As you probably already know, Mission: Impossible was based on the beloved 60's T.V. series. Brian DePalma directed Tom Cruise in the first film and although it was a huge money maker, many movie-goers found the convoluted plot a bit daunting. John Woo (Broken Arrow, Face Off) tries to take MI:2 in different direction, but has overcompensated with a plot-line that is far too simple.

The plot involves a mad man (Dougray Scott from Ever After), a deadly virus, and an antidote. Ethan Hunt (Cruise) must cut his rock climbing vacation short in order to stop Scott from accomplishing his diabolical designs. Along the way, Hunt finds a love interest in the form of Thandie Newton (Beloved).

Like the first film, Mission: Impossible 2 doesn't really have the feel of the old series. In fact this latest entry has a lot in common with the James Bond series. Woo is hellbent on giving us explosions, fist fights, motorcycle chases, and his trademark doves. What he doesn't give us is much of a story. There really isn't anything memorable here. Woo's action sequences pulsate with rhythm but he's done all this before and to greater effect.

Much of the dialogue is stilted and the romance between Cruise and Newton doesn't have much spark. The bit with the rubber masks (as seen in the original) gets tiresome as well. This sort of gimmick worked much better in Face Off. Robert Towne returns as the screenwriter and doesn't really contribute much. The film's best moments are between Cruise and his boss (played by a sly Anthony Hopkins). Unfortunately, Hopkins is only featured in two scenes. Alas, this is a film about visual style, which is Woo's forte. Rather than playing the canny intellectual as he did in the first film, the MI:2 Cruise is the ultimate bad ass of fancy kung fu moves. I prefer the old Hunt.

All in all, Mission: Impossible 2 is mildly entertaining if you're not looking for any sort of realism. Like the breathtaking, yet highly implausible, bullet train sequence at the end of the first film, this sequel features an outrageous chase sequence. The only problem is the journey to the absurd the first time around was much more entertaining and thought provoking. This time out, there's no intensity. Just mindless machismo.