Flat and faceless despite all the faces

Rating: 3/10 (22 August 2000)

Well, reviewers and friends were saying do not look for any character development or depth in this film. I understand. I can approach each film with reasonable expectations, I just expect to be entertained on the level the director presents. This sequel is nowhere near as entertaining as the first. All Tom too much of the time. Can you tell he produced it? It's all "been there, seen that". Dangling Tom, grinning Tom. I loved Face/Off and liked Broken Arrow. I know John Woo can do it, but he didn't do it here. The "face-lifting" throughout this one is OK at first, but Woo allows it to get old fast. His slo-mo fight sequences are tiresome after a while. I know he does it well, but he does it so much here. One fight scene near the end is intolerably long and, yes gratuitous, even for a John Woo work. Believe what you hear, there is no characterization. I would like to see other things Thandie Newton has done, they must be better. Tom Cruise just, well, cruises (sorry). There is no connection between anyone on the MI "team". Lots of action, guns and fights? Oh yeah. And the music is good and loud. But the music is good. This is one of those movies I saw with someone and I was entertained. Didn't pay full price at first run, so I'm not too irritated at that. If you haven't seen it, save it for video.