morphed the franchise from what it was into what it became, it also found extremely clever ways to use the series’ long-running signature gag: Lifelike masks that allow the heroes to disguise themselves as part of their impossible missions. In the first , De Palma had makeup artist Rob Bottin create actual masks and prosthetics for Cruise to wear; the results were not very convincing.
There’s also an ingenious mask gag during the film’s climax, where Hunt switches clothes and faces off with Ambrose’s right-hand man, and then captures “himself” and turns “Hunt” over to Ambrose. The henchman’s mouth is duct taped beneath his Tom Cruise mask, so he can’t protest while Ambrose kills him, believing he’s finally stopped his arch-enemy once and for all.
In a lot of ways, Tom Cruise was the perfect American actor for Woo’s aesthetic. He has the athleticism to perform his own stunts. No one questions the sight of Tom Cruise firing two guns while jumping through the air, or performing a graceful flip kick after running at full speed at a guy. Cruise also has the right intensity level to pull off Woo’s brand of poker-faced melodrama. He’s not the American Chow Yun-Fat, but he’s probably a lot closer to it than he’s given credit for.
I also want to pause and note that Anthony Hopkins plays Ethan Hunt’s boss in this film, and, after Hunt complains that his latest mission will be extremely difficult, he replies, “Mr. Hunt, this isn’t mission difficult, it’s mission impossible. ‘Difficult’ should be a walk in the park for you,” and that might be the greatest line of dialogue in the history of cinema.
This might be the greatest thing mattsinger has ever written. Couldn't have said any of it better myself! All hail Mission: Impossible II!