"Mission Impossible 2" is a riot of near hysterical stunt work. If that turns you on, you'll love this feature-packed DVD.
The plot and romantic scenes don't stand up to scrutiny, but there's no denying that this is one good-looking movie that screams visceral excitement. The transfer to DVD just proves the point, with the intense colours of the Australian locations vibrant and stunning to watch. Tom Cruise looks pretty good too.
The 5.1 mix is well crafted with a lot of subtle effects building before the inevitable crashes and explosions. The two-car-tango between Cruise and Newton is especially impressive
The extra features are headed up by a 13-minute 'Behind the Mission' expose of the filming process. This gives the cast and crew plenty of opportunities to gasp about the movie they're in. Of greater interest is the 'Mission Incredible' stunts featurette. This goes into the safety features needed for stunts that may be enough for Cruise but would still faze a two-bit film reviewer.
11 of these stunt sequences are broken down in the 'Impossible Shots' section. You pick the scene, John Woo introduces it, and then you see how it was filmed with contributions from relevant cast members. Woo's remarks usually centre around how scared he was for Cruise's safety, as does his director's commentary.
The best feature is to be found under 'Mission Improbable'. This is a five-minute spoof broadcast at the MTV Movie Awards featuring Tom Cruise and a 'Tom Crooze' as his dumb-ass stuntman. It's actually quite a nice series of sketches that also pokes fun at "Risky Business" and "Cocktail".
And if that's only left you wanting more then you'll find plenty to occupy you via the DVD-ROM features. This breaks down into fictitious 'files' on the agents, maps and plans of the locations, the science behind the Chimera virus, and extracts from the movie of the various gadgets in use. It's the crowning touch to a disc that's a mission in itself.
Chapters: 17
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Extra Features: Scene selection, 'Behind the Mission' cast and crew interviews, stunts featurette, 'Impossible Shots' - 11 stunt sequences deconstructed, director's commentary, Metallica music video, alternate title sequence, 'Mission Improbable' - parody from the MTV Movie Awards, English for the hearing impaired.
Read a review of the first "Mission: Impossible" film.
The "Mission: Impossible" DVD box set is now available. Read a review of the "Mission: Impossible" DVD.
