RED (Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman) - Discuss & Grade
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Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman kicking butt? Count me in! Helen Mirren and John Malkovitch are merely icing on the cake.
The comic in question is pretty much just the source of a few names and the first action sequence at Bruce Willis' house (Warren Ellis, the author, said this is fine; the original story would, he said, have been good for about half an hour of movie), but it's a good movie nonetheless.
Mainly, this is a film where you come to see the stars have fun within their standard personas. It's not overly concerned with the plot, though it does have a few small bits of playing with expectations that I wasn't expecting. Tonally, I think it veers between serious and unserious in a manner that may not completely work (Morgan Freeman getting killed midway through seems out of step with everything else, though it does supply some actual jeopardy to the remainder of the movie; you can almost buy that Helen Mirren is done for at one point).
Also regarding Freeman, it's an interesting case of how advertising can shape your view of a movie - he's all over the trailers, but Bryan Cox (with a fairly un-hammy Russian accent), who basically takes his place midway through, is nowhere to be seen.
The cast is great, as you'd expect. Willis is still a plausible action hero - actually, this is almost a bit of a problem, since everybody else is plausibly old, but Willis (the youngest to begin with) doesn't really look much different than he did 15 years ago. My favourite parts of the movie where the scenes (particularly the early ones) between Willis and Mary-Louise Parker (the reaction when he shows up at her apartment, the subsequent "adventure").
Mainly, this is a film where you come to see the stars have fun within their standard personas. It's not overly concerned with the plot, though it does have a few small bits of playing with expectations that I wasn't expecting. Tonally, I think it veers between serious and unserious in a manner that may not completely work (Morgan Freeman getting killed midway through seems out of step with everything else, though it does supply some actual jeopardy to the remainder of the movie; you can almost buy that Helen Mirren is done for at one point).
Also regarding Freeman, it's an interesting case of how advertising can shape your view of a movie - he's all over the trailers, but Bryan Cox (with a fairly un-hammy Russian accent), who basically takes his place midway through, is nowhere to be seen.
The cast is great, as you'd expect. Willis is still a plausible action hero - actually, this is almost a bit of a problem, since everybody else is plausibly old, but Willis (the youngest to begin with) doesn't really look much different than he did 15 years ago. My favourite parts of the movie where the scenes (particularly the early ones) between Willis and Mary-Louise Parker (the reaction when he shows up at her apartment, the subsequent "adventure").
If Bruce Willis would just stop sleepwalking through all of his movies...
When did that become his default style? No one really does laconic better than Willis, but still. It gets old. 
When did that become his default style? No one really does laconic better than Willis, but still. It gets old.
I blame the 6th Sense. The 5th Element was his last movie where he did not seem tired.
I'd consider it slightly above average. Yes, it was a very predictable action-flick with a few very funny moments, but nothing terribly special.
What really sold it for me was Mirren and Malkovich; seeing Helen Mirren smile devilishly as she picks off baddies with her sniper rifle is worth the price of admission alone . They so obviously enjoyed themselves, and it was fun to watch. It was an amusing little film, but nothing spectacular.
What really sold it for me was Mirren and Malkovich; seeing Helen Mirren smile devilishly as she picks off baddies with her sniper rifle is worth the price of admission alone . They so obviously enjoyed themselves, and it was fun to watch. It was an amusing little film, but nothing spectacular.
When did that become his default style? No one really does laconic better than Willis, but still. It gets old.
I blame the 6th Sense. The 5th Element was his last movie where he did not seem tired.
“Anyone else wanna negotiate?"
Only seen the trailers so far, but it looks to be one hell of a lot of fun
This was a case where the actors and the chemistry between them really elevated the material. The script was sort of by-the-numbers, however there were some neat little unexpected twists to keep things interesting (and an actual plot that was understandable and made sense), but for the most part this movie wouldn't be nearly as fun without Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Brian Cox, and Richard Dreyfus in the leads. I seriously cannot believe that all of those talented people were in the same movie, much less an action movie like this. The casting in Red was quite the coup.
I also have to give props to some of the other actors in the supporting cast as well- I've been watching Mary Louise-Parker in Weeds for some time and I always thought she was a really versatile actress, being able to express a slew of different emotions simultaneously. She did a pretty solid job here opposite Willis, and I could buy that they had a romantic thing going on. Louise-Parker brings enough snarky wit to make the role entertaining and believable. Also, I was very impressed with Karl Urban, who shows he is quite ready for a leading role after being so good in supporting roles as of late (The Bourne Supremacy, Star Trek).
