Gritty realism replaces slick set-pieces

Rating: 7/10 (8 May 2006)

Our favorite IMF agent Ethan Hunt is back and the suspense never lets up in this second installment of the "Mission: Impossible" series. Why second you say? Because I would prefer to forget the atrocious second installment. It's dead to me. We may never forgive you, Woo.
This series is really the new James Bond. The real Bond series became a bloated self-parody years ago when the comical Roger Moore took the character in that direction. The "Mission: Impossible" series is equally implausible but at least takes itself seriously.
Ethan Hunt is the impossibly competent agent who can keep his cool under all circumstances and double-cross the double crossers. Cruise gives Hunt an energy and fire that make him a compelling and likable character. But unlike the first installment when he was always a step ahead of his nemesis, here Hunt starts out behind the eight ball.
To continue the Bond analogy, this episode of Mission: Impossible reminds me of "From Russia with Love". In that classic "Connery" Bond, our hero is constantly being out-smarted and beaten up by the bad boys of S.P.E.C.T.R.E. until he finally uses his wits and talents to pull out the win.
In the first "Mission: Impossible", Hunt is set-up and manages to cleverly manipulate his knowledge of the system to expose the true mole, redeem himself and ride off into the sunset.
This film is a different story. From the start the rules have changed. Hunt is certainly not in control. He is reacting the best he can to variety of difficult challenges. (Some could be described as "impossible".) Philip Seymour Hoffman proves, once again, that he is an extraordinary actor by making us hate his evil character with every fiber of our being. The other characters seem one dimensional except for Ving Rhames warm and decent Luther character. The action is non stop and the action scenes are paced quickly and chaotic in the style of modern action films. Gone are DePalma's smooth and slickly packaged set-pieces but a gritty realism is in it's place. Except for a few moments of much needed humor, this film is bleak and unromantic in it's portrayal of the life of a top agent like Ethan Hunt.
I would recommend seeing this film if you are a fan of the first movie.