Although the original Mission Impossible 's story confused the heck out of audiences, it was not that hard to follow. Robert Towne's story is basic. Bad guys stole Chimera, a deadly virus. Good guys must stop bad guys. It turns out to be the cure, and now Hunt and Ambrose are in a race to find the last remaining samples of Chimera.
Hunt wants to destroy it, and Ambrose wants to sell it to the highest bidder.
Hunt falls for Hall, who turns out to be Ambrose's ex-girlfriend. Aside from a couple unexpected red herrings, most of the twists are predictable, and the outcome is inevitable. Newton's Hall is so aloof and distant that she seems almost inhuman. 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.