Mission Impossible 2

Rating:
Summary: Great movie. surely satidcy the fans of both John and Tom
Review: I have already watched the Mission Impossible 2 in HK premiere last week. The film is surely satisfy the fan of both Tom Cruise and John Woo. (especially I am the fan of both guys) I think that ppl should put down those thoughts about the original TV series or the M:I-1. The idea of both Tom Cruise and John Woo is to make M:I-2 different. Different to the First Movie and of course the original TV series. They eventually did make the unique sequel for Mission Impossible. But most of disappointment is the Australia Gov't banned their plan to shoot the car chasing scene in Sidney's Street. This certain reduce the excitement and credit to the end of the film. However, the using of plastic mask is more brilliant than the M:I-1 (of course the advanced CG technology). Some comment said the plot is predictable. However, I did not see any movies which deliever the unpredictable plot. Conversely, I think that the story in M:I-2 did have some unpredictable thing. ie. Thandie Newton shoot herself with the virus other than throw the virus gun to Ethan Hunt or more worse to give the virus gun to Dougray Scout. Moreover, the actions in the ending is tremendously Jaw dropping. I see some of foreign audience laugh to those actions. But can they do that??? Even Tom Cruise is required the special training for this. I think that the action scene in M:I-2 is surely overwhelm those called action scene. For example, in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, the latest James Bond film, I would say I can leave the theatre after I saw the opening boat chase. (even that is no more better than the boat chase in FACE OFF or can I say "copy cat from FACE OFF???). In GRADIATOR, the scene of Tiger and Russo Crowe, the fast photography cause me vomit just like watching the Bair Witch Project. By the way, can I suggest a question - as far as I know, the Roman Empire did not ever expand to China or America, then why they will have Tiger???? As far as I know, only Lion could be found in Roman. If they did have Tiger, then why they put those rare animals to fight with Gradiator?????. I agree with Tom Cruise said "No one can copy John Woo's film". John Woo is definitely an unique action director. For me, I would graded this film to B+. If they have a finished script before shooting, the film will be much higher graded than it right now. Certainly I would enjoy to see it for second time when it released on 22/6/2000 (for HK). And of course, I will buy the DVD version. But I hope Paramount will deliver us more supplements like Commentary from John Woo and Tom Cruise and the Making of M:I-2 and behind the scene.

Rating:
Summary: An average movie, and several elements borrowed from Darkman
Review: While MI 2 itself is an average action movie, there's several similarities to Sam Raimi's Darkman that should be mention, if mainly for interest value. Actually the mask switching that is being praised by other reviewers is completely lifted from Darkman. First in Darkman, Robert Durant, the antagonist, use a cigar cutter to chop off fingers, in MI 2 Sean uses a cigar cutter in the same way to slice the same finger. Another thing that is the same between the two films is the mask switching, more similar are these two films then are MI 2 and Face/OFF. In Darkman, Peyton masks a thug with a liquid version of his own face and gags him so he can't speak and another thug kills the Peyton Imposter, then removes the face and finds out he killed the wrong person. Similar to how in MI 2, Sean kills the Hunt impersonator which turns out to be his henchman masked and gagged. These are the two major points in which MI 2 echoes Darkman, a film that is 10 years older, and it just makes you wonder if the premise of some of this film was lifted from Darkman because these scenes are perfect mirrors of each other.

Rating:
Summary: The names, oh yeah, Ethan Hunt
Review: But seriously folks, when the ahem, unimportant female charector askes Cruise his name, I honestly thought he was going to say, Bond, James Bond. After that bond driving scene, really. did anyone else notice that after speeding up the slow motion there was only 30 mins of footage, and yes, only 5 mins of story, the credits. Havent slept better in years. still, if you go for this kind of thing, enjoy the show!

Rating:
Summary: Rediculous!
Review: After seeing Woo's past works like Face-Off and Replacement killers, I was expecting a decent movie. But this movie is absolutely unbelieveable. The action is predictable and totally brainless. The plot has holes you could fit an aircraft carrier through. This movie has more in common with the shoot-em-up action of Rambo than any other recent movie. It seems as if Woo saw 'The Matrix' and got jealous. this is one of those movies that goes way over the line to the point of being a parody of itself. Will the REAL John Woo please stand up?

Rating:
Summary: Awesome Movie! But....
Review: When I saw this movie last night, I thought it was great. Then, the next day when I was thinking the movie over, I figured out some things that were so-so about the movie (which will give it a four-star rating by me). One, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) goes from a cool-looking FBI kind-of guy to Super Ethan. By the end of the movie, you think that he would be able to do anything (shoot missiles out of his fingers, jump 1,000 feet out of a helicopter and land on the ground unhurt, etc.) And what's amazing, is when he shoots a gun, he never misses, and the bad guys always do. Also, the whole thing about the masks was kind of wierd. It seemed like whenever one was needed, it could just be pulled out of nowhere and put on. But, as for rest of the movie, I will say this, besides The Matrix, I've never seen a better action film. Besides a few flaws, this movie is worth your time.

