John Woo's Impossible Mission.

Rating: Null/10 (26 May 2000)

This is unlike the original MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, since both films are directed by two different directors. For the original, Brian De Palma added action with suspense which was a good formula for bringing the t.v. series to the big screen. Now Asian director John Woo brings action with explosion for the continuing story of special agent Ethan Hunt. Tom Cruise returns as Impossible Mission Force agent Ethan Hunt, who's new mission involves retreving a deadly disease which was stolen from another IMF agent, Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott). Ambrose is selling the disease to the highest bidder, otherwise, he'll release the disease on the planet causing a very deadly and gruesome results. The only way that Hunt can find Ambrose is through Ambrose's former love, Nyah Nordoff-Hall (Thandie Newton). This takes the two over to Sydney, Australia where Hunt recruits two more IMF agents, including Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) who assisted Ethan in the original film. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 is like watching John Woo's greatest hits. There are scenes and action scenes that remind me of Woo's other movies. There are scenes that are similar from some other Woo films, like: FACE/OFF, THE KILLER, HARD BOILED, HARD TARGET, A BETTER TOMORROW, and BROKEN ARROW. From the countless amount of slow motion action scenes, to the flying doves, there is Woo's signiture throughout this film. Which is a lot more different than the De Palma masterpiece that we are all use to. But I still did enjoy the sequal to the 1996 film. However, I didn't enjoy it as much as the original. The original film was much more faithful to the television show with the super spy, government involved, and super gadgets that were like a American version of a James Bond film. Part two, is more like FACE/OFF, where these people are authority figures, but they seem to know more kung-fu than using gadgets. Perhaps that is what Ethan Hunt has been doing the past four years, learning kung-fu. The acting is so-so, I mean, it's no where as spectacular as the Travolta/Cage roles in FACE/OFF, or the Chow Young Fat role in THE KILLER. Cruise is playing the same role that he plays in all of his action films, nothing special like his two previous films, MAGNOLIA and EYES WIDE SHUT. While Dougray Scott is decent playing the villian. Overall, I didn't enjoy MI: 2, as much as the original, but it is enjoyable. The action scenes are entertaining, but not suspenseful. If Mr. Woo only watched some more Hitchcock or De Palma films before making MI: 2, he would have succeeded in bringing tension and suspense to the film. But is it the biggest movie of the summer? Na, I would say the biggest film this summer might be the one with mutants turned superheroes. **** (out of five)