Predictably Bad

Rating: Null/10 (5 June 2000)

Against my better knowledge I went and saw Mission: Impossible 2 shortly after it premiered, armed with what turned out to be a suitably a cautious mindset. I didn't really like the original Mission: Impossible (not that these two have anything whatsoever in common, apart from Cruise and the title music) though I do respect that it was a stylish and expertly crafted film. John Woo's sequel is unfortunately not. Yes, it does have a checklist of action clichÃ©s (explosions, bikes, guns, cleavage, etc), but the delivery is just so frustratingly plain.
The plot revolves around Cruise and Co finding a vial of deadly virus, though the plot is far from the strongest point in the film. My big complaint was that M:I-2 just didn't come together well. It shuddered and jolted through predictable set pieces. Visually each piece was shot well, though there was no linking continuity. Sydney looked nice (think Water Rats + multimillion dollar budget), though perhaps The Matrix portrayed it better.
There were a few nice touches: the scene inside the research building in particular with the glass and neon lighting. However, every good point is countered by several bad ones, such as the tragically masculine 'courting' car chase, the slightly heavy-handed white dove symbolism, the final showdown between Cruise and the archetypal South African villain that dragged on and on, and so on.
In conclusion, I found M:I-2 a predictably bad action, virtually devoid of inspired filmmaking. Please don't go see this one, it's already raked in enough profit. Try Gladiators if you're in the mood for some epic action.
Two Stars (from 5). To throw around that amount of cash the end result has to be darn good (or marketable).