Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)
Directed by: John Woo
Premise: Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) teams with a burglar (Thandiewe Newton) to stop a terrorist from unleashing a deadly virus.
What Works: When we examine long-running film franchises, we can usually find the evolution of an in-house style that defines the series. While that would happen later on in the Mission: Impossible franchise, the second film took a different approach. This was by design. After Brian De Palma directed the 1996 feature, the producers took the step of hiring different directors for each installment, with each filmmaker bringing their own cinematic style. John Woo was one of the most prominent action directors of the 1990s, having helmed The Killer, Hard Target, and Face/Off. Woo brought his distinct style to Mission: Impossible 2 and to his and the film’s credit, this is a singular entry in the series. Mission: Impossible 2 is not a retread of the first movie and it stands out in its style but also because its premise and set pieces were not replicated in the later films. This is Ethan Hunt as James Bond. Mission: Impossible 2 emulates the posturing, sexuality, and jet setting of the 007 series and although Hunt has a support team, the action of the second film is all about Hunt saving the day and getting the girl. The motorcycle chases are impressive and Tom Cruise and Thandiewe Newton have the spiciest romantic chemistry in the series.
What Doesn’t: Mission: Impossible 2 is very much a John Woo movie and that is both to its advantage and to its detriment. The movie is unique within this series but it is so stylistically different that Mission: Impossible 2 does not feel like part of the larger whole. Woo’s filmmaking style is on full display with many of the director’s signature visuals, namely elaborate, physics defying leap-and-shoot stunts filmed in slow motion. It’s quite silly and overdone and eventually becomes monotonous. As much as this is Woo’s film, it’s clear the director’s intentions were compromised. Woo’s movies are typically rated R for violence but Mission: Impossible 2 is rated PG-13 and it is obvious that a lot of shots were trimmed to cut out squib effects and otherwise tone down the violence. As a result, the action and rhythms of Mission: Impossible 2 sometimes feel awkward. The style also affects the characterizations. Like a lot of action pictures of the early 2000s, Mission; Impossible 2 lacks a human touch. That’s evident in the characters and the way they are filmed. Everything is stylized and glossy but there isn’t much beneath the surface and that’s evident in the thin characters.
Disc extras: The Blu-Ray release includes a commentary track, featurettes, music video, and an alternate title sequence.
Bottom Line: Mission: Impossible 2 is the outlier of the series. For better and for worse it is a prime example of the action filmmaking of the early 2000s and it is a unique entry in the series. It’s also more exhausting than exhilarating.
Episode: #1049 (May 25, 2025)