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18 out of 24 people found the following review useful: A good romantic action-adventure movie…, 5 April 2007 Author: ironside (robertfrangie@hotmail.com) from Mexico
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
In writing a story to fit the action in "Mission: Impossible 2", Screenwriter Robert Towne brought nuance, complexity and irony to the human interaction and to the characters… So greed is the animating force… Being an amazing filmmaker, John Woo wanted "Mission Impossible 2" to have a lot more emotion and romance… A romantic interest that can engage the hero emotionally, pushing him to exercise his skills… In this case, he's trying to save the life of someone he cares for and loves…The story revolves around three characters… The good guy and the bad guy in love with the same girl… John Woo's sequences were highly developed, completely mind-blowing, dangerous and exciting… Woo really pushed his elements to the edge, designing action that people have never seen… Tom Cruise and Thandie Newton looked very charming, proving to have a great chemistry with each other… They also looked very natural… I loved the scene when they meet, and how they meet… The opening scene came from Robert Wise's "West Side Story"… It is boy meets girl, girl looks at boy… No story telling was needed… With high speed and the judicious muting of sound, Woo made it a love-at-first-sight moment, isolating our two heroes in a very lovely way… Tom's character was a new kind of a hero… A person who really cares about people, and enjoys life… He has a great passion about nature, about love, about everything… Thandie's romantic life was very busy… She is involved with the character played by Dougray Scott, Ambrose who's the key for the Mission team… He is the one with the information which Thandie's character has to win back… Dougray was a really interesting bad guy, as complex a bad guy as you can get and with an impossible mission... Dougray's Ambrose becomes disillusioned with being in Ethan's shadow… In deciding to have more power, he turns to the other side… He forms a renegade band of ex-Special Forces people… But Ambrose couldn't even be himself… He includes his identity into Hunt's, when Ethan was not available… So if he needed to be something, he had to be Ethan Hunt… Ving Rhames' Luther was a balance in the team… He's a computer expert who brought the charm to his character… Outside of Ethan Hunt, he is the only returning member of the IMF team… "Mission: Impossible 2" gave John Woo the ability to really use his filming style, which is the slow motion on key moments… You can see Cruise slow-motion flipping through the air, walking through flames with a white dove sending a message to the evil, running and jumping out of a hole, climbing dangerous scary high cliff, jousting on a motorcycle, trapped in a gun battle, Kick boxing, and having a really sharp and pointy knife in the eye…
36 out of 61 people found the following review useful: Totally different style., 3 May 2006 Author: theshadow908 from London, Ontario
Mission: Impossible was a fast paced espionage thriller that actually made you think, which is what I like in a movie. Since John Woo, who is one of the kings of the action genre, took over for Brian De Palma, you can expect Mission: Impossible II to be an intense action movie with a majorly dumbed down plot. Everything to do with the plot is laid out for us basically right away. Now, all there is to do is sit back and watch those classic John Woo action sequences. In this movie, Ethan Hunt is once again a secret agent, and he is sent on a mission to stop a crooked agent from stealing a deadly virus for his own use.I liked the first Mission: Impossible better because it had a more advanced plot. This Mission: Impossible is just a bland shoot 'em up action film. Now there's nothing wrong with that. The movie was still immensely entertaining. It just didn't fit in with the first film. Even the character of Ethan Hunt, though still played by Tom Cruise, is different. In this movie he doesn't seem as serious about his job. He's more cocky. However, I do like that the character now has absolutely amazing skills in hand to hand combat.Overall, if you're looking for a smart spy thriller like the first film, this ain't it. If you're looking for a fun action film with amazing action sequences, this is it.6.5/10
46 out of 81 people found the following review useful: Simply the worst film ever made (Contains Spoilers!!!), 25 July 2001 Author: No 6 from London, England
