Mission: Impossible II

THE GIST: When Sean Ambrose, a former colleague, goes rogue and steals a deadly synthetic virus to sell to the highest bidder, Ethan Hunt is called back into action to prevent a worldwide pandemic. He's helped by a skilled thief who once had an affair with Ambrose.

After an opening chapter filled with mystery, intrigue, and double-crossings, in which the stunts and cool visual effects were deployed in the service of the story, the producers switched gear and went with John Woo, a director known more for his energetic and high-octane fare than subtlety.

Unfortunately, the old saying "If it isn't broken, don't fix it," was clearly lost on the producers, as Mission: Impossible II was retooled and amped up until it ended up horribly mangled.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The chases feel ridiculous, the stakes are absurdly high, and the script is filled with preposterous ploys. If you enjoyed the first movie, this looks nothing like it. Skip.

Grade: 3