 Time 's reviewer Richard Corliss praised the action scenes and Noyce 's persistence in keeping a serious tone – " he ignores the story 's preposterous elements and lets the audience decide whether to laugh , shudder or both " . Empire 's William Thomas praised Jolie 's performance remarking that " when it comes to selling incredible , crazy , death @-@ defying antics , Jolie has few peers in the action business " , and Village Voice 's Karina Longworth considered that original star Tom Cruise would never express the protagonist 's ambiguity as well as Jolie . 
