With MI: IIII, Abrams gives us the type of film Mission Impossible is supposed to be: a fun-filled action tour-de-force that challenges the Impossible Mission Force (IMF) to do just what they've been trained to do: the impossible.

This far superior third chapter in the life of Ethan Hunt begins with an as-tense-as-they-come mental chess match between the villain (a deliciously diabolical Philip Seymour Hoffman) and the hero (Tom Cruise, tolerate-him or hate-him, giving it all he's got), resulting in a shocking death. From this tense-filled opening, the film never lets up, re-tracing the steps (or should I say death-defying leaps) it took to get our hero to this desperate point.

Joining Hunt through every chase, explosion, capture and escape is a stellar cast Oscar would be biting at the heels of if this were a tragic drama. Laurence Fishburne (Searching for Bobby Fischer, Akeelah and the Bee), Keri Russell (Felicity, The Upside of Anger) Ving Rhames (all of the Mission Impossibles, Pulp Fiction) Billy Crudup (Almost Famous, Big Fish), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Vanity Fair, Match Point), and Michelle Monaghan (North Country) all enliven key moments in the breath-taking plot.

This in part is due to the fact that those who are members of Hunt’s IMF team are actually a team this time out (instead of dying in the first 10 minutes like in MI: I or watching Hunt play Bond like in MI: II). They each help skyrocket the action forward while also adding some humanity to the film.

Because, of course, Abrams has added heart to this trilogy. The creator of Felicity, Alias and Lost infuses this film with his natural talent of developing characters and their motivations, helping this Impossible to resonate more than the previous versions.

Well, helping it resonate in the few moments not brimming over with non-stop action. It’s not worth mulling over the simplicity of the villains’ back-story or the mystery of the “Rabbit’s Foot” everyone is after, because this is a Mission Impossible film for crying out loud. The thrilling rescue/helicopter chase and the frightening bridge shoot-out/demolition are just 2 of some of the most phenomenal action set-pieces we've seen in a long time.

Abrams accomplishes these feats because he isn't afraid to wear his action influences on his sleeve. The first-time feature film director borrows plot and set-piece elements from action greats like Ronin, True Lies, The Matrix, and Speed, but he's talented enough to pay homage (instead of mocking or mimicking) all the while enhancing his own film (if you see the film a second time, try to pick out the scenes I’m referring to).

In the end, MI: III is a breathless ride that is worth the cost of admission on a hot summer day. This may be the first 21st century action roller-coaster that combines the real-life consequences of a Bourne with the death-defying escapism of a Bond, resulting in the resurrection of a film genre that deserves our cheers. And our popcorn.