high tech and action packed movies and this
trade mark really shows throughout his movies.
• Mission Impossible came out on the 5th May 2006
and had an estimated budget of $150,000,000 and
made a total gross of $133, 382, 309.
• I think that the opening is very effective, it is
obvious it will be an action packed film due to the
theme tune and it will you could also say, a
conventional thriller due to the actors acting
oblivious to the mission that’s about to occur. I did
like thee opening as it prepares you for the rest of
the film and I thought this was really successful.

3. Mise-en-scene
• The Costume and Makeup is all smart casual and party
wear, it contrasts the title as no body is dressed like a
super hero or how they expect.
• The lighting is quiet dim, there are some brighter bits but
there are also a lot darker bits, such as when they are
dancing. The lighting is usually on their faces; this could be
the director inferring that they are going to be exposed
and perhaps even ridiculed.
• Also contrasting to what a stereotypical ‘action man’ looks
like, the car he drives doesn't conform. Usually, someone
in an action might drive a sports car however in this case,
it looks like he drives more of a ‘run around car’ which is
not as cool or expensive as a sportscar. Again, this is going
to surprise the audience because it doesn’t conform to the
stereotype.

4. Mise-en- scene
• The facial expressions and movement show the
audience the love and compassion within the
couple. Also, things such as a worried face on the
mans face allows us to infer that he is anxious
and we start to feel more tense.
• The setting is in a party, it’s atmospheric and we
know from the narrative it is for the couples
engagement. This setting contrasts to the
stereotypical mission because it is based in quiet
a relaxing place, and this makes the audience
wonder how the action is going to be entangled
in the scene.

5. Mise- en- scene
• Using the match at the very beginning,
makes the audience think that there’s a
count down and that they have limited
amount of time to complete the
‘mission’.
• All together, the Mise-en-scene in the
opening scene of Mission Impossible 3
is very important because it allows the
audience to know who the main
characters are, the relationships within
the movie and makes the audience
question how the movie is going to
develop into a thriller.

6. Camera Shots and Angles
• This camera shot from inside the fridge starts of
thee movie, it gives a real sense of being
secretive and also spying on someone. This
complies with the movie really well because of
the mission thriller feel.
• At the end there’s a wide shot of the car, which like
in Mise-en-scene contrasts to the stereotypical
‘action man’ and his fast cars. This shot also allows
us to see where he is going, which doesn’t appear
to be a mission however is, we assume this
because of the phone call. We’re left confused and
wanting to know more which increases the tension
of the movie and creating a thriller.

7. Camera Shots and Angles
• There is an extreme close up if the lips,
which is followed by a medium shot of
the man saying the answer to their
question. Although it would be too far to
hear what they were saying, he still knew
the answer which leads the audience to
realise he’s lip read which further leads us
to question how and why he knows the
skills to do this.
• There’s also a lot of two shots of the
couple, which helps the audience know
they are a couple and is also
foreshadowing that their perhaps to be
the main characters in the movie.

8. Editing
• At the start of the opening, there is text inserted
telling us the cast; it flashes quite fast and this
shows us it will be a fast paced and exciting movie.
• There are cut shots all the way through, also
directing us to know it will be fast paced and
exciting. However in some places it is slow, which
makes the audience seem more relaxed and at
ease, perhaps not expecting much action but by
the end of the opening scene the pace definitely
picks up and this is done by cutting it constantly.
• It is cut a lot when the four women are talking and
it is very close to the lips. The editing here is fast,
which makes it seem more trilling. Also, due to the
extreme close up of the lips it is like we are lip
syncing ourselves adding to the mission impossible
theme.

9. Sound
• The theme tune comes on straight away, allowing the audience to quickly know it is a
sequel and part of the same family of movies.
• The dialogue that the sister speaks about the couples engagement, gives the audience the
background knowledge of the characters and it also sets the audience in an almost
celebratory mood too. Furthermore it makes us like the characters and we become
attached to them which engages the audience more.
• All throughout there is chilled atmosphere, party music allows the audience to feel
relaxed it also sets the setting.
• When the phone rings, there's a sinister voice at the end of the phone leading the
audience to question ‘who’s on the other end?’. It creates suspense, and a quiet theme
tune comes into the background allowing the audience to get ready for the start of the
movie and it creates a lot of suspense.