Among Phillip Seymour Hoffman's many accomplishments in his career, let's not forget his truly memorable villain in "Mission Impossible III."

The "Mission Impossible" movies are not known for their villains, most of whom are fine, but not particularly memorable. But they have had one remarkable one and that would be Hoffman's Owen Davian from "III." Mainly because doesn't play him like the kind of villain you'd expect from this line of film. No histronics, no over the top villainy, just a cold, calculating sociopath secure in his own power and influence. In his most memorable scene, when Tom Cruise has him secured to a chair in a plane and is interrogating him, what does he do? He nonchalantly tells Cruise that he'll find his wife or girlfriend, make her hurt and suffer and bleed and then kill him right in front of her. And none with any of the expected villain gloating or taunting, but a matter of fact "this is going to happen and there's nothing you can do about it" way. Hell, his tone and demeanor is almost BORED, like he's an exasperated office manager giving an employee a warning like every other day. And it's genuinely frightening, because (a) he's so nonchalant about these horrible things and (b) because he's so unconcerned, you believe he has the means to do these things. And he does. That's a great and unexpected villain. If you're secure in the knowledge that you have power and resources to back up what you threaten, you are truly dangerous and there's no need for villainous touches. Not that we don't love those, of course, but it makes a villain like Hoffman's even more memorable when they come along.

Submitted May 05, 2022 at 08:44PM by Mst3Kgf https://ift.tt/Y0V7hTL