MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2
US, 2000, 120 minutes, Colour.
Tom Cruise, Thandie Newton, Dougray Scott, Anthony Hopkins, Richard Roxburgh, John Poulson, Brendan Gleeson.
Directed by John Woo.
Mission Impossible 2 was a very successful follow-up to the original Mission Impossible. The film capitalised on the popularity of remakes of television series of previous decades. The film combines action with developments in technology.
Tom Cruise’s company produced the film as a star vehicle for him. He had achieved great popularity in the 1980s with Top Gun, continuing with a great number of hits and action films including 1996 Mission Impossible. Thandie Newton (Flirting, Beloved, Crash) is the thief recruited to help him on a mission. There is a strong supporting cast of character actors led by Dougray Scott as the villain and Anthony Hopkins as Control.
The film opens with a mountain-climbing sequence in the United States (parodied in Austin Powers’ Goldmember with Cruise sending himself up). There are sequences in Spain. However, the main action is in Sydney with some trips to the outback. The location photography takes full advantage of the beauty of the city of Sydney and the harbour.
The film concerns viruses and controls, deadlines for finding controls, confronting villains – with the touch of the acrobatics that was a main feature of the original Mission Impossible film.
While the film has some interesting technology, it is basically a classy and well-crafted action adventure. Direction is by Hong Kong’s John Woo, who make his great reputation in Hong Kong and moved to the United States making a number of action films, the best of which was Face/Off.
1. The popularity of the TV series, the popularity of television series being remade as big-budget films? Sequels?
2. The work of John Woo, his skill as an action director?
3. The mountain locations, Seville and the Spanish atmosphere, Australia, the outback, Sydney and the harbour? The musical score and the television series theme?
4. The emphasis on technology, surveillance, the message given to Ethan Hunt on the mountain, satellite links, pinpointing locations of people, tracking devices embedded in the body? Biochemistry and viruses?
5. The film as an action adventure, the mountain-climbing, the acrobatic intrusion into the headquarters, the final chase?
6. The situation, the plane, the professor, the virus, the antidote? The villain stealing it, disguised as Ethan Hunt? Issues of power, money? The crash?
7. The mountain-climbing, the danger, the message being delivered?
8. Nyah, in Spain, her glamour, the cat-burglar, the party, her being caught by Ethan, his defending her, giving back the necklace? Their relationship, sexual liaison? His recruiting her, her part in the plan?
9. Australia, the villain and his being in Australia? His South African henchman and his ruthlessness – though his torture of the henchman? Wealth, aims, technology? The virus and capitalising on the antidote? The past relationship with Nyah, her return, his welcoming her back, his wanting to lure hunt? The racetrack sequence, the businessman and the card, the stealing of the card, his going home, looking at the videos, getting the information?
10. Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, personality, action hero, the climbing, in Spain, tricking Nyah, chasing her in the car? His relationship with her? The discussions with Control? The outback, his assistant, the Australian pilot? The surveillance headquarters, knowing everything the villain was doing, contact with Nyah? The racetrack sequence, his getting the information from Nyah?
11. The businessman, his plans, his illness, the information, the villain disguised with the Ethan Hunt mask?
12. The helicopter, lowering Hunt into the building, the split-second timing, retrieval of the cable? His detection, searching for the antidote, the fight, Nyah being infected? His leap from the building?
13. Nyah, left in the city, Ethan to rescue her? The spectacular chase – literal cliff edge?
14. The happy ending, mission accomplished, Hunt and Nyah? Ready for a sequel?
