Critic Reviews
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Dennis Harvey, Variety
Woo lays on his own particular high-octane stylishness so thick the results edge perilously toward self-parody.
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Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
For all my profound reservations about the whole project, I wound up liking it more, or, at least disliking it less, than I had anticipated. Thandie Newton is the biggest reason.
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Derek Adams, Time Out
Woo's hysterically hyper visuals and boytoy gimmickry can't camouflage the emptiness of the enterprise.
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Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
Despite Cruise's attempts here to be Byronic, there's something strenuous about his soulfulness; he turns everything, even repose, into calisthenics.
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Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
It's fun. It's laughable. It has moments of excitement, moments of sheer idiocy and moments of sheer idiotic excitement.
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Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
A strained sequel to a feature rip-off of an old television show with a stealable theme song. On screen and off, no one's getting marks for originality here.
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Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Good thrill ride of a movie for teens and older.
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Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
This will go down on my list as the better sequels.
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Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Here, Woo just seems to fall back on slow-mo whenever he gets bored, which apparently is often.
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Joe Lozito, Big Picture Big Sound
With all this having been done before, making MI2 interesting or suspenseful truly is an impossible mission.
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Betsy Bozdech, Reel.com
M:I-2 isn't as original or inventive as Woo's Hong Kong films (or even his first big stateside blockbuster, Face/Off), but it certainly entertains.
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Ron Wells, Film Threat
It doesn't matter how many extra months the director spends creating impressive action scenes. If the audience is not emotionally invested in the fate of the heroes, no amount of explosions will make them care.
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Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
The makers don't go out of their way to make this original in any way, but the quality comes through.
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Jeffrey Overstreet, Looking Closer
This sequel seems afraid of confusing people, so much so that it dumbs down the plot to an insulting level.
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Judith Egerton, Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
A more coherent and romantic script.
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Eugene Novikov, Film Blather
Rather than a groundbreaking piece of new gadgetry, this thriller is like an old, well-oiled machine.
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Susan Tavernetti, Palo Alto Weekly
Woo outwits, outgadgets, outstunts and outdirects the original with one hand tied behind his back.
Read all 17 critic reviews
Featured Audience Ratings
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Ethan Hunt recruits the skills of a beautiful jewel thief to recover a lethal virus that was stolen by a rogue IMF agent. Brian De Palma's attempt to make a more adult spy movie in the original Mission Impossible is jettisoned in favour of the usual Hollywood blockbuster… More
Ethan Hunt recruits the skills of a beautiful jewel thief to recover a lethal virus that was stolen by a rogue IMF agent. Brian De Palma's attempt to make a more adult spy movie in the original Mission Impossible is jettisoned in favour of the usual Hollywood blockbuster histrionics and to be fair, MI: 2 has dated rather better as a result. It plays out very much like its contemporary Bond films and a gorgeous Thandie Newton conjures some pretty decent chemistry with Cruise in the early scenes of the film. In fact John Woo shows some unusual restraint for the first two acts and his trademark stylised action works extremely well for an exciting research facility heist. Dougray Scott also makes a suitably Machiavellian villain as "Dark Ethan" and it all shapes up to be an enjoyable if silly action movie. Unfortunately things take a decided turn for the worse during the climax as Woo succumbs to his worst excesses for an uncomfortably bloated finale which degenerates into complete nonsense. The action becomes so overblown and incessant it becomes increasingly tedious rather than exciting and the emotional button pushing is done encased within a concrete boxing glove. This all culminates in an absurd acrobatic smackdown between Cruise and Scott that resembles a drearily drawn out round of Tekken. A shame really, because up until that point it was really good fun but it still stands up as a brainless but fun instalment that's probably the second best of the series after Ghost Protocol thanks to its willingness not to take itself too seriously.
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Ethan (Tom Cruise) is sent to Sydney to find and destroy a GM disease. Not as good as the first one. Motorbike stunts are cool!
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I actually do like this movie, because it does have it's merits, but I think it went in the wrong direction this time around. First of all, John Woo is a great director, but I think he was the wrong choice for this. There's absolutely nothing wrong with action in a spy… More
I actually do like this movie, because it does have it's merits, but I think it went in the wrong direction this time around. First of all, John Woo is a great director, but I think he was the wrong choice for this. There's absolutely nothing wrong with action in a spy thriller, but Woo's brand of action just doesn't fit with this type of thing. I do like balls to the wall action, but I also like an intelligent and strong plot with loads of intrigue, suspense, and atmosphere- things that are really lacking here.
Cruise is once again good as Hunt, and I like his look here, but I'm not big on how the character was portrayed this time around. At least we've got Ving Rhames back. He has a good rapport with Cruise and definitely cements himself as a necessary part of this series. It just wouldn't be the same without him.
If all you want is a loud, bombastic action fest with some spyjinks thrown in, then this is for you. If however, you want some intrigue and suspense to go with your action, then stick with the first one. I will say though, that one of the biggest highlights for me was this film's soundtrack, filled to the brim with then current alternative and metal tracks that really spoke to me at the time, and still kinda do.
