Good, but not great

Rating: Null/10 (12 January 2002)

I had heard so much hype about this from my friends and family, that I finally went out an rented it. I'll say it was an awesome movie, but it could of been so much more than what it was. It started out great, The little sequence at the beginning (and end) with the self destructing message was a good twist to it, making it that more familiar with the original. The first mission was also very good. How much it was thought out and planned and how each character did their own small part which all added up to a big goal was also very good. So much build up here which was all exceptionally good. Than BAM! Something happens (which I won't say) and the movie just stops. For the next 40 minutes was nothing but a mindless swarm of crappy drama which made my eyes water from looking at the screen for so long without anything worth watching happening. It is just plain BORING! though some points in this emotional gap are important to the story, it is just to long and to dull without anything in between to keep the pace. What they needed was a really good fight scene some where in the middle of this dull spot, plus deleting about two or three scene's that made it drag on and on. I have no problem with an emotional aspect to the film, in fact, I think it's important to make the characters seem more real rather than these wooden, glassy characters you get in the average movie, but it was just to much.
Finally, after 40 minutes of drag, the movie picks up pace and makes up for lost time. When they sneak into that vault for the computer data was just thrilling. Watching *Jack* hang over the floor like a fish made me nearly jump up from my seat in tension. Very well done. And from there the movie just keeps getting better and better till they reach one of THE best movie endings of all time! The sharp twist at the end was so unexpected, and very shocking. While Sixth Sense did a much better job with the same idea, you just can't compare movies with the Sixth Sense. The last Action Sequence was one of the most original I have ever seen. You expected another martial art blow out just like they do in just about every movie, but instead they did this brilliant 20 minutes of stunning action which, as far as I know, has never been done quite like this. It was thrilling, Exciting, nerve-wrecking, suspenseful and completely unpredictable. However, Those who like it somewhat reasonably realistic will roll their eyes. But look past that and you have yourself some of the best 20 minutes of genuine action.
Overall, it's a good movie. Tom Cruise does an Excellent job with his role, as does the rest of the cast. It was brilliantly written and directed, the Plot and storyline were brilliant. It's unfortunate they made that 40 minute soap opera so dull and draggy. It takes a lot points away from my overall rating. They definitely needed some serious editing there. It's a shame, This film had such great potential to being one of the best. But it is an awesome film, and therefore deserves a 7.1/10, but only because of it's ending, the only redeeming factor.