You could use a PHP function to do that. Quickly, with no default value or error handling:
list( $controller, $function, $params ) = explode( '/', $uri, 3 );
$params = explode( '/', $uri );
And in the .htaccess, redirect any non-existing query to your PHP query-handling file:
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ mvc.php [L,NS]
Beware to filter your input though, not to include any file, etc.
You could also have your htaccess like this:
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule ^(.*)/(.*)/(.*) mvc.php?model=$1&view=$2¶meters=$3 [L,NS]
This is just another way to do it, although personally I prefer streetpc's way.