The Mission (1986)

“This message will self-destruct in five seconds…” Join your favorite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Megs & Liam (B-Tech Kev said something about needing to catch a flight to Atlanta) – as we don our sunglasses, rev up the motorcycles, and flip our hair in the wind for our 275th episode covering Mission: Impossible 2 (2000). We’re trading thermal vision  for Chimera viruses and slow-motion stunts as we discuss:

• How Mission: Impossible 2 became the most John Woo movie that ever John Woo’d.
• Does this sequel hold up as a stylish thrill ride—or is it just all style, no substance?
• Is Ethan Hunt a superspy… or just a shampoo commercial with explosives?
• What exactly does an audience want to see out of a Mission: Impossible film exactly
• Which member of Ethan’s crew we’d most likely be – and who’s clearly channeling peak Dougray Scott vibes.
• Is this the weakest link in the franchise—or an underappreciated relic of early-2000s action excess?
• Is Ethan Hunt a character or just an avatar for Tom Cruise to do James Bondesque films
• Speaking of gripes—what exactly was Ambrose’s plan again?
• We've got questions about masks, voice strips, motorcycles, and why no one seems fazed by endless slo-mo doves.
• We talk flamenco espionage, face-swapping twists, and the importance of always removing your sunglasses dramatically.
• Just how many actors were only in this film for the paycheck?
• Was Thandiwe Newton bad in this or is she just poorly written for and poorly directed?
• Is this the lustiest film in the Franchise?
• Whether Mission: Impossible 2 is the Best Film Ever.