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Mission: Comparables

How to describe the "Mission: Impossible" movies? In the original, director Brian De Palma emphasized foggy-night intrigue. In "II," John Woo revved up the action while often making it creep in slo-mo. In "III," "Lost" guru J.J. Abrams goes for full-throttle popcorn.

Paramount Pictures (enlarge photo) Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) faces his most personal mission yet in 'Mission: Impossible III.' Read reviews of 'Mission: Impossible III'

EXPLOSIONS

"M:I" (1996) — A mere five — and two of them are recollections of a single car bomb. But the finale's copter in the Chunnel mega-blowup has long been memorable.

"M:I:II" (2000) — Thirteen of 'em, including a plane, cars, a van, a grenade, bombs, a motorcycle and even Ethan Hunt's sunglasses.

"M:I:III" (2006) — At least 15 with most occurring in missile attacks on a vehicle-crowded bridge. And, oooh, explosive devices embedded in people's heads.

THE VILLAIN

"M:I" — Surprise, surprise. It's Oscar-winner and Mission: Impossible Force turncoat Jon Voight, who plays Jim Phelps.

"M:I:II" — Few knew him then and, for sure, fewer know him now. It's Dougray Scott, whose latest big-screen effort is a New Zealand-filmed vampire movie.

"M:I:III" — No surprise here. Just good casting. It's "Capote" Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman as a sadistic tough guy.

THE GIRL

"M:I" — French actress Emmanuelle Béart. Celebrity Sleuth magazine noted her breast size, which was 32A in 1986, was reported as 34C for her big movie with Tom Cruise.

"M:I:II" — Half-African, half-British Thandie Newton ("Crash") is the daring thief Hunt recruits — and falls in love with.

"M:I:III" — Newton character's absence is unexplained, and Cruise's Hunt is engaged to a hospital staffer played by Michelle Monaghan ("The Bourne Supremacy"). Oddly, she's made to look a little like Katie Holmes.

THE SEX

"M:I" — With a hand touch, it's merely suggested.

"M:I:II" — Newton and Cruise go from James Bond-ish foreplay to bed in a manner of minutes.

"M:I:III" — Cruise's Hunt is totally smitten. It's all about romantic love and passionate kisses.

THE SONGS

"M:I" — A theme and variation on the "Mission: Impossible" TV show. Guess it was cool then. It seems a little obvious now.

"M:I:II" — Limp Bizkit's "Take a Look Around"; Metallica's "I Disappear."

"M:I:III" — Kanye West's "Impossible."

THE MASKS

"M:I" — The senator (it's really Cruise); bad-guy Voight at first on the train (again, it's really Cruise).

"M:I:II" — It's Cruise on the plane (no, it's not); it's Cruise outside the house (no, it's not); it's Cruise captured by a thug (no, it's not); it's the de-fingered baddie (now, finally, that's Cruise).

"M:I:III" — Always remember — not everyone is who they seem to be.

THE SPY DEVICE

"M:I" — Everybody's always wearing glasses. It's not to look smart. They're cameras.

"M:I:II" — The Motorola phone in the car (oops, never mind, that was actually a product placement).

"M:I:III" — A formidable series of remote-controlled machine guns that fire fast and furious.

THE WORDS

"M:I" — When Cruise is asked, "Are you game?" he responds cockily, "Wouldn't have it any other way."

"M:I:II" — Clearly, somebody saw "The Last of the Mohicans" since an escaping Cruise screams to left-behind Newton, "Stay alive! I'm not going to lose you!"

"M:I:III" — Intriguing start. Hoffman gets the opening lines, which include, "We've put an explosive charge in your head."

THE MONEY SHOTS

"M:I" — The preposterous copter explosion in the Chunnel that sends Cruise flying toward a speeding train.

"M:I:II" — Cruise dangles from a mountain; Cruise blows up the side of a skyscraper and leaps out; the slo-mo motorcycle jousting match.

"M:I:III" — You've seen it umpteen times already in the preview: A missile blows up behind Cruise and sends him flying into a still vehicle.

THE PROFIT

"M:I" — Budget: $75 million-$80 million (additional marketing costs not available). Worldwide box office: $456.5 million. Cruise's paycheck, with profit points: $70 million.

"M:I:II" — Budget and marketing: $162.2 million. Worldwide box office: $545.9 million. Cruise's paycheck, with profit points: $75 million.

"M:I:III" — Budget: $150 million (additional marketing costs not available). Box office and paycheck to be determined.

ANOTHER HAIR-RAISING ADVENTURE

Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible" movies have never been about continuity. The adrenaline flows differently each time ("I" was all about suspense; "II" about explosions; "III" is about both). And one love interest, Thandie Newton, disappears without a trace between "II" and "III."

Then there's spy Ethan Hunt's locks. His hair changes as quickly and radically as gasoline prices.

• "M:I" (1996) — Cropped company-man short well above the ears, even shorter than his other film this year, "Jerry Maguire."

• "M:I:II" (2000) — It's long, hanging way over the ears and collar line to cement a cocky roguishness.

• "M:I:III" (2006) — Cut just above the ears with wispy bangs for a youthful, family-man look (just like in real life).