Customer Reviews

Mission Impossible II (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Yeah, I know. It's so easy to 'dis this flick. And hey, the first time I saw it, I was not a huge fan either. However, I happened to catch this movie again the other day.

Now, I am of the opinion that a movie's first and foremost job is to entertain -- not to enlighten, not to inform, not to make us feel more intellectual because we have plowed the shadowy depths of a film's varied and multi-layered philisophical underpinnings. If a movie fails to entertain, then it has failed utterly. I don't care how successful it is on any other front.

MI2 is a very entertaining movie. You can't take your eyes off of it. The action is completely engaging and there's just enough plot and dialogue in between. I know, I know; you guys all want to look cool and agree with the rest of the sheeple, er, filmgoers by dismissing this flick as mere fluff, but if you're looking for any sort of depth from this sort of fare, what in tarnation were you thinking???

This movie is entertaining, therefore it succeeds.

"Mr. Hunt, this isn't Mission: Difficult, this is Mission: Impossible. Difficult should be a walk in the park." - Commander Swanbeck makes sure that Ethan Hunt is well aware he is in "Mission: Impossible 2"

Tom Cruise stars in, while John Woo directs a lackluster sequel, to the original "Mission", that has so many outlandish action sequences it's almost too cartoonish to watch.

Taking place a few years after "Mission: Impossible", "M:I 2" has a rogue IMF agent, Sean Ambrose, stealing the vaccine to a highly deadly genetic enhanced virus that can infect the world's popluation within a week of it's release.

The IMF assigns Ethan Hunt to the mission. Ambrose disguises himself as Hunt early on in the film, to steal the vaccine from it's creator, making Hunt itching for some payback, & at first, making the IMF question Hunt's loyalties.

Ethan must first, contact & hook up with Nyah Nordoff-Hall, a thief & former lover of Ambrose's. Second, Ethan has to not only retrieve the vaccine, but, also must get to the virus before Ambrose does. Easier said than done, after all this is "Mission: Impossible".

"M:I 2" is easily the weakest of three "M:I" movies. Although, the plot is pretty solid, their are some holes. The big one for me, was at the end of the film when Nyah is infected. Her symptoms are nowhere near as bad as the scientist at the beginning of the film. She's concious, there is no blood loss, & she just seems to be stumbling around like a drunk (yeah, she looks infected to me & I totally f**king bought it).

This is Tom Cruise's vanity project. I know between takes somebody had a mirror in front of him, making sure somebody loved him.

Dougray Scott was originally offered the role of Wolverine in "The X-Men", but, due to over shooting on this film he had no choice but to pass on the role. Enter Hugh Jackman. Snikt! Exit Dougray Scott's career.

The action is a bit much in this film & is the absolute big drawback to "M:I 2". A few action sequences mirror too much of past Woo films.

The motorcycle chase reminded a little bit of "Hard Target" & when Hunt & Ambrose do the chest bump off the motorcycle's it reminded of a similar sequence from "Face/Off".

"M:I 2" is a decent film, that I expected much more out of both Tom Cruise & John Woo, & if it self destructs in five seconds, I won't lose sleep over it.

I love action movies and this is one that doesn't let you blink. Very good movie.

Arrived in perfect condtition,& in plenty of time for Santa to put this DVD in a stocking. Since this was a gift I haven't viewed it - but daughter & husband said it was very good.

I just got this disc after watching it years ago in its worldwide premiere. I wanted to see what I liked about it and the film holds up remarkably well.

MI-2 features the creative and extravagant pairing of Tom Cruise and John Woo (more explosions! more cars!). Their signature presence is evident in every shot. Robert Towne's script, though no doubt rewritten, is actually tight with strong dialogue and a solid plot. In short, the film works well on all fronts. It doesn't force viewers to think or understand what the problem is - it just gets on with it, unlike many movies that try too hard to be cerebral and clever. People clamouring for the original Brian DePalma Mission Impossible film (which I found convoluted) will never like the subsequent MI-2 and 3 efforts which veered more into James Bond action popcorn territory.

Considering Woo's mixed experiences in Hollywood, MI-2 is actually one of his most polished efforts. In spite of a couple of schticky moments which many people find justifiably hokey (I just had to watch the Audi-Porsche car spinning sequence again) - the film doesn't try to take itself too seriously WHICH IS THE POINT. Critics of Tom Cruise and John Woo will never fully enjoy the film, because of Cruise's cheeseball grin, and Woo's stylistic quirks. But put away those issues, and excuse the signature doves flying around, and you have a thrill-a-minute film.

The casting of Thandie Newton and Dougray Scott makes the film even more intriguing, and puts MI-2 above many other films of this genre that almost reach for this but never make it. As an action film, this has some amazing shots that deserve kudos.

The DVD extras are extensive and a good primer for anyone interested in how to do an action film. There are good interviews with the director and stunt supervisors. There's also a hilarious mockumentary with Ben Stiller from the MTV Movie Awards spoofing Tom Cruise as "Tom Crooze."

MI-2 is underrated. Watch it and enjoy it. If you need a heavy down-to-earth thriller - heck, Mission Impossible was never about that if you recall the premise of "this message will self-destruct in 5 seconds..." It's meant to be fun.

Let me begin by telling you two things. One: I really liked the 1996 film adaptation of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. Two: John Woo is one of my favorite directors. It would seem to me, and to countless others, that John Woo directing MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II would be a dream come true. Perhaps it was because of high expectations that audiences were so disappointed with Woo's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II.

