Cruise is playing the suave, slick role he usually plays, and he has it down to a tee. However, Cruise and Newton have little on-screen chemistry together, making their scenes dull. Scott plays the standard maniacal evildoer bent on taking over the world. Woo's mastery of the use of the elegance of violence transforms the movie into a visual ballet of brutality. All of his stock trademarks are present.
Combatants fly through the air holding two guns while the wind whips through their hair.
Pigeons coo and flap their wings amidst violence, and Woo frequently slows down the action scenes to display the stunts in all their glory. Cruise's antics on a mountain wall and the motorcycle chase and ensuing showdown that close the movie are dazzling displays of Woo's ability as an action director. Mission Impossible 2 is a good example of style over substance, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Here, the action sequences cover its other plot-related shortcomings.