I thoroughly enjoyed the first Mission Impossible. It was probably the only film that puts you into the mind of a secret agent as he tries to uncover a conspiracy that wiped out his cohorts. It had excellent twists, who would have thought that the hero of the TV series (Jim Phelps) finally turns into the bad guy.The sequel however has no plot, no interesting dialogue just mindless shootouts that would leave Gun and ballistic experts laughing in disbelief. John Woo is not a director he is a second unit director that got lucky. He cannot control his cast, he cannot convey any plot and he cannot stage believable action sequences.Woo seems to be directing (if you could call it that) in his sleep. The storyline seems to slightly mirror the original film in that a member of IMF goes rogue (not another one!!) and tries to release a Killer Virus called Chimaera on an unsuspecting world.Apparently IMF Boss (Anthony Hopkins) knows the whereabouts of the Villain's hideout and orders Ethan Hunt to plant the Bad Guy's Ex girlfriend in an attempt to undermine him. (Wouldn't it have been better if they just attacked the HQ with commandos etc)In the original film Ethan Hunt gets promoted to Jim Phelps rank within the organisation but in the sequel he is still a "Point man" jumping around in commando gear. Ving Rhames and his Australian colleague seem to do absolutely nothing in this film other than occassionally tap on a computer laptop keyboard and try to look serious. By removing the "team" element that made the series so great it makes the whole thing look like James Bond rather than Mission Impossible.An interesting point to note is that since we know that Jim Phelp's salary was 60K PA There is no way the Rogue IMF grunt in this film could afford a massive private army along with a beach front Condo.Some other laughable points in this film include:The painstaking attempt by Hunt to infiltrate a building by bungee jumping down a giant ventilator shaft while the Rogue IMF villain and his private army gingerly stroll through the front door of said building.The IMF villain must be unbelievably dumb to initiate a shootout (including explosions) with Ethan Hunt in a deadly Virus/Chemical research lab.The Second Unit Director's (Woo) laughable obsession with White Doves that seem to have more screen time than Anthony Hopkins.The throat elastoplast that enables people to talk like other people including perfecting their accents (South African, Scottish, American)And finally the car and motorcycle chases that seem to break the laws of physics rather than breaking the monotony of the plot.It is hard to believe that it took four years of rewrites and production/ shooting to create this sorry mess. Even the soundtrack by Metallica and Limp Bizkit is absolutely Tuneless and irrelevant to the film.Although it made an impressive opening weekend this film got so slated by critics and the media that it would be lucky to break even from box office takings. So do not expect an MI3 so quickly.This movie will have the distinction of earning a Golden Turkey award.
17 out of 26 people found the following review useful: Sets a New High for Stunts, 5 September 2000 Author: Bob-45 from Savannah, GA
If you sometimes go to the movies to be entertained by unbelievably daring stunts, this is the movie to see. From Cruise's incredible rock climb to nail-biting motorcycle "joist" this movie impresses with the stunts. The plot could be written on the back of a postage stamp. However, that's rarely what audiences go to see films like this for. The performances are above average, particularly Dougray Scott and Thadie Newton. A pity Newton's character is underused during the second half of the film. Besides being beautiful, this woman can ACT! It is also refreshing to see a demonstrably romantic and affectionate interracial relationship portrayed on screen in such a positive manner. Newton's race never comes up in the film. Credit producer Tom Cruise for this one. This is one of those movies I'd rent to give my home theatre system a workout. This movie succeeds on its own level; however, I can understand how others could be disappointed. I gave this one a "7" on the IMDB scale.By the way, it was a clever touch to have Cruise receive his mission briefing via wrap-around sunglasses. Kind of nice to be reminded of RISKY BUSINESS.
22 out of 38 people found the following review useful: The awfulness is amazing, 8 May 2006 Author: Miriam G from Iceland
Wow. I've seen lots of bad movies and lots of bad sequels, but this one was just incredibly bad. I didn't even know it was possible to sink that low. And it wasn't even bad in a funny way, but simply bad in an extremely painful way. I don't even know why I watched it to the end.The story is nothing but a series of clichés. The bad guys have stolen a killer virus and are intending to let it loose to make a fortune selling the antidote. Very predictable, eh? The characters couldn't be more two-dimensional if they were in a Nintendo game. Being a tomboy, I absolutely hate it when women in movies have no personality and are just added in as a love interest. Nyah, the chick in MI2, is a perfect example of this. She was the only female in the entire film and her sole purpose was to be sexy (as is subtly shown by several pointless cleavage shots). Sure, the movie wants you to think that she could kick ass if she wanted to by making her a professional thief, but isn't very convincing at that. In the end, while Tom Cruise is engaged in a very unrealistic battle sequence on a beach, she roams around aimlessly, considering the possibility of throwing herself off a cliff (which would have been a relief).I was going to talk about the extremely pointless car chase sequence between the hero and the chick, in which they demolish their cars for no reason whatsoever, but I don't really know what to say about it.The only good thing about this film is that it was so boring that I preferred doing the homework I'd been postponing for ages to watching the dumb motorcycle chases.
