REVIEW: YES, it's overblown; yes, it's far-fetched; yes, it gives its star the best close ups.

But there is no denying one fact Mission: Impossible 2 (15) is rollicking good fun.

It may have seemed like an impossible mission to follow up the success of the 1996 original, but while this sequel may have lost the spirit of the TV series on which the movies are based, the action is faster, the stunts are more spectacular, and the explosions are noisier.

And the plot, which admittedly takes some swallowing, holds together better than that of its predecessor, which certainly suffered by its convoluted storyline.

A bunch of terrorists, led by former good guy Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott), have stolen a killer virus, one that can turn a person into a bloody, suppurating wreck within 30 hours.

The impossible mission for IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is to steal the antidote drug. It's a tall order and Hunt recruits expert jewel thief Nyah Hall (Thandie Newton) to lend a hand. A cunning move, because Nyah is also Ambrose's ex.

From a breathtaking title sequence on a dizzying cliff face to an electrifying motorcycle chase, M:I2, directed by celebrated Chinese action guru John Woo, moves at breakneck speed, incorporating luscious Australian locations and some ingenious technological innovations.

There's even a small but show-stealing role for Anthony Hopkins, who as Hunt's boss delivers the classic Your mission, should you choose to accept it . . . line.

But this is Tom Cruise's film. Co-producer as well as star, he hogs a lot of the camera and for much of the running time the audience could be forgiven for thinking they were looking at a giant Tom Cruise poster rather than a cinema screen.

But, vanity aside, he deserves a pat on the back for throwing himself wholeheartedly into the physical aspects of the film, and making this mission a possibility.

By Steve Webb