Slightly disappointing, but not that bad...

Rating: Null/10 (24 May 2000)

Okay, so the critics have been less than enthusiastic about this flick. Does the movie live up to the hype? Not quite. But it's really not that bad. There are some truly cool moments in the beginning- I personally liked the chemistry between Cruise and Newton in the bathtub scene, but was weighed down by a rather boring middle where honestly, I really couldn't care much for the plot. But it picks immensely in the last third of the film, just enough to make up for the boring exposition of the middle. Here, the movie resumes typical John Woo form. The action is absolutely insane, and it's got some of the best motorcycle work that I've seen in a long time, and the last third basically made the whole film for me.

And how does it compare to the first movie? While I enjoyed the first film's superior pacing and feeling of suspense amidst technology, the sequel has a real sense of style that was missing from the first film. Both films have their merits, and I'd say that they're almost like two different animals.