Buy Either Set By Clicking On The Respective Icons Below!
Buy
Either Set By Clicking On The Respective Icons Below!
Mission: Impossible: Ultimate Missions Collection HD DVD And Blu-ray Disc Sets: Part Two
Title:
Mission Impossible II (M:I-2) HD DVD And Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray
Region: A
HD
DVD Region: N/A
Genre:
Action/Thriller
Stars:
Tom Cruise, Dougray Scott, Thandie Newton, Richard Roxburgh, John Polson,
Brendan Gleeson, Rade Sherbedgia, and Ving Rhames
Writer:
Robert Towne
Based
On A Story By: Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga
Based
On The Television Series Created By: Bruce Geller
Director:
John Woo
Feature
length: 123 minutes
Extras:
"Behind The Mission" Exclusive Interviews, "Mission
Incredible" Stunts Featurette, "Impossible Shots" Amazing Stunt
Sequences, Commentary By John Woo, "I Disappear" Music Video By
Metallica, Alternate Title Sequence, Generation Cruise and Excellence In Film
Montages
HD
DVD Languages: English French, and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Plus Surround Sound
Blu-ray
Disc Languages: English French, and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Subtitles:
English Subtitles For The Deaf And Hearing Impaired and English, French, and
Spanish Language Subtitles
HD
DVD Packaging: Elite Red HD Case
Blu-ray
Disc Packaging: Blue BD Case
Chapter
Stops: 17
HD
DVD Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Plus Surround Sound
Blu-ray
Disc Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
Year
of Theatrical Release: 2000/HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc Release: 2006
Theatrical
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Home
Video Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment
MPAA
Rating: PG-13
Reviewer:
Mark A. Rivera
Tom
Cruise is back as IMF Agent Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible II. This
time around, Hunt must stop another IMF agent turned rogue from releasing a
stolen super virus for which only he has the only cure in a bid to make billions
in stock options after taking over the pharmaceutical company equipped to
manufacture the cure exclusively and in large quantities. Mission Impossible
II co-stars Thandie Newton as a thief employed by Hunt's IMF team who also
becomes Hunt's love interest and the movie also features the return of Ving
Rhames as computer genius Luther Stickell, the only other surviving character
from the first film to appear in this sequel. Dougray Scott is the villain and
Sir Anthony Hopkins appears uncredited as Hunt's IMF Boss.
Under
the screen direction of John Woo, Mission: Impossible II is a completely
different motion picture from the original feature film. Here the center of most
of the action is on Tom Cruise, who proves to be a capable action star in this
entertaining film. While the stunts and action are amazing, the film lacks the
espionage thriller feel that the first feature film had and it also lacks the
team participation that made the television series so exciting. While neither of
the feature film adaptations are perfect, they both are entertaining though I
everything considered, I think I like the first film more than I do the second
one. The majority of the action in Mission: Impossible II takes place in
Australia with a small post opening credit sequence set in Spain while the first
film took the viewer from Eastern Europe to Langley, Virginia and back to Europe
again. Some of the stunts John Woo employs seem too cliché now and just do not
stand the same test of time as does the often parodied sequence where Cruise has
to get access to the CIA computer while being suspended from the ceiling in the
first film. That scene alone qualifies as an impossible mission.
The
picture quality for both the HD DVD and the Blu-ray Disc versions are simply
flawless and too close to tell. The color saturation and contrast on both high
definition optical disc media is about equal too. Mission: Impossible II is
presented in a widescreen (2.35:1) aspect ratio that preserves the manner in
which the film was exhibited theatrically for home video users as close as
possible. Ironically, I also found little difference between the English Dolby
Digital 5.1 Plus Surround Soundtrack on the HD DVD version and the English Dolby
Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtrack on the Blu-ray Disc version. They both do a
great job of using the surround sound speakers to create an enveloping home
theater sound environment. French and Spanish Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Plus
Surround Soundtracks are encoded onto the HD DVD while the Blu-ray Disc features
the standard French and Spanish Language Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Soundtracks.
Both discs feature English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired and
English, French and Spanish Language Subtitles encoded as options. The extra
value features on both versions are identical too. John Woo's audio commentary
is scene specific and interesting, though it may take a few moments to get
adjusted to his accent.
There
are three featurettes included and all are presented in a (1.33:1) aspect ratio.
"Behind The Mission"(14:27) features cast and crew interviews. In hind
sight, Cruise has remained true to his desire to make every film in the series
different from each other so anyone who did not enjoy the first or second film
might at least find the third film interesting and I definitely think I enjoyed Mission:
Impossible III more than Mission: Impossible II though I’ll discuss
that film in my review of both the HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions now
available in stores. “Mission: Incredible” (5:12) is a short behind the
scenes look at the action stunt sequences in the film. "Impossible
Shots" is the longest of the three featurettes and focuses in more detail
on how eleven of the film's stunts were created and executed successfully. These
can be examined individually or through a “Play All Feature.” Sadly the MTV
Movie Awards spoof "Mission: Improbable," which starred Ben Stiller,
Tom Cruise, and John Woo was not carried over to the HD DVD or Blu-ray Disc
release. Instead one gets the same montages honoring Tom Cruise’s contribution
to motion pictures that appear on the Mission: Impossible HD DVD and
Blu-ray Disc.
An
alternate title sequence (: 37) and the Metallica Music Video for "I
Disappear" (4:37) wrap up the Extras. Sadly, there are no theatrical
trailers present on either the HD DVD or Blu-ray Disc. The ROM features found on
the original DVD that included Agent Dossiers on three of the main characters
from Mission: Impossible II, an examination of the locations used for the
film, the tech tools, and even data files on the Greek Legend of Chimera as well
as its relationship to the storyline in the film have not been converted to and
carried over for either the HD DVD or Blu-ray Disc either. All of the menus are
full motion and well rendered as well as easy to navigate. Technically, there is
no difference in quality between the HD DVD or Blu-ray Disc versions of Mission:
Impossible II. They are truly equal in every way and are as of this writing,
only available respectively within the Mission: Impossible: Ultimate Missions
Collection available on HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc at retailers on and offline
courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment.
©
Copyright 2006 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
Buy Either Set By Clicking On The
Respective Icons Below!