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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-'caand 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
| uuid: |
9E2A6B9D-AC2D-4C4B-867E-D5704D1238AA |
| upc: |
0097363348740 |
| title: |
Mission Impossible 2 |
| theatricalDate: |
01-01-2000 |
| stars: |
Tom Cruise
Thandie Newton |
| purchase date: |
07-09-2006 |
| publisher: |
Paramount |
| published: |
07-11-2000 |
| price: |
$14.98 |
| net Rating: |
3 |
| MPAA Rating: |
PG-13 |
| minutes: |
124 |
| last lookup time: |
179362256 |
| genre: |
Thrillers
Betrayal
Tom Cruise
Action & Adventure
Heroes
Race Against Time |
| fullTitle: |
Mission Impossible 2 |
| features: |
Closed-captioned
Color
Dolby
Widescreen
NTSC
2.35:1 |
| currentValue: |
$1.85 |
| created: |
179362256 |
| country: |
us |
| aspect: |
DVD |
| asin: |
B00003CXDG
|