Kad bi negativac u M:I-2 bio samo malo dopadljiviji, odlucio
bih se da navijam za njega. Ako ni zbog cega drugog, barem zbog njegovog cinicnog prezira
prema miroljubivom superherojskom spijunu Ethanu Huntu (Tom Cruise). On kaze da bi Hunt
radije izveo neki akrobatski poduhvat nego da povrijedi najobicnijeg cuvara. Ovog puta, za
vrijeme tog poduhvata, Hunt visi u zraku na visini od stotinjak metara (u poredjenju sa
svega dvadesetak u prvom M;I filmu). Njegov time je ovaj put manji I beznacajniji, sto je
steta barem u slucaju Vinga Rhamesa, glumca koji je u stanju napraviti gledljiv film cak I
od "Stripteasea".
Nakon mlakog prijema originalnog filma (termin "originalan" treba uzeti uslovno
jer je taj film zasnovan na TV seriji), Cruise je naucio lekciju da nastavak mora biti
vizualno impresivan da bi privukao publiku koja inace ne bi pohrlila da vidi samo jos
jedan film Toma Cruisea. Insistirao je na reditelju Johnu Woou, reditelju nasiroko
hvaljenom po svom vizualnom stilu usavrsenom u brojnim akcionim filmovima koje je snimao u
Hong Kongu, imitiranom u Americi od retitelja poput Quentina Tarantina. Meni se taj stil
dopao, jer sam odrastao na mnogim hongkonskim filmovima sa borilackim vjestinama, a Bruce
Lee je bio mozda najveci akcioni junak mog djetinjstva. Wooova upotreba slow-motiona u
dinamicnim akcionim scenama, sugestivni krupni planovi I odlican rad kamere ozivljavaju
film kojim bi mozda Cruise zelio utemeljiti dugotrajniji MI projekat. Kada Woo prelazi na
stvar, gledalac je uvijek na ivici sjedista, a koreografija njegovih scena je sjajna.
Kozne jakne I kung fu borbe podsjecaju na scene iz Matrix, ali im Woo daje poseban
hongonski kredibilitet.
Ovo se, medjutim, ne moze reci za pricu. Ona se vrti oko naucnika koji otkriva virus,
negativca koji ga ukrade, jos goreg negativca koji nudi brdo para da ga otkupi kako bi
mogao prodavati lijek, I naseg heroja koji se nastoji umijesati u njihove planove. Onda je
tu taj cudni ljubavni trougao u kojem mrski neprijatelj, Sean Ambrose, porazi Ethana,
cineci tako njegovu kasniju pobjedu gorkom (opa, nisam li otkrio previse?). Hunt ima pravu
sekspirijansku dilemu: mora upotrijebiti svoju novu draganu, Nyah Hall (Thandie Newton) da
bi izvukao informacije od svog suparnika. To su barem instrukcije koje mu izda narocito
ljigavi Anthony Hopkins, koji igra njegovog sefa. Njegova nezaboravna replika je "Da
bi lagala muskarcu I spavala s njim? Ona je zena. Ima svu vjestinu koja joj treba".
Cruiseov ansamble nije bas holivudska A-lista, kao sto je (vise ili manje) bila u njegovom
prvom filmu. Hopkins je ogranicen na dvije kratke scene I nesto naracije, kao I Rhames,
kojeg cemo upamtiti po brojnim referencama na dizajnere njegove odjece. Dougray Scott je
solidan kao Ambrose, ali je mogao mozda uciniti vise sa svojom ulogom, a ocigledne
prednosti (I zadnjosti) Thandie Newton daleko prevazilaze njene glumacke sposobnosti. No,
ovaj film, koji do kraja igra za raju, mogao bi biti odskocna daska za njihove karijere.
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If the villain in M:I-2 were just a little more
likeable, I'd choose to root for him. If nothing else, for his open contempt of
nonconfrontational superhero spy Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise). He says that Hunt would rather
perform some aerobatic stunt than to cause any harm to a security guard. This time, he's
suspended in thin air from hundreds of feet of height (compared to only fifty or so in the
first M:I movie). His team is smaller and less significant, which is a shame at least in
the case of Ving Rhames, a guy that can make "Striptease" a watchable movie. From the lukewarm reception to
the original movie (term original used loosely, as the movie was based on a TV series),
Cruise learned a lesson that the sequel has to be visually impressive, in order to draw
audiences who wouldn't normally rush in to see just another Tom Cruise movie. He insisted
on John Woo, a director widely praised for his unique visual style perfected in numerous
Hong Kong action movies, and imitated in America by directors such as Quentin Tarantino. I
responded to that style, since I grew up on many Hong Kong martial arts flicks, and Bruce
Lee being one of the most notables action heroes of my childhood. Woo's use of slow motion
in fast-paced action scenes, suggestive close-ups and wonderful camera movement bring a
life to what is supposed to be a M:I franchise. When Woo cuts to the chase, you're really
on the edge of your seat, and the choreography of his scenes is superb. Leather jacket
styling and kung fu fighting are reminiscent of Matrix scenes, but Woo gives them some
genuine Hong Kong credibility.
This cannot be said
for the story. It is about a scientist discovering a virus, a bad guy capturing it, a
worse guy trying to pay for it so he can sell the cure, and our good guy trying to mess
with their plans. Then there is that weird love triangle, in which Ethan is defeated by
his enemy, Sean Ambrose, which makes his subsequent victory bittersweet (oops, did I
reveal too much?). Hunt has a genuine Shakespearean dilemma: he has to use his newly found
sweetheart, Nyah Hall (Thandie Newton) to get some information from his archenemy. At
least those are the orders from a particularly sleazy Anthony Hopkins, who plays his boss.
His memorable quote is "To lie to a man and sleep with him? She's a woman. She has
all the training she needs."
Cruise's ensemble is
not exactly your Hollywood A-list, as it was (more or less) in the first movie. Hopkins is
limited to two short scenes and some narration, and so is Rhames, whose highlights include
references to the designers of his clothes. Dougray Scott is solid as Ambrose, but he
could have done more with the role, and Thandie Newton's extravagance and obvious assets
beat her acting ability by a long shot. However, this movie, crowd-pleaser of the purest
kind, could be a springboard for their careers. |