Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in the sequel to 1996's classic action spy series remake. This time respected director John Woo takes control and adds both his blend of artistic, colourful scenes and manages once again to write pigeons into the storyline. This time around Tom Cruise is interrupted on his death-defying rock climbing holiday by the usual self-destructing mission assignment. His mission, should he choose to accept it, is to find the beautiful Nyah (Newton) in Seville and convince her to sleep with her ex-boyfriend in Sydney, Australia, in order to retrieve a virus developed by his associates that has the potential to infect large numbers of people. His plan is to get rich by selling them an antidote also developed by his scientists. A range of shoot-outs, breathtaking stunts, laboratories with flashing lights, and a spectacular motorbike chase pad out the remaining hour and a half of the film.
My biggest problem with the film is that the storyline is weak and yet again an advert for Tom Cruise's winning smile and superhero status. Maybe that is because he produced the film and had too much say in what was included, or maybe it is just because the viewing public want this. The medical storyline seemed to lack plenty of certainty and authenticity. One minute the infected character is a threat to the world because of her bad cough, the next she is riding along in a car with her captors who are wearing no protective gear at all. I also have a big problem with the amount of times someone, no matter how macho, can be hit, kicked and shot before they feel any pain and fall down.
Nevertheless, in a brainless sort of way, this film is well made and quite breathtaking during some of amazingly spectacular scenes of mountain vistas and high-speed motorbikes. Tom Cruise is reliable as an actor and bearable in this role. Thandie Newton does well as the sex interest and should surely land some more higher status roles than she has. Dougray Scott plays a convincing leader of the baddies, and Anthony Hopkins seems slightly underused as the Mission Controller.
Obviously comparissons will be made with the first film. This sequel certainly looks better and captures your attention, surely a testament to the skill of John Woo, but it lacks the complexity of story and true sense of espionage that the first one had. It seems most people have forgotten the TV series and wont make as many comparisons to that. |
