Review of Red (2002) by Fred V — 28 Sep 2012

The film may not actors but lacking true that you need some new faces and charismatic that make action films and take the audience to the cinema to see them. While it is still possible to use the names already known, already established and charismatic actors. "Red" uses these names.

Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is a retired CIA agent who does not have much to do and spends much time thinking of Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker), a clerk with whom he telemarketing phone conversation. One night he suffers an assassination attempt but manages to save himself, he goes after Sarah for anything to happen to her because the conversations we had were being stapled.

To find out who wants him dead he'll have help from Joe (Morgan Freeman), Marvin (John Malkovich) and Victoria (Helen Mirren). Together these "crowns" will cause a lot of havoc and confusion while being hunted by a CIA agent, a young agent at the height of his career named William Cooper (Karl Urban). The struggle of the old against the new, as expected, and yet, having fun and earning either very funny scene.

One thing the script does well, join comedy and action without forcing the jokes - they come naturally - and another plus, in my opinion, is John Malkovich being paranoid, it's simply impossible not to laugh at him. The film not only saved from being silly sometimes typical thing in action movies. Another negative is the way some characters are introduced, especially when some of them are behind a big conspiracy, are not even mentioned yet that are thrown in our face.

With a firm and competent direction, good actors doing what they know, but of course, without a glow that some of them will be remembered for having done such a film. Although the film suffers meet with holes in scripts, some cliches and the need to mention or remember past events to explain some things and the interaction of some characters. Even with a funny scene that makes the biggest mistake with the end of the film, being only the beginning of an adventure and leaving margins for a sequel.