Although it was a blockbuster hit, most agree that Tom Cruise's first movie adaptation of the classic TV series, "Mission: Impossible," was not only implausible, but nearly impossible to understand.
Interview with "M:I-2" costar and Wednesday's entertainment headlines.
Cruise's mission in "M: I-2" (the film's promotional title) finds his agent Ethan Hunt in Sydney, Australia, where he enlists the aid of computer genius Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Aussie agent Billy Baird (John Polson) to track down Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott), a former agent turned bio-terrorist. Ambrose is closing in on some vials that contain the Chimera bug, a deadly viral strain that will threaten the world with a ghastly fatal illness if unleashed.
But Ambrose's motives include more than just wreaking simple havoc, and Hunt and company need the help of master thief Nyah Hall (Thandie Newton) -- who also happens to be Ambrose's ex-girlfriend -- to catch him. Though there's clearly an attraction between Nyah and Hunt, she's the only person with the ability get close enough to Ambrose and find out his deadly intentions before he puts them into play.
There's no question that "M: I-2" is far better than the original, thanks in large part to the talents of filmmakers Robert Towne and John Woo.
Towne is a masterfully subtle, veteran, Oscar-winning scribe ("Chinatown") who got drowned out in the pool of writers in the first "Mission: Impossible."
Woo is the hyper-kinetic action filmmaker who scored high marks with the John Travolta-Nicolas Cage action-thriller "Face/Off" (which might have been helpful, since "M: I-2" employs several face disguises).
And while it would be a producer's dream to have both talents working on the set, the visions of both Towne and Woo just don't quite seem to mesh under these particular circumstances.
The result is a two-hour movie -- a 75-minute gem that is built mostly on suspense and intrigue but is clearly left in the dust by 45 ensuing minutes of overwrought action and vanity.
Action fans are sure to revel in the film's final minutes; others will just grow tired, if not slaphappy from its escalating level of ridiculousness. That's too bad, because Woo holds a pretty intense tone before all hell breaks loose.
While it's set in the modern day, you have to be willing to surrender your disbelief for "M: I-2." That's not hard to do, considering that the idea of bio-terrorism is a frighteningly real proposition.
No matter to what extent you are willing to go to accept the incredible circumstances of the action scenes, the breaking point is sure to come with a scene prominently displayed in the film's trailer: Cruise and Ambrose play a game of high-speed chicken on their motorcycles. I won't reveal the outcome here, but what happens is laugh-out-loud funny. Somehow, though, I don't get the feeling that it was the intended purpose.
If that isn't enough, the motocycle scene leads to the customary testosterone-drenched final confrontation. Even a person with the slightest clue about action movies could predict the inevitable outcome, but the straightforward scene is perplexing and way too long. If something new isn't going to be introduced into the action mix, why prolong it?
For all its faults, there's still no doubt that Woo has an incredible handle on filmmaking. His high-energy technique is fun to watch, and in particular, the slow-motion shots of explosions are expertly choreographed and grandly operatic.
Unfortunately, in the execution of it all, he stretches the believability factor to its limits, and the action becomes a hindrance. The bombastic approach hits a low point when he clearly meets Cruise's demands to get several shots of the star's waving mane among the flying bullets and explosions.
Cruise demonstrates once again that he's a solid actor and a believable action star, which is why it's surprising that he feels the need to show off his assets to draw attention away from his acting. If he thought it was going to be an attraction, he was wrong.
While "M: I-2" is clearly a vanity trip for Cruise, he isn't the only one looking pretty. Newton (who co-starred in Cruise's "Interview With the Vampire" and Oprah Winfrey's "Beloved") is stunning as Nyah, not only in looks, but also in presence. She easily holds her own against Cruise, but not near to the level of Anthony Hopkins, who has a cameo as Cruise's boss.
Once again, Hopkins delivers his lines in a state of grace, leaving you in dire anticipation of more. One only hopes that if there's another "Mission," he'll have a much bigger role.
Rhames is charming as usual as Cruise's buddy, and Aussie star John Pilson adds an amusing touch to the proceedings in a notable supporting role.
Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Scott and sidekick Richard Roxburgh, who play the "bad guy" roles to exact type. They're convincing enough; it's just that their cruel, unflinching mannerisms are traits that we've seen a thousand times before.
The only reason they are easier to accept here is because of the high quality of the players who are surrounding them. It's not entirely their fault; it really boils down to the role.
Brendan Gleeson demonstrates that with his supporting role of a pharmaceutical tycoon conflicted by his affliation with the terrorists. While the part isn't exactly brain surgery, it does at least show the promise of a little complexity -- and a noteworthy proposition for the next "Mission." If Cruise chooses to accept, that is.
But Ambrose's motives include more than just wreaking simple havoc, and Hunt and company need the help of master thief Nyah Hall (Thandie Newton) -- who also happens to be Ambrose's ex-girlfriend -- to catch him. Though there's clearly an attraction between Nyah and Hunt, she's the only person with the ability get close enough to Ambrose and find out his deadly intentions before he puts them into play.
And while it would be a producer's dream to have both talents working on the set, the visions of both Towne and Woo just don't quite seem to mesh under these particular circumstances.
If that isn't enough, the motocycle scene leads to the customary testosterone-drenched final confrontation. Even a person with the slightest clue about action movies could predict the inevitable outcome, but the straightforward scene is perplexing and way too long. If something new isn't going to be introduced into the action mix, why prolong it?
Once again, Hopkins delivers his lines in a state of grace, leaving you in dire anticipation of more. One only hopes that if there's another "Mission," he'll have a much bigger role.