Rating:
Summary: Diffcult should be a walk in the park
Review: I thought this was a fun movie! John Woo was all over it, which is one reason it was fun. Plus Tom looks better than ever! He has aged well! I loved the motorcycle and fight scenes. I hope they have a MI3!

Rating:
Summary: Really Fun Movie!
Review: Ahhh... where to begin. I have seen MI:2 three times now and enjoy it more every time I see it. Tom Cruise is dashing as Ethan Hunt and seems more suited for the role this time around (I didn't like the first one too much). Thandie Newton is clever yet vulnerable as Nyah Hall, Ving Rhames (who I think was one of the high points of the first movie) is back as Luther and Anthony Hopkins, though uncredited is devilishy funny in his short scene as Ethan's boss at IMF. The high point of this movie, for me had to be Dougray Scott who I think truly mad an evil villian as Sean Ambrose. He's handsome and at times, charming but he is also very sinister and evil which gives him more depth. He is in love with the beautiful Nyah but is heart-broken when he learns she is in love with his arch-enemy, Ethan Hunt. So if you want to have a fun, care-free time and don't to be confused, go see this movie. Thanks for reading.

Rating:
Summary: Overrated And Flat
Review: One word sums it all: cliched. For those hard-core John Woo fans, before you dish out your lashes at me, just listen to my two cents worth.

First off, the show starts off with Tom Cruise (less the initial prologue) scaling a mountain and encounters some pitfalls which successfully enables him to flex and brandish his well worked-out and bulging arms. And then, when he's at the top, he receives a message from his headquarters through a missile head shot into the ground (like there's no other decent way to get a message), which would be unraveled to him through a pair of glasses, which has a hidden speaker and infra-red rays, courtesy of Oakley. After that, the glasses informs him that it would "self-destruct in five seconds". How very contriving.

And then, there are the cringe-worthy lines shared between him and hot brunette Thandie Newton, eg. "God, you are so beautiful!" For crying out loud, I thought this was gonna be a movie of the new century. How old economy can they get! What's more, the wavy mane of Cruise's, plus the shades and leaping-from-bike-to-collide-with-enemy-mid-air-et-al stunts are all so reminiscent of The Matrix-esque days. Deja vu? I think not.

Of course, Mission Impossible 2 is not without it's fair share of fun and thrills. In fact, there are certain heart-stopping moments and scenes of gore, eg. being lowered through cable through the atrium within a mere 40secs, afterwhich, the louvres at the top roof would automatically close and the cigar-cutter which was used to snap off the finger respectively. John Woo is indeed a class of his own, what with his forte in incoporating slo-mo scenes and heroes and enemies alike possessing guns that never run out of ammo.

Rating:
Summary: Major letdown
Review: For me this film was a disaster. I had such expectations. There are many problems. First the acting by some of the members is atrocious. In particular, the female lead just pouts incessantly and the 'love scenes' with her had me laughing out loud in the theater. She did well in the first 'jewel thief' scene but lost it afterwards. Cruise and Rhames are just far ahead of the rest of the actors. The dialogue is beyond corny. Who wrote this? Horrible little quips here and there that had me and my friends laughing for hours after the movie. The action, while visually interesting, does nothing to add to the story. Most of it makes no sense but I can deal with that on some level. And finally the plot is just silly. The 'bad guy' wanting to buy stock options had us doubled over and pain and laughter. And finally I'll stop myself from writing another paragraph on the incessant use of the masks. Ugh.

Rating:
Summary: Its alright but no maych for its precedor.
Review: I saw this last night, and i have to say the movie was average and nothing more. There were as many upsides as downsides. The plot was decent, special effects fine, but the movie fails to be entertaining and suspenseful in some key sequences. And some of the scenes were so unbelivable they made me and my friend crack up. Like when Hunt kicks the gun up from the ground and it pops up to his hand, haha! The hopeless comic relief is bad. Cruise's charachter seems to be lauging too much and he says ya right too much. The film does have some good action sequences but either they're too long and get old or they are to pedictable! Basically the movie is good and bad which gives at 3 star rating. 4 things i really liked were the rock climbing, that hot girl, Hopkins, and Ving Rhames' return. One thing i truly hated was the bad guy. Terrible casting. Its okay but Mission Impossible is much better! Rated PG-13 for violence, language, and sexual innuendo.