Mission Impossible 2 Review

If there is a series that turns out sequels so wildly different from its predecessor in terms of style it has to be the Mission Impossible franchise. This sequel to Mission Impossible, Mission Impossible 2 was released four years after the first one with Tom Cruise returning as the lead star and helmed by a new director John Woo. This film is so different in tone and pacing from the first one which creates some mixed results. The original film was primarily an espionage film, however, the sequel is a straight up action-packed spy film with slow-motion sequences weaved in. The film follows Ethan Hunt as he is tasked with the mission of recruiting the lovely Nyah, a thief to join his team in order to seduce her ex-boyfriend Rouge IMF agent Sean Ambrose and stop his deadly plan. Sean Ambrose’s deadly plan is to sell Chimera, a nightmarish virus to the highest bidder. There are many positive elements to the storytelling here.

    Since this is a majorly different story than the first Mission movie, the pacing is much different. The film comes crashing out of the gate as a fast-paced action film and remains that way till the credits roll. The fast pacing makes the story exciting and keeps me as a viewer invested in the story. The characters are strong in this Mission just like the first one. Tom Cruise brings a stellar performance, along with a phenomenal performance from the return of Ving Rhames. The villain Sean Ambrose is strong as it is stated early on in the film Ethan Hunt and he have their reservations about each other which make for a compelling character foil in this regard. Nyah shines as the relationship explored in the film between her and Hunt feels like it has chemistry and her role in the mission doesn’t feel forced as she certainly can look after herself and contribute. Another great aspect in this film is just the pure fun to be enjoyed while viewing it. Keeping this in mind the film delivers some poignant moments as it takes advantage of the relationship it establishes between Hunt and Nyah here. Even though there are many elements to appreciate this film does have its share of flaws.

Probably one of the most criticized parts of this film would have to be the cheesiness prevalent throughout. For one, you have Hunt depicted as a long-haired “superhero” spy in this film rapidly firing quick witted remarks and seeming almost impervious to the danger around him. Another element would be one of the elements that make this entry so distinct in style from its predecessor, the slow motion sequences. The slow motion looks flashy and all but it seems totally out of place in a Mission Impossible film. I’m not saying slow motion can’t be in a Mission film, but this didn’t feel that well executed. Also again like the last film, Mission Impossible 2 treats Hunt as the lead star and keeps the rest of the IMF team in the background for the most part which is a shame because the team aspect could really shine. I would say the ending is flawed to because even though it is filled with a fun twist and cool action, the action starts to wane and feel tedious in the end.

Mission Impossible 2 is a film which shouldn’t be disregarded as a film not worth your time. The film is an all out action spy film, sporting a flashy unique style from John Woo. This movie certainly delivers on the thrills bringing in lots of excitement. This film can feel exhausting with all the action and shoot-ups that occur, though. Some may cringe at the cheesiness displayed but it's something which can be looked over. Overall I think that Mission Impossible 2 is a fun filled action packed film which is good but at the same time is a bit over the top cheesy and can feel exhausting at times. I am assigning this film a score of 7/10.