Mission failed

Rating: Null/10 (2 September 2000)

* ½ (1½ out of 5)

M:I-2 (Mission: Impossible 2)

Directed by: John Woo, 1999

John Woo-infested and contrived sludge. A hollow made-for-Summer movie if there ever was one, featuring product-placement overload and basically just too much of everything.

The first one worked neatly so you come back smiling and wanting more. Don't. Plenty of gadgetry and plot twists can't make up for the extreme self-aware vibe.
Featuring ridiculous and annoying cinematography. More of a commercial or vehicle for the well-toned Tom Cruise (complete with new neck-long hair) than anything else.

Woo's action sequences are (as always) impressive. However  they're also unbelievable and pretentious and it's amazing how he sticks to his guns (and own formula) not realizing how he's destroying his own legacy. Woo is for action movies what Status Quo are for classic rock bands; numbly beating the same old horse because it still pays the bills.

M:I-2 qualifies as brainless and uninspired box office flubber. Only the soundtrack offers a glimmer of hope as Limp Bizkit do a slamming job on the theme song (listed as Take A Look Around).