The Sound and the Fury.

Rating: Null/10 (6 May 2006)

Director John Woo's would-be epic masterpiece was nearly cut in half as "Mission: Impossible 2" was originally meant to go on for over 210 minutes. The studio balked in horror and the film was cut to a more traditional running time. Thus we have a wildly confusing and disjointed tale that makes little sense and has plot holes in every major cinematic area. IMF agent Tom Cruise is brought in from a rock-climbing vacation to chase down a sadistic group of international terrorists led by Dougray Scott and Richard Roxburgh who have stolen a genetically modified disease known as Chimera. Of course we have a return of computer genius Ving Rhames and recruitment of world-renowned thief Thandie Newton (appropriately appealing in the lead female part). A red-hot start is followed by an interminable set-up that never does jell and bolts of energy are killed by contrived martial arts fighting and motorcycle chase sequences that show just how pretentious and self-absorbed that Robert Towne's (who wrote "Chinatown", of all things) crazed script is. Anthony Hopkins is sadly wasted as Cruise's unofficial boss. 2.5 out of 5 stars.