Few directors could make their big screen debut with a movie as big and bombastic as Mission: Impossible III (released May 2006). But with Lost and Alias in his wake, J.J. Abrams was prepared to try and take that leap. Ten years on, its fair to say that hes done pretty well for himself. Back in 2006, though, it was important for Abrams to find his footing in the cinematic realm. And find it, thankfully, he did. He brought a shaky-cam-wielding, darker-toned, lens-flare-friendly approach to the M:I mythos, giving the franchise the kick up the arse that it definitely needed six years after the middling sequel Mission: Impossible II. Now, the franchise is in rude health, and its partly due to Abrams modernising the series with his unique brand of cinema spectacle. Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation are a little lighter in tone than Mission: Impossible III, but beyond that you can still see Abrams fingerprints on the series. M:I III will also be remembered as the one where Tom Cruises Ethan Hunt showed a softer side. We saw him wife (played by Michelle Monaghan), a home, and a certain reluctance to put himself in danger. It may not have made as much money as M:I movies do now, though, but Abrams' instalment was a vital one.