Sit down, buckle up, shut up and hold on!

Rating: Null/10 (25 May 2000)

Sitting there in a darkened theatre, waiting for the trailers to start, listening to the four guys in front of me discussing the dynamics of transporter functions, whether it would be prudent to transport someone's atoms to the surface of the sun if there was a chance of reassembling them on the transport back. I had started wondering if perhaps I was in the wrong theatre. My discomfort increased when the couple next to me joined in the conversation with their theories of time and temperature affecting transporting if you were a murderer trying to place yourself in a poker game one hour prior and one hour after a murder, using a transporter so that you would not be detected. The hairs on the back of my neck rose up in alert when the three behind me piped in about why it was impossible to reassemble the atoms of a living organism (because the organism was always moving, only inanimate objects could be reassembled cause .. they.. didn't.. move...). I didn't move either. I stayed very still, wondering. Where the hell was I? Why was I surrounded by Trekkies? How weird is this? But then I remembered who was credited for writing this movie...
A Room With a View... of Hell, Staircase of Satan... Pond of DEATH... Get the biggest popcorn bucket you can handle, sit down, buckle up, shut up and hold on..
Mission Impossible 2 (A John Woo Film) - No s**t. Written by Brannon Braga (Hence all the Trekkies - oops.. sorry .. my bad.. Trekkers). Braga has made his claim writing Star Trek Generations, Star Trek First Contact and some other Trek stuff. Wheww. I was really worried there for a minute. But they shut up as soon as the movie started. Wow. Great action. The motorcycle chase scene was literally jaw-dropping. Motorcycles were never built to do stunts like that. I was so amazed. Lots of very classic Woo-isms which is one my favorite games to play watching his movies and I love to spot them. One very important one was left out, but I won't say which. The story was kinda lame, and I had a very difficult time believing the romantic edge of it, although I will admit that I do believe in love at first sight. But Tom Cruise and Thandie Newton had no chemistry between them. And I always have a tough time with those (Dark Man-ish) masks that they pull off their faces so that you can never tell who is really who. The bad guy Dougray Scott (known for his memorable appearances in Ever After, Deep Impact and Princess Caraboo) was mean enough, as the former IMF guy who turned greedy and decided to threaten the world, by selling the antidote to a lethal lab-created virus to the highest bidder, yada..yada.. As I said, kinda lame story, but I always love the technology, the toys and some of the most unbelievable action stunts ever. I was disappointed that Tom Cruise didn't walk out of a hospital holding a baby, with a cigarette in his mouth, because that would have been a signature and a half. Ving Rames was kept in the background and I would have liked to see him have more presence on the screen. And Anthony Hopkins. I have no clue what he was doing in the three minutes he was in this movie. For his part, really, anyone would have done. They should've saved the money and put it towards a better screenplay. But it is a great action movie. And must be seen on the big screen to be truly appreciated. The locations were spectacular and majestic. Although I could tell the Trekkers weren't thrilled that the Enterprise didn't show up to save the Earth this time. The rules about sequels never being as good as the first film do not apply here. This film looked and felt better than the first and I look forward to seeing the next one.
Chris Fata North American Ambassador Trash City Magazine >