Not quite as good a Mission

Rating: 7/10 (12 June 2006)

It is difficult to think of a sequel that deviates from it's predecessor's style and format as much as Mission: Impossible II. The 1996 original was a reasonably faithful updating of the formula of the original 1960s television series, with some variations, as to be expected. Mission: Impossible II is a full-on action film, however, loaded with fights, car chases and some outrageously unbelievable moments. It is not necessarily unentertaining, but it is a bit of a drop from the first film.
Mission: Impossible II opens in Sydney, Australia, where bio-technologist Dr. Nekhorvich (Rade Sherbedgia) has decided to smuggle a deadly virus out of the pharmaceutical company he works for and attempt to turn it and the antidote over to the U.S. government. On his way to America, he is murdered and the virus stolen by rogue IMF agent Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott) who plans to sell it back to the company for millions. IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is recruited to stop Ambrose from fulfilling his mission, and in doing so forms an alliance with an old lover of Ambrose, Nyah Nordoff-Hall (Thandie Newton), a thief who Hunt promptly falls in love with himself.
Where Mission: Impossible was criticized for having an overly complicated plot, Mission: Impossible II is pretty much the exact opposite. The plot is straightforward and, frankly, relatively thin. Mission: Impossible II replaces complex plotting with over-the-top, high octane action. Directed by Hong Kong action supremo John Woo, Mission: Impossible II is definitely very much reflective of his individual style. Woo is responsible for balletic action operas in his native country, including such films as The Killer and Hard Boiled, which were distinctive for their almost non-stop action sequences that were assembled with extreme style. Woo's two prior American films, Hard Target and Broken Arrow, also are reflective of his style, although both lacked the kick of his Asian work. Mission: Impossible II is more of his traditional element, full of hand to hand combat, with extreme, borderline unbelievable results.
In bringing his unique style to Mission: Impossible II, Woo film has refashioned the series from a cerebral suspense thriller to a modern day James Bond knock-off, with Hunt at center stage and all the supporting players kept at arm's length. Mission: Impossible II delivers on some impressive sequences, and they are by no means boring, but the absolute absurdity of it all quickly begins to wear out it's welcome. But it is fun at times, and Woo delivers some pretty pictures, full of many of his trademark elements (including plenty of doves in action sequences).
On the character front, Mission: Impossible II is fairly bare bones. Thandie Newton is capable as thief turned secret agent Nyah, but her romance with Hunt is fairly uninvolving. There isn't a lot of chemistry or draw to the two of them, and at times their relationship seems like a plot necessity and not an integral component of the story. Dougray Scott does the appropriate amount of mustache twirling as despicable villain Ambrose, but he is occasionally over the top and manages to make his character into a bit of a caricature at times. Ving Rhames returns as Luther Stickle, the only character to return from the first film other than Hunt, but he and fellow team member Billy Baird (John Polson) are given cameos at best. Cruise is once again capable, but hardly amazing as Ethan Hunt. He delivers what is necessary for the role, but nothing else.
Mission: Impossible II could be viewed in the larger sense as another example of the dumbing down of American movies. The producers, reeling from complaints of Mission: Impossible's complexity and also possibly it's lack of action have delivered the exact antithesis with the sequel: a film which looks good, moves fast, and in which lots of stuff gets blowed up real good. But that is all there is, and while entertaining, you can't help but think something is missing at the core.