Mission: Impossible 2 (PG-13)

Good thrill ride of a movie for teens and older.

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Common Sense rates it
4
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Paramount Pictures
  • Directed By: John Woo
  • Release Date: 05/24/2000
  • Genre: Action/adventure
  • MPAA Rating: PG-13
  • MPAA Explanation: violence, peril, and sexual situations

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has intense scenes of peril and a lot of violence and sexual situations (not graphic).

Families can talk about the statement by the scientist that "every search for a hero must begin with something every hero needs ? a villain." A corporate CEO applies this in very literal terms of supply and demand. Older kids may want to talk about the controversy over biotechnology and the risks of scientific inquiry.

Message

Social Behavior:

Interacial affair handled casually

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Social drinking, smoking

Violence

Lots of violence Intense peril

Sex

Sexual references and situations

Language

Some strong language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Nell Minow

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 is the essence of a summer movie: gorgeous stars, sensational stunts, nerve-wracking chases, steamy romance, some "gotcha" plot twists, and lots of explosions. This time, agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has to retrieve the secret formula to a virus that could destroy humankind. Hunt's task won't be easy – the virus has been stolen by his former colleague Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott) who knows all his tricks. As Hunt's boss (an unbilled Anthony Hopkins) says, "It's not Mission Difficult; it's Mission Impossible." He must persuade his girlfriend (and jewel thief) Nyah (Thandie Newton) to get romantically involved with her ex-flame, Ambrose.

Is it any good?

4
The first film in the series was a huge success, but most viewers thought that the real mission impossible was trying to understand the plot. This time, they make it simple so we can just sit back and enjoy. Ving Rhames returns as the world's least geeky computer genius, but aside from a couple of impeccably delivered lines, he never gets a chance to show us what he can do. Hunt is more like loner James Bond than he is like MI's Jim Phelps. But that's a small point. It is a terrific thrill ride of a movie and Cruise just keeps getting better.

Director John Woo's trademarks are all here -- the hero sliding across the floor in slow motion, firing two guns at once, the balletic combat, the villain's streak of sadism, and an engaging willingness to tweak, even spoof, his own conventions. My one quarrel with the movie is that it leaves out the best part of the original Mission Impossible concept, back in the days of the TV show, and that was teamwork. It was a lot of fun to see how the special expertise of each of the MI team members was going to come in handy.

Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 5 reviews.

3


Posted on 07/15/08 by ninjaofthewind Adult contributor

Not as good as the first...

I've read a lot of bad reviews about this movie, and wasn't expecting too much in this movie. Admittedly, it was a lot better than I expected. Though definitely not as good as the first, this movie has a right to be called a Mission Impossible movie, it's filled with explosive action and death defying stunts. If you like Tom Cruise and like to watch him do all sorts of gravity defying action movies, then you won't want to miss this! The movie doesn't have all of the plot and intrigue of the first one, but it didn't put me to sleep. Now the stuff parents want to know. There is a lot of violence, some of it bloody, including people getting shot, beat up, and crashing in vehicles, like exploding planes and cars. Someone is infected with a virus and you see the affects of it. Tom is also slashed a few times with a knife. Language wise, it was a little less than the first. b*tch is used three times and bas*rd once. less bad words are used more often. Though one and three are better, this isn't a movie you should skip over. It's a lot of fun.
3


Posted on 09/29/07 by quest13 Adult contributor

Really not that great

ok not much of a try though even if you love the other one/ones.
4


Posted on 09/22/06 by G3 Adult contributor

Better than the first!

2


Posted on 09/16/06 by Joe100 Kid contributor, age 17

meh....

Mission Impossible was great - this sequel has sacrificed the ingenious (and admittadly hard to follow) storywriting of the first for silly overblown action sequences and equally preposterous dialogue. There is some action...and then long lulls with nothing happening - the villain is unconvincing and tom cruise who is a pretty average actor has not the solid supporting cast he ahd in the first and the inclusion of Jim Phelps is sorely missed. All in all this the movie which really starts putting you to sleep after the first hour or so. It saved from complete failure by some excellent action in the last half hour but is still very average.
1

Posted on 06/02/03 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Unrealistic

It is unbelievable. The first movie had Tom Cruise in it. This movie IS just Tom Cruise.

Adult Reviews

There are 4 reviews.

3


Posted on 07/15/08 by ninjaofthewind Adult contributor

Not as good as the first...

I've read a lot of bad reviews about this movie, and wasn't expecting too much in this movie. Admittedly, it was a lot better than I expected. Though definitely not as good as the first, this movie has a right to be called a Mission Impossible movie, it's filled with explosive action and death defying stunts. If you like Tom Cruise and like to watch him do all sorts of gravity defying action movies, then you won't want to miss this! The movie doesn't have all of the plot and intrigue of the first one, but it didn't put me to sleep. Now the stuff parents want to know. There is a lot of violence, some of it bloody, including people getting shot, beat up, and crashing in vehicles, like exploding planes and cars. Someone is infected with a virus and you see the affects of it. Tom is also slashed a few times with a knife. Language wise, it was a little less than the first. b*tch is used three times and bas*rd once. less bad words are used more often. Though one and three are better, this isn't a movie you should skip over. It's a lot of fun.
3


Posted on 09/29/07 by quest13 Adult contributor

Really not that great

ok not much of a try though even if you love the other one/ones.
4


Posted on 09/22/06 by G3 Adult contributor

Better than the first!

1

Posted on 06/02/03 by Anonymous Adult contributor

Unrealistic

It is unbelievable. The first movie had Tom Cruise in it. This movie IS just Tom Cruise.

Kids Reviews

There are 1 reviews.

2


Posted on 09/16/06 by Joe100 Kid contributor, age 17

meh....

Mission Impossible was great - this sequel has sacrificed the ingenious (and admittadly hard to follow) storywriting of the first for silly overblown action sequences and equally preposterous dialogue. There is some action...and then long lulls with nothing happening - the villain is unconvincing and tom cruise who is a pretty average actor has not the solid supporting cast he ahd in the first and the inclusion of Jim Phelps is sorely missed. All in all this the movie which really starts putting you to sleep after the first hour or so. It saved from complete failure by some excellent action in the last half hour but is still very average.
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