27 out of 48 people found the following review useful: Tries hard but doesn't live up to MI1., 8 November 2000 Author: George Parker from Orange County, CA USA
"MI2" gets off to a good start, lags in the middle with weak story and character development, and turns into a muddled mess of gratuitous action in the end. With big budget, big names, and John Woo going for it, "MI2" delivers solid entertainment but falls short of expectations. The film fails to make the emotional connection between audience and characters and apparently tries to compensate with an overdose of action. The result is a numbing experience and a yawn provoking ending as good triumphs over evil.
10 out of 15 people found the following review useful: If it has just a small piece of real, he would have been killed 11 times, 7 November 2005 Author: Obi from Denmark
After a real go Spy movie Mission: Impossible from 1996, Tom Cruise saddle up for at new adventure as the fearless agent Ethan Hunt.After a short time you get the feelings of that this movie can't live up to the first movie.A plot in at movie is very importing, and more importing in at agent movie. This movie don't's have it. not much then.The "bad guys" have at virus, they will set out ind the world, and then sell the anti dope. well, Doh as Homer Simpsons would say.You See it fast, this is at John woo movie,lot of point less action, where you sometime wonder, why???? One of the many things i don't link i this movie, is near the end, where he drives on the black bike, that he stands on the other side, while it drives very fast, is Ethan Hunt a former circus actor? But it's at bad movie if you ask me, and don't See it! Hopes that the 3 Mission: Impossible gets better, it only can.I rest my case..
19 out of 33 people found the following review useful: Bored to tears!, 16 October 2005 Author: rpan from Canada
Very rarely do so many people say so much praise to so terrible a movie like this one. It was so painful to sit through the movie simply because I don't understand it at all!! I was bored to tears so I left in the middle of this movie in protest. I have been watching movies for over 40 years, good ones and bad ones, but this one is a real dud ranking at the bottom of my "worst ever" category. What twisted plot is this? I think Tom Cruise and the other actors had a tough time trying to make the movie watchable but failed to do so. my time and money are totally wasted! Me buying a ticket to see the 2006 MI III? Well, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE!!!
20 out of 35 people found the following review useful: Lame James Bond rip-off., 11 December 2005 Author: crowrobot
I really liked 1996's 'Mission: Impossible'. Now here is the antithesis of the first movie: 'Mission: Impossible II'. The first film was a tight, smooth thriller that barreled along at warp speed, and was a nice break from conventional Hollywood action thrillers. 'II' pretty much IS a conventional Hollywood thriller.Almost nothing from the first film has been picked up here: Tom Cruise? Yes, he's back, but he's not a spy anymore. He's James Bond, minus ANY cool gadgets or charisma. The awesome theme music? Gone, replaced with a horrible rock score. The action is typical Hollywood: Slow-motion gunplay and martial arts.Ugh, I hate this movie! The acting and dialogue is lame, the techno-rock score even lamer, and the action scenes are mundane. Here's hoping 'MI: III' won't be as cringe-inducing as this disaster.
46 out of 87 people found the following review useful: Watch Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious and tell me what you think..., 16 November 2000 Author: SarahMae from Chugiak, AK
I just watched this movie for the first time, and I kept having this vague feeling that I'd heard the story before. Then it came to me: Notorious! It's an Aflred Hitchcock film starring Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant from 1946.The basic plotline goes: girl comes from questionable background. guy is sent to get girl for top-secret mission. guy falls in love with girl. guy discovers that girl must seduce the enemy. guy is not happy. girl goes. girl seduces the enemy. girl discovers enemy secrets. girl gets sick. guy rescues girl.Can we say deja vu? The scene that really clinched it for me was the horse racing scene. Ingrid and Cary do the same scene! It's scary. All they did was update the plotline a little (ie, virus instead of gunpowder for the Nazis), throw in some action (well, a lot of action), and bogus technology, and you're set.Watch Notorious for yourself and see what I mean...
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