The Movies

Mission: Impossible 2

$27 million 2 weeks in release $130.7 million to date

PLOT A band of agents searches for a traitor who holds a killer virus in the sequel that only vaguely resembles the original series.

MESSAGE Watered- down James Bond bravado: Save the world, get the girl, look cool..

CAUTION PG-13 for violence, bad language, and sensuality.

Martin Lawrence, Nia Long / Raja Gosnell (Never Been Kissed) / Twentieth Century Fox

PLOT Extremely lowbrow comedy about an FBI agent who poses as a cranky Southern granny to catch an escaped convict.

MESSAGE Appearances can be deceiving; the real person lurks behind the costume.

CAUTION Rated PG-13 for crude humor, bad language, and violence.

$12 million 3 weeks in release $96.8 million to date

PLOT A young dinosaur and a pack of lemurs search for a new home after a meteor destroys their habitat.

MESSAGE Everybody matters in society. The old, frail, and weak still deserve help.

CAUTION Rated PG for animal violence.

$8.6 million 2 weeks in release $31.9 million to date

PLOT A Chinese imperial guard is sent to America to rescue a kidnapped princess.

MESSAGE Heroes hold on to their honor in strange situations.

CAUTION Rated PG-13 for violence and bad language.

$8.1 million 5 weeks in release $138.7 million to date

PLOT A Roman general becomes a gladiator to avenge his family's murder.

MESSAGE Stoicism has its virtues. Heroes must risk everything to defeat their enemies.

CAUTION Rated R for violence.

With an action-hero reputation built on years as an Asian superstar, Jackie Chan tries everything to build crossover acceptance. He tries on the Western hat in Shanghai Noon (Touchstone; rated PG-13 for violence and bad language). This is a pleasant improvement over the usual Chan fare, where the plot exists only to hold together action scenes. He plays a Chinese imperial guard who is sent to America to rescue a kidnapped princess (Lucy Liu), and along the way he winds up with a comedic outlaw sidekick (Owen Wilson). Mr. Chan's character fights bad Indians, befriends good Indians, gets into a ballroom brawl, gets thrown in jail, escapes his own hanging, and becomes known as the Shanghai Kid. His mission leads him into a clash with Lo Fong (Roger Yuan), a nasty, traitorous villain who kidnapped the princess and keeps his own countrymen as indentured servants. Mr. Chan's character is in the Gene Autry/Roy Rogers mold of nice guy action star, only with stunts and giggles. His movies are getting better, but his work is still an acquired taste.