Movies
Ranking The Mission: Impossible Films: #8 – Mission: Impossible II (2000)
Much maligned as the worst of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible II doesn’t do itself any favors upon rewatch.
“IMF agent Ethan Hunt is sent to Sydney to find and destroy a genetically modified disease called “Chimera””
Director: John Woo
Writers: Ronald D. Moore, Brannon Braga, Robert Towne, Bruce Geller
Starring: Tom Cruise, Dougray Scott, Thandiwe Newton, Ving Rhames, Richard Roxburgh, Brendan Gleeson
Release Date: May 24, 2000
IMDB
Much maligned as the worst of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible II doesn’t do itself any favors upon rewatch.
John Woo directed Mission: Impossible II, but it seems as if he wanted to direct a James Bond movie. The start of this turn-of-the-century sequel has everything that Pierce Brosnan’s over-the-top 007 adventures have, starting with Ethan Hunt free soloing with his rockstar hairstyle. Hell, there is even a moment where Nyah asks Ethan what his name is, and it’s only fair to think that he is going to respond, “Hunt, Ethan Hunt.”
The premise of MI2 follows that of GoldenEye (1995), with antagonist Sean Ambrose betraying the IMF for his own financial gain. At the end of the film, he again follows the Bond villain mantra by turning into a businessman (talking stock options) and asking his henchman, Hugh, to take care of the Hunt problem.
And we can’t end this MI2 recap without mentioning the endless amount of slow-motion in this increased-budget blockbuster. It starts out early with the eye-to-eye introduction of Ethan and Nyah and ends with abundance with the motorcycle and kung-fu-filled finale. Woo had free reign to make MI2 in his one-of-one style, and there is nothing but an overdose of bird-filled director’s personal motif.
To encapsulate how MI2 is a step below expectations, “What are you gonna do, spank me?” is an actual line said in earnest by Nyah within the context of the movie. The eye-roll it induces can not be measured by science.
STANKO RATING: C-
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