While the plot of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE was deep and jumbled enough to throw many people off, the plot of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II is so miniscule that it's nearly non-existent. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), an IMF (Impossible Mission Force) spy, is ordered to recruit a beautiful thief (Thandie Newton) and work with her in a mission to destroy "Chimera", a genetically-modified disease that could kill millions. Hunt and the thief, named Nyah, become romantically attached to each other, and things begin to get complicated.

One of the most interesting things about the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE film series is seeing how each director handles the material. Brian De Palma's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE was filled with shady characters and conspiracies. J.J. Abrams' MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III was an energetic, action-packed thrill ride. John Woo's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II is substantially different from each of those films. It has nothing in common with De Palma's film at all. It is, however, loaded with intense action sequences. This will come as no surprise to anyone familiar with director Woo's previous films.

Indeed, there are some scenes in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II which only John Woo could pull off. The movie is loaded with Woo's trademark slo-mo action and over-the-top stunts. Memorable scenes include Ethan Hunt wielding dual pistols (something done by numerous other characters in legendary scenes from Woo's Chinese films) and a scene in which a lone white dove emerges from a line of flames. As an operatic bit of Hans Zimmer's very fine score begins playing, Ethan Hunt walks past the flames, glaring in at the film's villain - who is, by the way, played by Dougray Scott.

Any movie directed by John Woo is sure to blow away most action fans, but MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II should really knock their socks off. The plot is small enough to give Woo time to focus on the action scenes, while keeping the film a few steps away from mediocrity. (Screenwriter Robert Towne has said that he based his script on action scenes which John Woo told him that he wanted to direct.) Cruise's Hunt comes off, at times, as an American James Bond. His performance conveys a strong sense of urgency and, occasionally, desperation, which really adds to the overall intensity of the film.

What John Woo's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II lacks in depth is made up for with perfectly-executed action sequences guaranteed to satisfy the action fan. Despite a primarily-negative audience response, this is a good sequel that very narrowly misses the mark.

I think this movie was rated bad by people because it was so different from the first one. I went to watch this movie thinking it was going to be long, kinda drab but still in its own way interesting like the first. But instead it added a few things that the first one could have used like ACTION. I think this movie was a good combination of a modern action movie well balanced with
technical expertise and suspense. This movie had a sexy feel that flowed smoothly throughout the movie that just kept you hook until the end. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt. Anthony hopkin and Ving Rhames where also good elements added for this movie.

This movie was not only stupid, but it also stained the MI series with a huge inconsistant sequal. The storyline is just plain shaky. Tom Cruise was NOT the Ethan hunt that he was in the first one. He turned into some into some guy who laughs at everything, he lost ALL of his charm that he had in the first movie. This was a TERRIBLE MOVIE!!! The characters were so differnet then the first one, and gosh the worst part of this movie was how inconsistant it was from the first one. Only buy this if you absolutly have to, but let me warn you, it is a WASTE!!!

I know that Beany is going to hate me for this, since he holds DePalma's original in such high esteem he actually considers the sequels to be repulsive, but I actually really like all three films in the series and feel that they play off one another rather well. There is no denying that original 96 film is, BY FAR, the best in the series, but Woo's follow up is very engaging in its stark differences.

Instead of playing a head game on us this time, Woo takes Hunt and his escapades in a drastically different direction. Woo, who is well known for his unique brand of action films, makes an impressionable mark on this film, layering scene after scene with his visionary stylings and delivering a stunning array of action sequences that ooze forth with eye-catching symmetry. The plot becomes an afterthought (unlike the original, which was all about plot). It has been commented that this film was basically built around the action scenes, and it shows, but that is the beauty of what Woo did here.

The original film was engaging and spellbinding because it made you think (hard), but this film is equally as engaging and spellbinding for the opposite reason, it makes you stare (hard).

The film revolves around Hunt and a thief Nyah who fall in love after getting steamy only to have their affections tested when they join forces to smoke out Sean, Nyah's ex-lover who happens to be selling off a deadly virus. Things get sticky (as always) and Hunt has to fight his way out, and fight he does.

With countless action scenes that involve a freelance climb up the side of a mountain that still gives me chills; one of the best car chase scenes in movie history; a brilliant ending battle between Cruise and Scott (complete with motorcycles) and a slew of other expertly crafted espionage stuff, `Mission Impossible: 2' is totally absorbing.

Tom Cruise, as much as I dislike him, was a perfect fit for this film, and he carried that perfect fit through all three films. His arrogance is balanced beautifully with his dedication, and the layers of humanity given him here (no matter how forced at times) play off him nicely. Dougray Scott makes the perfect villain and I hate that he has pretty much disappeared. After his stint in `Ever After' I saw `heartthrob' written all over him, and then he did this and I saw versatility and really thought he would be everywhere. Sadly, he kind of just went away. Thandie Newton hasn't gone anywhere, and I'm happy about that. She is totally hit or miss for me, but when she hits (like she does here), she is unforgettable.

So, is this as good as DePalma's near masterpiece? No, but it's a totally different film and it compliments the original. I own all three, and like them all to varying degrees (I feel like the third film tried hard to mix the plot depth of the original with the action style of Woo's to uneven effect, but Hoffman is seethingly brilliant and reason enough to see the film).

When I think of the amazing schemes and plotting of the original, I was amazed to find that this sequal had none of that. In John Woo fashion, it is pure action and a pretty good amount of symbolism throughout the film.
The action actually is really exciting and the soundtrack is a great booster to the stunts. I was also happy to learn Cruise did a vast majority of the stunts himself.
However, the overuse of the fake masks makes the movie very boring and predictable. So, prepare to see a lot of action but dont be expecting to be duped or confused like MI1.