Mission: Impossible II (2000)

A secret agent is sent to Sydney, to find and destroy a genetically modified disease called "Chimera"

Director:

John Woo

Writers:

Bruce Geller, Ronald D. Moore (story),

Stars:

Tom Cruise, Dougray Scott, Thandie Newton

10 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Cruise	...	Ethan Hunt
Dougray Scott	...	Sean Ambrose
Thandie Newton	...	Nyah Nordoff-Hall
Ving Rhames	...	Luther Stickell
Richard Roxburgh	...	Hugh Stamp
John Polson	...	Billy Baird
Brendan Gleeson	...	John C. McCloy
Rade Serbedzija	...	Dr. Nekhorvich (as Radé Sherbedgia)
William Mapother	...	Wallis
Dominic Purcell	...	Ulrich
Mathew Wilkinson	...	Michael (as Matthew Wilkinson)
Nicholas Bell	...	Accountant
Cristina Brogeras	...	Flamenco Dancer
Kee Chan	...	Chemist
Kim Fleming	...	Larrabee

Storyline

IMF agent Ethan Hunt has been sent on a mission to retrieve and destroy the supply of a genetically created disease called 'Chimera'. His mission is made impossible due to the fact that he is not the only person after samples of the disease. He must also contest with a gang of international terrorists headed by a turned bad former IMF agent who has already managed to steal the cure called 'Bellerophon' and now need 'Chimera' to complete their grand plan of infecting the whole world. In order to infiltrate and locate the terrorist group he relies on the help of an international thief Nyah of whom he quickly develops a love interest. Time is not only running out for Agent Hunt to find and destroy 'Chimera' before the terrorists get their hands on it, but he must also find 'Bellerophon' so as to save his love interest who has already become infected by the disease from a terrible and rapid death.

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Plot Keywords:

mission | terrorist | virus | scientist | thief | 

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Taglines:

Expect the impossible again

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action and some sensuality

Details

Official Sites:

film.ru (Russian) Paramount Pictures

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 May 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

M:I-2

Filming Locations:

Argyle Place, The Rocks, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$125,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£4,621,948 (UK) (7 July 2000)

Gross:

ESP 2,173,814,826 (Spain) (29 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Cruise/Wagner Productions, Munich Film Partners & Company (MFP) MI2 Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For the "knife-in-the-eye" scene, Tom Cruise insisted that a real knife be used, and that it stop exactly one quarter-inch from his eyeball, instead of somewhere vaguely near his eye, as John Woo suggested. The knife itself was connected to a cable that was measured carefully in order to achieve the effect and Cruise insisted that Dougray Scott use all his strength in the ensuing struggle.

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Goofs

When Ethan and Nyah are looking at each other through binoculars at the horse races the position of Nyah's hair changes from behind her ear to over her ear a couple times.

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Quotes

Mission Commander Swanbeck: Mr. Hunt, this isn't mission difficult, it's mission impossible. "Difficult" should be a walk in the park for you.

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Connections

Referenced in Shark Alarm (2004)

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Soundtracks

"IKO-IKO"
by Joe Jones, Marilyn Jones, Sharon Jones, Jessie Thomas,
Barbara Ann Hawkins, Rosa Lee Hawkins & Joan Marie Johnson

User Reviews

Totally different style.

Mission: Impossible was a fast paced espionage thriller that actually made you think, which is what I like in a movie. Since John Woo, who is one of the kings of the action genre, took over for Brian De Palma, you can expect Mission: Impossible II to be an intense action movie with a majorly dumbed down plot. Everything to do with the plot is laid out for us basically right away. Now, all there is to do is sit back and watch those classic John Woo action sequences. In this movie, Ethan Hunt is once again a secret agent, and he is sent on a mission to stop a crooked agent from stealing a deadly virus for his own use.

I liked the first Mission: Impossible better because it had a more advanced plot. This Mission: Impossible is just a bland shoot 'em up action film. Now there's nothing wrong with that. The movie was still immensely entertaining. It just didn't fit in with the first film. Even the character of Ethan Hunt, though still played by Tom Cruise, is different. In this movie he doesn't seem as serious about his job. He's more cocky. However, I do like that the character now has absolutely amazing skills in hand to hand combat.

Overall, if you're looking for a smart spy thriller like the first film, this ain't it. If you're looking for a fun action film with amazing action sequences, this is it.

6.5/10