I also really liked the direction and the little visual flourishes/transitions that really helped make the film entertaining and sort of visually inventive. It's hard to believe that the same Robert Schwentke that directed such movies as Flightplan and The Time Traveler's Wife could direct such a crazy, fun, action film. I liked a lot of his camera angles and shot composition.
Red isn't the perfect film, but it was a lot of fun.
I also have to give props to some of the other actors in the supporting cast as well- I've been watching Mary Louise-Parker in Weeds for some time and I always thought she was a really versatile actress, being able to express a slew of different emotions simultaneously. She did a pretty solid job here opposite Willis, and I could buy that they had a romantic thing going on. Louise-Parker brings enough snarky wit to make the role entertaining and believable. Also, I was very impressed with Karl Urban, who shows he is quite ready for a leading role after being so good in supporting roles as of late (The Bourne Supremacy, Star Trek).
I also really liked the direction and the little visual flourishes/transitions that really helped make the film entertaining and sort of visually inventive. It's hard to believe that the same Robert Schwentke that directed such movies as Flightplan and The Time Traveler's Wife could direct such a crazy, fun, action film. I liked a lot of his camera angles and shot composition.
Red isn't the perfect film, but it was a lot of fun.
Just saw it. It was better than I thought it would be. Zany and funny with good action and a really packed story full of characters and events and locations. Definitely recommended but not something you have to see in theater. It was a lesser version of Shoot 'Em Up, which I really loved.
So, we've got general critical agreement that it's at least a passable movie, we've got a thread full of people who at least thought it was decent, so if you're going to be the only dissenting voice, maybe contributing to the thread beyond a paraphrasing of "it sucks" would be appropriate? What movies in this genre do you find "interesting"?
I haven't seen this yet, but I might.
I think that when people are allowed to say "it's awesome" without giving reasons why, then people should be allowed to say "it sucks" without having to give any reasons.
Nice movie but the story itself is nothing to write home about. Willis is the usual top action hero who can cook a 5 course dinner meal while simultaneously taking out half of the villains.. a bit boring if you ask me no matter who the character is played by.
Where the movie really comes through and gets funny is Helen Mirren as a british Hitman (or is that Hitwoman) and John Malkovich as an insane weapon specialist.
I love actors getting cast in unlikely roles and pulling it off.. in this case especially Mirren get's a thumbs up because i've seen The Queen and now seeing her lying in the snow and shooting people with a sniper rifle is just priceless.
It's a fun little romp.. nothing that would break cinema but could have been much better with a better story and a less superman level type of ex-Agent in the form of Bruce Willis (however him calmly exiting a crashed and spinning car had me on the floor.. i love such insane and dumb things once in a while
).
Where the movie really comes through and gets funny is Helen Mirren as a british Hitman (or is that Hitwoman) and John Malkovich as an insane weapon specialist.
I love actors getting cast in unlikely roles and pulling it off.. in this case especially Mirren get's a thumbs up because i've seen The Queen and now seeing her lying in the snow and shooting people with a sniper rifle is just priceless.
It's a fun little romp.. nothing that would break cinema but could have been much better with a better story and a less superman level type of ex-Agent in the form of Bruce Willis (however him calmly exiting a crashed and spinning car had me on the floor.. i love such insane and dumb things once in a while
).
I don't think they should do that either (it's basically useless commentary), and in fact not a single person in this thread did.
I enjoyed the movie for what it is: a light, funny action flick with familiar actors doing unfamiliar things (well...except Bruce Willis this time). I accidentally read a spoiler about Morgan Freeman's character dying in this thread, so I was a bit bummed out by that (although I thought his first "death" was the death, so I was pleasantly surprised on that count).
Helen Mirren and John Malkovitch of cousre stole the show (and props to Brian Cox, too), but Mary Louise-Parker once again stole my heart. She had me in stitches whenever she interacted with Willis.
Helen Mirren and John Malkovitch of cousre stole the show (and props to Brian Cox, too), but Mary Louise-Parker once again stole my heart. She had me in stitches whenever she interacted with Willis.