certainly diverting, in an empty sort of way

Rating: 5/10 (7 December 2010)

The second entry in what promises to be a reliable series of action-packed blockbuster diversions is, for better or worse, pure popcorn: an adrenalin-driven, quintessential summertime crowd pleaser. The franchise at the time showed none of the formula staleness of its obvious role model, the James Bond adventures, despite sharing the same exotic international settings, the same megalomaniac villains, and the same beautiful, willing bedmates. Plus (of course) a similar superspy hero, played by producer Tom Cruise, using the role to show off all his favorite hobbies: rock climbing, high-speed ballistic driving, designer sunglasses, and so forth.
Never mind the convoluted plot, which is just an excuse for an unlikely but exhilarating series of clockwork chases and cliffhanger stunts, the latter earning expatriate Hong Kong director John Woo a lot of praise for their balletic choreography (from people who, apparently, don't remember Sam Peckinpah). The film is surprisingly bloodless for having such an impressive body count, with all the colorful, comic book violence making it easy to enjoy, if almost impossible to recall in detail afterward.
Thandie Newton is the token love interest, and a capable foil to Cruise's strictly juvenile machismo, until the inevitable moment when she's reduced (almost on cue) to just another damsel in distress. And the typically glossy presentation will likely impress anyone with a weakness for high-tech gimmicks and gadgetry; if nothing else the film provided ample employment for the best technicians in Hollywood.