Directed by John Woo, with Tom Cruise, Thandie Newton, Dugray Scott, Ving Rhames

(USA, 2000, col., 2h 03')

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), a special agent of the "Mission Impossible" security  department, is charged to recover a very dangerous virus fallen in the hands of a former special agent, Sean Ambrose, now on the bads side. To achieve his mission, Ethan avail himself  with the faithful Luther Stickell (a supelative Ving Rhames),  already  with him in the first chapter but, above all, to approach the very dangerous Sean Ambrose, he shall rely upon the beautiful Naya (Thandie Newton),  former flame of the bad. The problem is that  Ethan, in the meanwhile, has fallen in love with the girl... .

It is the summer  bane:  Mission Impossible II  is or is not a John Woo's movie? To better explain: has the Hong Kong's director  definitively sold his soul to the Studios or he still succeeds to propose himself  in a personal and original manner? In my opinion the movie is full of Woo's style,  certainly we are not at the same levels of his masterpieces made in China and  neither  of his American masterpiece, Face/Off,  but the style remains inalterated. If we mostly think to his American debut, the very bad "Hard Target" (do admit it, looking at it some tears are escaped), the step forward is remarkble. Action's scene are pure adrenalyn, the use of slackenings is perfect, the plot, even if with some faults, takes very  well and, when in the final the good Tom Cruise appears to the bad's eyes, anticipated by the flight of a white dove, among the fire's blinding flames, there are no doubts, we are in fully  wooland.

To get the end, from many sides are blaming the excessive (someone speaks of an "americanata") final duel in motorbyke. I would only remember the title to everybody: Mission Impossible and not  Mission difficult. Differently, they would have called  Valentino Rossi  guiding the motorbyke... (I consider it exciting and perfect, it gives ten points to all similar action's scene of a big part of American's action cinema).

Have written:

"John Woo, master  of action movies, enriches the formula with one more adrenalyn's injection, without  forgetting his very personal style. That means high percentage of  spectacularly (with an exciting motorbyke's duel), calibrated shotings in simultaneous  from different angles, virtuosisms in the shootings, a wise use  of  slackenings and even the presence  - almost a trademark - of the white doves that  often accompany  director's movies... Tom Cruise, never so charming, immediately brings high a movie that exciting develops his task of playing  and amazing with images."(free translation from: Valerio Guslandi , Ciak, n. July, 7th, 2000)

All photos and images of this section are taken from  Holliwoodonline, where I suggest you to go;  you can also find interesting materials on 35mm's special dedicated to the movie, where you can enter from the  Link at the beginning  of this page, especially if you want to talk about the movie or send your reviews.

In bookstall, lastly, in June and July's "Ciak" are present some specials dedicated to the movie and to John Woo himself.

A Better Tomorrow - A Better Tomorrow II - The Killer - Hard Boiled - Hard Target - Broken Arrow - Face/Off - Mission Impossible II - Filmography - Woo on the net