Mission: Impossible-2

It is itself, only more so. This second outing in the series takes the template--one is tempted to call this work formulaic, but that would be too negative--formed by the first and magnifies it. Credit for that must go to having John Woo as the director, or at least to the decision to bring the Hong Kong action master in to helm the production. His  touch shows throughout the proceedings, in a building pattern that eventually reaches a point where, at the climax, the movie achieves maximum John Woo-ness, with set pieces, stunts and visuals that are so over the top that certain moments are laugh out loud funny. Other parts of the production are uneven yet entertaining. The story runs from simple and straightforward to a growing complexity, where at at least one point it’s hard to follow who is doing what. The propensity of the characters to wear flawless disguises assists in creating certain confusion, though at one point the ploy is used so obviously that there’s humor in what should otherwise be a serious confrontation scene. Then again, this flick never really takes itself too seriously, except perhaps for its through line of ogling Thandie Newton, a pastime that gets devoted attention almost from start to finish. Overall, this movie delivers decent popcorn entertainment; if you don’t expect brilliance--and clearly, many moviegoers have not over the franchise’s lifetime--you will be mostly satisfied with your investment here.