Relentlessly Stupid

Rating: 4/10 (26 January 2002)

Synopsis: This sequel to the $183 million grossing blockbuster, has returning agent Ethan Hunt in search of a turncoat IMF agent who has stolen a virus and plots to unleash it on the unsuspecting city of Sydney, Australia. Part of it a plan to become a very wealthy individual in cooperation with a treacherous pharmaceutical executive. With the help of a former lover of the agent, Hunt infiltrates his operations and finds himself enraptured with his new romance, and driven by his job.
The Review: I am nowhere near as good as the reviewer on the first page, but I have to admit, "MI:2" is relentlessly stupid, and borrows cliche after cliche, after cliche. There's nothing funnier than seeing the leading action hero shout "I'm not losing you!" to the damsel in distress, something we've seen in dozens of films in the past decade. John Woo, quite literally the best action film director today, adds a few deft touches to a film, that is just bad. It seems like all critics want to do is kiss a superstar like Cruise, right on the keyster because he's such a big star. "Don't take it seriously." they proclaim, as they do a direct hypocrisy of this statement with virtually any other summer film, because it may not have a big star. If you want a good action film, I suggest Woo's earlier efforts "Hard Boiled", "The Killer", and "A Better Tomorrow II". His poetry of violence is sprawled throughout these poetic films that are brilliant on their own level. "MI:2" is completely different from the DePalma film, in thought and action sequence.
Grade: D+