Undercurrent of misogyny
I agree with the one female critic who slammed this film as misogynistic. After watching it, I agree. I see it. Just look at Cameron Diaz's character, June Haven. It makes me wonder why Diaz signed on do this dumbed-down role? This film treats women like naive, docile, powerless creatures. Maybe she wanted to work with Tom Cruise again? I found it interesting when Roy says to another woman that June is a "nobody, just somebody I picked up along the way". Its so true I doubt Angelina Jolie would touch this role. It would've made sense if it were a tongue-in-cheek character, but its not.
There's nothing wrong with damsel-in-distress sort of characters, but if they lack intelligence and substance, they become irritating. The June character never uses her head. She's always clueless about everything. She doesn't know when she's being tricked, when danger is imminent(the scene before the shootout where she jumps the gun---no pun intended---before Roy counts the three) or what's happening around her(the airplane scene). Her character's head is perpetually in the clouds..."Where am I?"..."Who are you?"..."I don't know what is going on". She's always getting drugged, bound, controlled, etc. She relies too much on Roy to save her. She hardly does anything--except fire off a few rounds here and there--empowering.
I think part of the reason this film didn't work is because it takes itself very seriously. I could've worked as a spoof.
What's beef? Beef is when I see you, guaranteed to be in ICU --The Notorious B.I.G.