Sunday, October 17, 2010

RED - Really Extremely Delightful

Bruce Willis. That name alone is enough marketing to get me paying full price for a ticket and heading to the theater. Add in the always quirky John Malkovich (Marvin Boggs), the soulful Morgan Freeman (Joe), and the regal Helen Mirren (Victoria), and you have every reason to go see this movie right there. Even Mary-Louise Parker (Sarah), who has never really wowed me, manages to keep up with this all-star, experienced cast.

RED (Retired, Extremely, Dangerous), follows retired CIA Agent Frank Moses, played by Bruce Willis, as he is sought by William Cooper (Karl Urban) of the CIA. Turns out someone wants Frank dead. Something involving a mission in a South American country that went horribly wrong, and now everyone involved must die. Frank gets involved with Sarah, and because they have a history of phone conversations, she has to go on the run with him. Along the way they pick up Marvin, who is a paranoid former LCD recipient; Joe, a chronically ill former spook; and Victoria, "the best wet-work asset in the business". Along the way this rag-tag bunch of geriatrics picks up an old KGB operative, Ivan, played by Brian Cox.

The running gag here is that they are all old, so of course, they are sorely underestimated. Whether it be breaking into the CIA, or attempting to kidnap and interrogate Alexander Dunning (Richard Dreyfuss), who is a big-time CEO. Throughout the whole movie they survive various altercations by the skin of their teeth, and do so with the humor and flair that only these season actors could portray.

I won't get too into the plot, because at the end of the day, it really doesn't matter. This is a longer movie, at 111 minutes, but you are literally entertained throughout the entire film. Its incredible, but it never really lags, there's no real time where you start looking that clock and waiting for the plot-point dialog to be over. It's kind of like watching Avatar for the 1st time in 3D. You are sitting there, for over 2 hours, but you can't look away because it has completely grabbed your attention. RED is by no means as visually stunning as Avatar, but it definitely does grab your eyeballs and earholes and doesn't let go. There are definitely a couple of really well shot scenes, one of which is a medley of exploding bodies. Sure that sounds weird and gory, but the way they do it, is kind of hilarious, the entire theater was laughing, and you will too.

I'm rambling now. Its a great movie, I give it 4/5 stars, now go and see it :)