Watching retired C.I.A Agent, Frank Moses ‘playing house’ with girlfriend Sarah Ross, is a fantastic way to set the scene for this action-packed comedy, complete with thrill-seeking adventures and a hefty dose of crime thrown in for good measure.
There is no shortage of mayhem, chaos and ‘edge of the seat’ moments in this powerhouse movie, with outstanding performances from the reunited operative team, Bruce Willis (Frank), John Malkovich (Marvin) and Helen Mirren (Victoria). Each of the main characters bring their unique brand of charisma to life, while Helen Mirren never ceases to surprise and delight. Catherine Zeta-Jones (Katja) is as feisty, flirtatious and watchable as ever and Mary-Louise Parker (Sarah) is the icing on the cake. Byung-hun Lee (Han Cho Bai) as ‘the best contract killer in the world’ offers fresh, impressive moves and Anthony Hopkins’ rendition of the mad scientist (Dr. Edward Baily) is flawless.
There is plenty of intrigue and action as this captivating film takes its twists and turns. In lesser hands this movie could have fallen short, but the brilliant cast do not skip a beat or miss a trick, even when they find themselves in some tight places. With guns blazing, bombs detonating and all the car chases you’d expect from this genre, an interesting thread follows the storyline, in that we are ‘hard-wired’ to be in relationships, providing thoughtful and hilarious interjections from each character as they offer their take on what keeps people together.
Picturesque aerial shots of Hong Kong, Paris, London and Moscow fill the screen and transport us across the globe, as do the games people play in order to gain status and notoriety, The animated, cartoon style special effects also serve to bring this message home.
Red 2 has all the right ingredients and delivers the goods from start to finish, with a few mouth-gaping moments, wicked humour, exquisite timing and a stronger plot than it’s 2010 predecessor, Red 2 is must see for action fans.
© Patricia Herreen 2013