The Shallow End of the Pool

A couple of weeks ago, the first two Mission: Impossible movies were re-released on DVD in a special double pack which included a free pass to see M:I III when it opens this week. For only $19.99 for both films, plus the free pass, it was a hard bargain to pass up.

I actually hadn't seen either film since they were out in theatres, and upon re-watching them with a fresh perspective, I came to a rather startling conclusion...

Mission: impossible 2 really sucked. Hard.

Maybe it was a result of watching the two within a couple of days of each other. The first M:I was a cleverly constructed thriller with lots of intrigue, whereas M:I 2 was an overly noisy visual spectacle with virtually no substance.

Considering the talent involved, it shouldn't have turned out to be such a piece of crap. Despite most of his American-made stuff not being on the same scale as his earlier work, John Woo is still an extremely talented filmmaker ("The Killer" is in my all-time Top 5). And, even though I'm fairly certain that Tom Cruise is completely out of his mind and needs serious pharmaceutical assistance, he rarely makes a bad movie. But there it is: a big steaming pile. Go watch it again if you don't believe me. In the meantime, I'll be heading out in a few days with my fingers crossed to see M:I III. If it sucks again this time, at least I got in for free.