Dir: John Woo
Starring
Tom Cruise
Thandie Newton
Dougray Scott
Ving Rhames
2000
PG-13, 123 m
RATING: 4 out of 10
Not picking up where Mission: Impossible left off, M:I II brings Tom Cruise back as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, given an assignment by Anthony Hopkins (inexplicably placed in a small, perfunctory role) who must stop European baddie Dougray Scott and American CEO Brendan Gleeson from releasing a deadly virus.
That's the extent of the story, and it's stretched out for an excurciating 2 hours of explosions, hilariously-bad dialogue, dead-boring conversations, generic, one-dimensional characters, and more explosions. Tom Cruise's calculating, emotional Hunt has been replaced by an indestructible, larger-than-life persona that in no way resemble the Ethan Hunt from the first film. Before, he cared a great deal about his mission; now he cares for danger and exicitement, as clearly shown by the otherwise unnecessary r, meant-to-blow-you-away rock climbing introduction.
Not to say that John Woo isn't a gifted action director. Face/Off is one of the most stunning, well-executed, fun action films ever done. However, it doesn't take itself too seriously, as the performances from Cage and Travolta demonstrate by exuding devilish wit and mischief. Mission Impossible: II, however, attempts to cover up its lack of story with seemingly intriguing scenes of a blood-letting virus (seen before in Outbreak and its countless ripoffs), exotic locales inhabited by criminals (seen before in countless crime films), and of course, over-the-top action sequences which in thermselves may be cool, but that's all they are. They don't really help to furthur the story, because by the middle of the film, the story has gotten as far as it will go.
Screenwriter Robert Towne said his script was written according to action sequences dictated to him by director Woo, and it clearly shows. Mission Impossible II is a collection of well-coreographed fight and grandiose action sequences, but that's it. Paying no homage to either the intrigue, deception, and constantly twisting episodes of the TV series or the first installment of the film series, M:I 2 is a sequel reacing only for the green, assaulting viewers with image, hoping they will not notice its lack of substance.
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