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Mission - Impossible II

Mission - Impossible II
MPAA Rating
PG-13
Theatrical Release Date
May 19, 2000
Genre(s)
  • Thrillers
  • Betrayal
  • Heroes
  • Race Against Time
  • Tom Cruise
  • John Woo
  • Action & Adventure
Rating (Stars)
0 Star 1 Star 2 Star
Description
Visually stunning, and a likely must for John Woo aficionados, the second Mission: Impossible outing from megastar Tom Cruise suffers from an inconsistent tone and tired plot devices--not only recycled from other films, but repeated throughout the film. Despite remarkable cinematography and awe-inspiring, trademark Woo photography, the movie offers a tepid story from legendary screenwriter-director Robert Towne (Chinatown, Without Limits) and a host of other writers, most uncredited./ It is, regrettably, as forgettable as the first big-budget, big box-office MI in 1996, and it's clear (as Towne confirms) that the plot was developed around Woo- and Cruise-written action sequences. The film combines equal elements of romance and action, and is best when it features the stunning allure of Thandie Newton as Nyah, a master thief recruited by the sinewy charms of Ethan Hunt (a fit Cruise). Deeply in love after a passionate night, the couple must then combat MI nemesis (and Nyah's former lover) Sean Ambrose (Ever After's Dougray Scott). Ambrose holds hostage a virus and its cure, and offers them to the highest bidder./ Woo's famed mythic filmmaking is far from subtle, with heroic Hunt frequently slow-motion walking through fire, smoke, or other similar devices, replete with a white dove among pigeons to signal his presence. The emphasis on romance is an attempt to develop character and a more human side to superspy Hunt, but still the dreary story proves a distraction from the exciting action sequences. John Polson (as an MI team member) is an Aussie talent to keep an eye on. --N.F. Mendoza/
Director
John Woo
Stars
  • Brendan Gleeson
  • Thandie Newton
  • John Polson
  • Ving Rhames
  • Rade Serbedzija
Running Time
123 minutes
Original Price
$14.98
Current Value
$1.50
DVD Features
  • Closed-captioned
  • Color
  • Dolby
  • DVD-Video
  • Widescreen
  • NTSC
  • 2.35:1