This movie should be reclassified as Action/Comedy

Rating: 5/10 (1 June 2000)

This movie tries to better the competition on every front. In doing so it spreads too thin and falls up short.
Note to director and writer's for future reference.
1. To really pull off truly incredible stunts a movie needs to have the fantasy elements of a film like 'The Matrix' in order to suspend the disbelief of the viewer.
2. The hero of the plot needs to possess the roguish charm of a character like Pierce Brosnan's James Bond to attract the ladies at the drop of a hat. Women are attracted to good-looking bad boy heroes.
Throughout this movie Cruise holds onto his good guy in Hollywood persona. John Woo should have talked his star in to taking some real risks with the character, other than the treacherous mountain shots, which, although real, we are informed, looked positively corny. (The audience was having a real good belly laugh, anyway).
The plot was very thin, so thin that it looked merely like a vehicle on which to hang all the super action shots. Thus creating a tremendous sense of imbalance throughout the entire movie.
Best bits - Even though they raise a few giggles - the Action scenes are very good, amazingly choreographed. John Woo fans will not be disappointed. The cinematography was excellent. The Spanish flamenco scene was one of the best in terms of beauty and visual tension.
Ving Rhames and John Polson as the trusty sidekicks were great, and gave the film some much needed character. Thandie Newman was perfect and played her part well.
Now, just before I go point number 3. For all US film companies, writers and directors. Go easy on creating ALL Australian characters as a potential Crocodile Dundee stereotype, unless you want the whole audience to class you as a bunch of dumb yanks.