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I once read a book entitled Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field, which, as you may gather from the title, is a thorough run-through of how to write a sturdy screenplay. In one chapter of the book, Mr. Field explains that scripting a sequel is a way of adapting… More
I once read a book entitled Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field, which, as you may gather from the title, is a thorough run-through of how to write a sturdy screenplay. In one chapter of the book, Mr. Field explains that scripting a sequel is a way of adapting the original work. Just as when adapting a book, rebooting a television series, remaking another film, etc., however, enough information must be given so that an audience who has not seen the original work-or has forgotten about it-understands the characters and what is happening. It was almost a year ago that I saw the original MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and over six months since I saw the most recent installment into the series. I do remember what they were like, luckily. Had I not seen and remembered those exhilarating pictures, I would be suffering from not knowing what not knowing what was happening (I'm still looking for the plot that appeared in this film), and I would have much different expectations of the rest of the series. Or I would just have no earthly desire to watch any more of the series.
read more about this cinematic trash at themoviefreakblog.com
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Well if you like Mr Woo then your in for a treat, the whole film is a slow motion action fest with every trade mark Woo can muster from his Eastern flick back catalog. The rest of the film purely concentrates on Cruise's face and hair haha sure the film looks gorgeous and the… More
Well if you like Mr Woo then your in for a treat, the whole film is a slow motion action fest with every trade mark Woo can muster from his Eastern flick back catalog. The rest of the film purely concentrates on Cruise's face and hair haha sure the film looks gorgeous and the action is sweet but there is nothing more. The plot is as common as a chav and the acting/casting is weak...Dougray Scott is pathetic as the bad guy frankly, hardly intimidating. A perfect example of how Cruise has turned the film into a self indulgent mess, it focuses on nothing else really.
Out goes the original notion of 'Hunt' acting in a well oiled espionage machine and in comes Mr Cruise's personal ego trip on how the classic franchise should go. Yes I can't deny that some of the stunts and gun fights/fights are almost beautiful in how they have been filmed, a virtual ballet of violence for sure but you can only do so much.
The motorbike 'jousting' sequence is almost embarrassing to watch really, its so stupid yet taken so seriously, there is nothing wrong with adding a different style to the franchise but they should have toned it down.
Bad move Mr Cruise and bad move Mr Woo for going overboard, slow motion action has fast become over used and almost jokey. The only genuinely decent sequence is at the start when Cruise shows us he has balls by doing his own free climbing stunts which are pretty impressive I must say, certainly makes you grip your armrest watching that hehe a very good tense yet simple sequence.
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what the hell was this? Mission Impossible 1 was great. This movie was crapped on by John Woo, the asian-Michael Bay. Stupid. Long-haired Tom Cruise. Exploding glasses going towards the camera. Headshots while spinning on a motorcycle. Dumb.
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I have seen all of the Mission Impossible franchise, and 'MI2' is easily my least favorite. The un-involving story, poor choice of actors, and cringe-inducing fight scenes (overstuffed with Woo's martial arts action) are all areas of concern. The franchise seems to have… More
I have seen all of the Mission Impossible franchise, and 'MI2' is easily my least favorite. The un-involving story, poor choice of actors, and cringe-inducing fight scenes (overstuffed with Woo's martial arts action) are all areas of concern. The franchise seems to have met a speed bump on its way to success.
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John Woo's contribution to the MI-series is more of a "Woops" than a "Woo-hoo". Weakest of the lot, it lacks the drive and intensity that made the original such a thrill ride. Treading a lot of water, it takes too long to get going, and just when you think… More
John Woo's contribution to the MI-series is more of a "Woops" than a "Woo-hoo". Weakest of the lot, it lacks the drive and intensity that made the original such a thrill ride. Treading a lot of water, it takes too long to get going, and just when you think it's about to pick up the pace, it drops the would-be suspense, in favor of some awkwardly placed slow-motion shots and uninteresting dialogue. It's not the total misfire that some have made it out to be though. More often than not, it's a pretty enjoyable watch. Not because of the action, but because of the actors carrying it out. For although the main villain is a cardboard cut-out with no interesting character traits, Tom Cruise and the supporting cast (including the very lovely Thandie Newton and a brief, but dignified appearance by Sir Anthony Hopkins) maintains a solid watchability, that prevents the film from crashing. My least favourite in the franchise, no argument there, but it could definitely have been a lot worse. Just an average slice of spy action. No more, no less.
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more like action impossible. a total trainwreck and the only weak spot in an otherwise solid series.
