J.J. Abrams jumps into the ‘Mission’ action

A young Tarantino?
“M:I3” is also much more of an ensemble than the film’s Cruise-centered publicity has suggested. The cast includes Hoffman, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Laurence Fishburne, Billy Crudup, Keri Russell (who starred on “Felicity”) and Ving Rhames.

Rhames, the lone holdover besides Cruise from the earlier films, thinks the ensemble feel harkens back to the original TV show, and was impressed by what Abrams brought to “M:I.”

“He reminds me almost of a young Quentin Tarantino,” says Rhames, who co-starred in Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction.” “They both have a youthful energy for film.”

Abrams, who next will write and produce the 11th “Star Trek” feature film, has a wife and three kids and is approaching his 40th birthday, but he appears younger. Energetic and fast-talking, he could easily be carded at a bar.

“It does feel like, right now, there is no difference for me than when I was a little kid,” he says. “It’s almost exactly the same — to the point where, when I was making this movie, I was struck by how similar it felt to being 12 or 14 and making movies.”

“Instead of 8 millimeter, it’s 35 millimeter. Instead of a little 1/60th-scale car, it’s a car,” he says, smiling gleefully. “But the reality of what the process is, it’s that magic trick again.”

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