Red 2

I just realized a few minutes ago that I haven’t published my review of Red.  I would have thought that I had seen the movie after I started putting down my thoughts in cyberspace but I guess it would have been a little before that.  Red was an action movie par excellence.  Standard espionage story but great dialogues and fabulous performances.

Half the job for Robert Schewntke was done with the casting. The only people in the cast that probably needed any hand holding or “direction” would have been the support cast.  Because you cannot teach action to Bruce Willis and you don’t need to teach any acting to John Malkovich, Helen Mirren and Mary Louise Parker.

 

Red 2 would also have been a walk in the park for Dean Parisot for exactly the reasons mentioned above. The added flavor of Anthony Hopkins in the role of a degenerate British Scientist – Bailey – just ensured that even the villainy was top notch.  Just what you need for a lovely weekend.

 

If there was a genre called “Outrageously Funny Action”, Red 2 would be at the top of the list.  Some of you may find the humour corny but I thought it was superb.  So Frank (Willis) is described by Sarah (Parker) as a simple person.  His day is about, “killing, eating, sexting, eating….. killing”.

 

Red2 starts with Marvin (Malkovich) being blown to bits after touching base with Frank.  Only a few minutes and a funeral later, Marvin reappears to explain to Frank and Sarah that their days are probably numbered because the government has sent its assassins to seek and destroy anyone associated with Project Nightshade.

 

The adventure winds through the US of A to across the Atlantic into Mona Lisa country and then across the channel into the land of the Thames.  Along the way our trio gets to cross swords with The Frog (David Thewlis), Han Cho Bai (Byung Hun Lee), Frank’s ex flame Katja (Zeta-Jones) and their old friend Victoria (Mirren).

 

The grand finale with Dr. Bailey and Nightshade takes you into the Kremlin and eventually the Iranian Embassy in Moscow.  There are several car chases and machine gun bullets and explosions that form part of your journey.  But thankfully, it is not just insane action.  There is a reason for everything and there are some really slick dialogues that ease the travel towards the eventual end.

 

The highlight of the series and therefore this edition would be the performances and dialogues.  To pick actors (other than Willis) who otherwise would not be seen within a country mile of action is the secret.  The comic book series by Warren Ellis and Culley Hamner could not have asked for a better cast.

 

7 on 10 and I think it is still playing in some screens.  Try catching up with part 1 before you see this but it isn’t mandatory to do so. Enjoy!!!

 

Watch the trailer on http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2989925913/?ref_=tt_ov_vi