Rating: * * *½ out of * * * *
Rated PG-13: intense action, violence, sensuality.
Starring: Tom Cruise, Thandie Newton, Dougray Scott, Ving Rhames, Sir Anthony Hopkins.
Running Time: 126 minutes
Directed by: John Woo
In 1996, the world got to see Tom Cruise, in the big screen adaptation of "Mission: Impossible". Although the film was a huge hit (grossed 181m in the USA and 465m worldwide) to me it was quite a disappointment. Sure it had action, special effects, and great acting, but to this day I still cannot remember there being a REAL plot. A sequel had been in talks for a while, and now four years later, "M:I-2" finally arrives in theatres, and let me be one to tell you, its alot better than the first film, and while the plot is just as thin, I had way too much fun!
Tom Cruise returns as special agent Ethan Hunt, the film opens with Ethan on a cliff, climbing to the top, which seems impossible, but they its a movie. Anyway this time his mission if he chooses to accept is: To stop a madman, who wants to get a newly created virus in his hands, and the antedote, so he can collect his $37,000,000 pounds (English dollars). Ethan Hunt, has to try and figure out his plan by having a woman spy Nyah (played by the ever so beautiful Thandie Newton) to go back to Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott) and act like she is his girlfriend again. Of course this is all the plot you get to work with, he tries to get the virus for his money, and the antedote, but the stunts and the action is so incredible that in the end all is forgiven!
With Tom Cruise returning as Ethan Hunt, he gives a great performance, if an over baked performance, when at times he does go over the top, but its classic Tom Cruise. He fits well into the role, and seems to be having fun. Thandie Newton is a great actress and was in the 1998 movie "Beloved" with Oprah Winfrey. Here she is all out with a British accent, and tightfitting clothes. She is a beautiful actress and a great one at that. Dougray Scott who as in the hit "Ever After" is the bad guy here, and surprisingly plays a bad guy very well, his accent fits in very well to the bad guy role. The rest of the cast includes Sir Anthony Hopkins in a fantastic short role, Ving Rhames as usual is great too.
John Woo is such a fantastic director, that in his action/stunt sequences, all is forgiven for the thin plot in the film. I mean some of these car crashes, explosions, and some spectacularly choreographed fight scenes, that when they are over all your left with is your mouth wide open. His 1997 film "Face/Off" was a huge hit in the box office, a huge hit with critics, and a huge hit with audiences, and this one is destined to be a huge hit at the box office, with critics and with audiences. The action in the movie is amazing, the acting great, John's camera angles were jaw dropping, and the movie had great atmosphere.
So even though like the first film, the plot is as thin as chicken broth, I had fun with this movie. Its a typical action film, but nothing could have prepared me for some of the stunts I witnessed in this movie. See it and have fun!
Reviewed by Brandon Herring 5/22/00. For more reviews please visit MOVIE REVIEW CENTRAL at http://www.geocities.com/moviefan983/moviereviewcentral.html
Email me at MovieFan983@aol.com
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