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Like the first, the second instalment of the Mission Impossible franchise, needs better writers, and less unbelievable hollywood action. With eye popping stunts and a cast that everyone came to love from the first, Mission Impossible 2 is a great action flick if you turn your brain… More
Like the first, the second instalment of the Mission Impossible franchise, needs better writers, and less unbelievable hollywood action. With eye popping stunts and a cast that everyone came to love from the first, Mission Impossible 2 is a great action flick if you turn your brain off. If you are in the mood to have an average story, covered by brainless action sequences, then Mission Impossible 2 is the film for you. However, I think the series is about to go downhill if the studio does not, up their game. Mission Impossible 2 is very hit and miss. To me, it is very fun at times, but does not quite live up to the original!
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This was almost as bad as Knight and Day
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Cool effects, but not a very concrete plot. Besides, how many times did this movie expect to get away with the mask route? Was Ethan just carrying around a mask of Sean's henchman the whole time?
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Sequel to Mission Impossible is a borderline decent action film that has a fairly engaging story, but lacks the power of the original or third entry. One reason for this I'd say is because of John Woo's directing style, his films suck and he adapts his signature in creating… More
Sequel to Mission Impossible is a borderline decent action film that has a fairly engaging story, but lacks the power of the original or third entry. One reason for this I'd say is because of John Woo's directing style, his films suck and he adapts his signature in creating a film laced with lots of action and strong visuals. The film is certainly entertaining, but once the credits roll, you are left with thoughts that there was something missing in order to make a truly impressive sequel. Luckily that was repaired with the third film. The acting here is good, but not excellent, and some performances feel forced, almost strained. I felt that this film could have been much better, and that they could've picked a better director to helm the project. The film has some good action scenes, but never really anything great. The things that are absent from this sequel are remedied in the third, and in the third, the villains are more fierce and make for a better film experience. Overall this is a decent film, with nothing remarkable about it. The film could have been much better and it shows on screen. The film has the potential of being phenomenal, but it falls most of the time, and at times it's just ridiculous. Obviously they were never going to be able to capture the strength of the first film with the writers that wrote this sequel. What you can expect from this sequel is a decent action film that stalls in delivering something memorable.
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Lost DePalma as a director and that's where this movie failed. Has cool action but definitely not as good as the first and lacks alot of substance.
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Mission: Impossible II really isn't a sequel to the first movie at all, but an action hybrid remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious with the characters of Mission: Impossible. John Woo's take on the franchise is so different from Brian De Palma's in every way… More
Mission: Impossible II really isn't a sequel to the first movie at all, but an action hybrid remake of Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious with the characters of Mission: Impossible. John Woo's take on the franchise is so different from Brian De Palma's in every way possible that it's effective on a completely different level. Unlike the original, this is chalk full of pulse pounding action sequences, explosions and slow motion. However, it's still really cool and just another way of interpreting the characters and spy genre.
This time around, Ethan Hunt is a lot more gung ho and impulsive. Instead of refraining from gun use like he did in the first, he carries dual pistols and has an outrageous body count. Tom Cruise ups the intensity this time around by getting more involved with his damsel in distress. This becomes more relevant when he must go on a solo mission to take down the man that wants his squeeze dead. Whether it's a motocycle chase, knife fight or gun battle, Tom Cruise is always delivering quality. He makes all of the action a lot more believable than it might look otherwise and continues to make the character of Ethan Hunt one of the coolest spies in film.
Now John Woo has a very particular style that seeps into all of his movies and this is no exception. His love for flying doves, twin pistols and characters running from explosions is all here. He introduces a number of crazy henchmen, an overly creepy sidekick villain and a criminal mastermind that wants nothing short of total control. You either accept this bizarre combination of unbelievable stunts and larger than life characters or you don't; I for one have no problem enjoying the ride. The style is so consistent that you are never really pulled out of this reality.
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Director, John Woo has brought his own pistol packing style to this frantic adventure. Spectacular non-stop action that just blows your mind with Woo's stellar style of two-fisted gun-play. The pulse meter goes sky high on this amazing and exhilarating thrill-ride. It's… More
Director, John Woo has brought his own pistol packing style to this frantic adventure. Spectacular non-stop action that just blows your mind with Woo's stellar style of two-fisted gun-play. The pulse meter goes sky high on this amazing and exhilarating thrill-ride. It's packed with sizzling suspense and excitement that dose not stop.
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Mission Impossible 2 has very creative and visual action sequences but the plot is much too slow and simplistic
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Well, not a bad sequel but definitely it wasn't as good as the first one.. There are too many camouflage, Ethan as Dr. Nekhorvich or Sean as Ethan, it just too predictable for me.. Yet the presence of Thandie Newton here just like a sweeter for this movie... I won't say that… More
Well, not a bad sequel but definitely it wasn't as good as the first one.. There are too many camouflage, Ethan as Dr. Nekhorvich or Sean as Ethan, it just too predictable for me.. Yet the presence of Thandie Newton here just like a sweeter for this movie... I won't say that I don't like it, I like it but I just don't like how John Woo directs this movie... Luckily he's still better than Ang Lee's Hulk... Overall, not a worse sequel but definitely the first movie was hard to forget...
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Read all 20 featured audience ratings
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