MISSION:  IMPOSSIBLE II  (2000)  **1/2

Reviewed 6/6/00

If viewed as an average Hollywood action film, allotting for the usual number of plot holes (lots) and general silliness (even more), then Mission Impossible II does not disappoint. Certainly one would hope for better from director John Woo, but Hollywood has a way of luring foreign filmmakers only to dispatch whatever made them special in the first place. Just look at Lasse Hallstrom and Woo's compatriot Tsui Hark. The plot is one part Hitchcock's Notorious and the rest some nonsense about an engineered virus Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) must stop. Playing the love interest, Thandie Newton is luminous. Along with unbilled Anthony Hopkins, she's way above this ludicrous material, but both do what they can. At least Hopkins can confer the appearance of weight and wit to even the dumbest dialogue (for which screenwriter Robert Towne should be ashamed). Cruise is not so lucky. He's just a big himbo throughout. Not as many action sequences as expected, but the pacing surprisingly manages to sustain a modicum of suspense throughout. Dougray Scott gets to play the one-dimensional villain, a corrupt MI agent. All said, M: i-2 is about as good (or bad) as the original, which isn't saying that much.

Copyright © 2000 George Wu