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Mission: Impossible 2
- Review Date: May 19, 2003
- PG-13
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2000
Common Sense Media says
Good thrill ride of a movie with nonstop action.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this second installment in the Mission: Impossible series is as action-packed and suspense-filled as the original film, though it's far more brutal. Characters are dispatched using an amazing assortment of weaponry, skills, and derring-do: knives, automatic weapons, plane crashes, falls from steep cliffs, vicious hand-to-hand combat, martial arts, explosions, flame throwers, and the devastatingly visual of a virus slowly destroying a human body. In most instances, however, an effort is made to keep the gore and carnage off camera, so while bodies fly and things explode, the audience is not exposed to the grisly aftermath. There is some sexuality with kissing, mild foreplay, partial undressing, and post-sexual cuddling. Some swearing ("bitch," "ass," "damn") is heard infrequently.
What's the story?
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?
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. Unfortunately the movie 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.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about what makes an action movie good. Is it the special effects? The acting? The story? Why do some action movies stand the test of time while others are simply awful?
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AGE
Not As Good As The First One!
It's okay but it isn't as good as the first one. can't wait to see the third one.
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AGE
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.
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AGE
Not quite there . . .
Boom! Something gets blown up! Then a dramatic, slowed down shot of Tom Cruise, hair flying. . . Whap! Bang! Someone gets shot! Then a dramtic, slowed down shot of Tom Cruise and Thandie Newton, both with hair flying in the wind that shouldn't be there. . .
I was expecting an intense action movie. It finally got there after about an hour and a half. The action itself was actually pretty good, but the rest of the movie left a lot to be desired. Most of it was just a sappy romance with lots and LOTS of slowed down shots, mainly of Tom Cruise, in a hairstyle that never should have been. We really only needed to see that hideous hair once, and even that was FAR too much. And some of the dialogue was almost painful to listen to. This film was not near as good as the first one, and seemed more a spotlight on Tom Cruise and his revolting hairstyle than anything else.
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April 9, 2008
AGE
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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AGE
Unrealistic
It is unbelievable. The first movie had Tom Cruise in it. This movie IS just Tom Cruise.
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AGE
Really not that great
ok not much of a try though even if you love the other one/ones.
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AGE
better than the first but not as good as the third
What to watch out for
*
Violence:
Lots of violence and intense peril.
*
Sex:
Sexual references and situations.
*
Language:
Some strong language.
*
Consumerism:
Not an issue.
*
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Social drinking, smoking.
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| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | John Woo |
| Cast: | Dougray Scott, Thandie Newton, Tom Cruise |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 123 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | May 24, 2000 |
| DVD release date: | November 7, 2000 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | intense sequences of violent action and some sensuality |
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