When the first “Mission: Impossible” movie came out in ’96, many critics were turned off because of its different character focus in comparison to the original TV show, the constant twists and turns attempting to confuse the viewer and the lack of a solid plot.

But “Mission: Impossible 2,” the latest from Tom Cruise and director John Woo, jumps to the point quickly, and keeps it simple enough for a wide variety of audiences to enjoy. But its unoriginal aspects come back to haunt it.

The movie starts with Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt, on vacation. While doing some dangerous rock climbing, he loses his footing and almost falls thousands of feet to his death. This scene is important because this movie is stocked with last-second saves and near-death experiences, and this is where the count begins.

The greater power that gives Hunt his missions, Anthony Hopkins to be specific, finds him at the top of the mountain and gives him his next mission.

A virus and its cure have fallen into the wrong hands, and Hunt must recruit a team to retrieve it. He is allowed to choose three people for his team, and one of them is a civilian woman named Nyah Hall, played by Thandie Newton.

Hunt rounds up Luther Stickwell, played by Ving Rhames, who was also on Hunt’s team in ’96, and newcomer Billy Baird, played by John Polson. Hunt tracks down Nyah in Spain at a place where Hunt just happens to be the head of security systems.

Their relationship comes together after a high-speed car chase through winding mountain streets ending in another near-death crisis.

After they have that out of the way, the mission begins.

The villain is Sean Ambrose, played by Dougray Scott, who was a former secret agent and nabbed the cure disguised as Hunt.

Nyah used to be in a relationship with Ambrose, so her job is to get close to him again and find out information. But since a relationship has formed between she and Hunt, this adds a little more of a twist to the plot.

Though the plot of “M:i-2” is a good one, the overall writing seems to have been a bit rushed and therefore lacks creativity.

The whole premise of being disguised with someone else’s face and voice is cool the first or second time, but it is way overdone in “M:i-2.” There is even a scene where Hunt has to be dropped down into a room through the roof while attached to cables. He is dropped too quickly and almost hits the floor but is stopped just in time — sound familiar?

And the amount of times a character almost meets his/her death but barely pulls through can be counted on two hands, maybe even feet.

None of the acting will be considered for the Oscars, but Newton is surprisingly impressive as an up-and-coming actress.

Scott makes an OK villain, but his other co-villains were a lot better, particularly Richard Roxburgh. He is just one of those guys that you love to hate.

A few unoriginal fight scenes and a “you think the bad guy is dead but he comes back to life for one final scare” sequence finish out the movie along with a cheesy non-“Mission: Impossible”-style happy ending.

The special effects were good but nothing to shake a gold statue at either. The lack of originality in this department also hurts “M:i-2.”

So while it is easier to follow than the first one, “Mission: Impossible 2” is nothing special, and if it does live up to its predicted block-buster status, it will be because of its name, not its content.

Unless the powers that be can make another “Mission: Impossible” with some creativity, let No. 2 be the last.

** 1/2

Rating based on a ***** scale.

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Kyle Moss is a sophomore in journalism and mass communication from Urbandale.