Red is one of the best action films of the year while also filling in a lot of worthwhile comedy to make it a joyful ride. The plot is pretty decent for an action movie, everyone who participated in a war event in the past slowly being killed off. Bruce Willis and John Malkovich's characters are on this list and are now trying to escape from this mess. Along the way, Willis runs into a woman (Mary-Louise Parker) who he has known from constant phone calls between the two and their first meet up doesn't turn out too well due to the circumstances. Add in Freeman, Mirren, a ridiculous plot to bring down the vice-president, and other action/comedy elements and you get this joyride. Malkovich and Parker definitely bring the most fun to the film, especially with Malkovich's particular love for a stuffed pig early on in the film that gives off one of the biggest laughs. The out of control action is more fun to watch than this year's earlier outing Machete. Willis also seems to show some of the fun he had in the Die Hard movies here. It's a truly great action piece, one of the few as of recent that are done right. ***1/2

B, very entertaining, great ensemble cast, very fun dialogue.

It's not that good.

Another fun nostalgic action movie with older stars. I actually liked this one a lot better than "The Expendables" B+

Uh oh, I don't want to walk in with excessive expectation. Although, my bro did say it was worth the cost of admission. I should be seeing this tomorrow. Gah, there are to many interesting things to see Saturday!

Is Helen Mirren in it quite a bit? I'll admit she's one of the main reasons I want to see it. I may go tonight.

She comes in basically at the second half.

RED - 7/10 ( B )

I thought it was pretty entertaining. Helen Mirren was underused, IMO, but at least Mary Louise Parker was in it a lot.

A popcorn-movie treat. John Malkovich and Mary-Louise Parker deliver hilarious, memorable performances. Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, and Karl Urban are also solid. Morgan Freeman, however, is rather dull, but it's not a big deal when the rest of the cast is such a delight. The plot (the Guatemalan intrigue, etc.) is ludicrous and easy to tune out; it's the stylish action sequences and crisp humor which give Red its bounce. I left satisfied. Oh, and it's far, far better than The Losers and The Expendables.

B+

fun flick. Willis is great. Malkovich steals the movie.

B+

Yeah.

I think the aspect that struck me the most (besides the all-encompassing, practically suffocating commonplace nature of the whole thing) was the god-awful, worst-thing-I've-ever-heard musical score. It was like the director found a "Movie Music!" CD at Sam Goody for $4.99 and just hit the repeat button.

This is a great example of a movie trying to cast as wide a net as possible and catching absolutely shit all.

I agree with the sentiment it's better than stuff like The Losers and the god-awful Expendables but that's not saying much.

The cast is strong, the production value is higher and whilst there are laughs to be had, it feels disjointed and as though it's going for too many things at once but achieving none. If it wanted to be a straight up action flick some scenes are memorable whilst others are run of the mill, if it wanted to be a Shoot 'Em Up crazy-esque flick it also faltered with not enough outrageousness. It teases you with suspension-of-disbelief like shooting scenes where no one seems to notice or care but then grounds other scenes in reality so as I previously said it's disjointed at best.

Expendables is all around horrible and Losers has a weaker cast, script and production value, so yeah.

B-

I really dug Red's deliberate pacing...

Lots of time to get to know the characters. It's old school - - ya know - - care about whether they get shot even before the shooting begins. Yep, that's gettin' to be real old school in filmmaking nowadays. But dang it! It works.

The action... when it finally... ... ... arrives... is brief and ultraviolent - - refreshingly to the point.

The actors are well known. They perform impeccably. Old timer Mary-Louise Parker stands out even amongst the older-timers. (Not to mention good 'ol oldest timer Ernest Borgnine.)

The writing is very, very funny, with just the right twist of absurdity. You can clearly see the gray of Red's comic book graphic novel roots, and that imbues the film with a wisdom beyond it's improbability.

This is a quality entertainment.


10 out of 5.

Fun, unfortunately just fun.

B-

Loved it. Fun and entertaining movie. Nothing more to it.

9/10

3/10 -> D-

I didn't like it. Not one least bit. I saw it with a friend. He thought the movie was fun. I was bored like hell throughout.

As an action movie it fails as there's not a single memorable action scene in it. Been there done that.

As a spy movie it fails as it never really offered a real sense of something spy-worthy happening. The whole plot felt like a MacGuffin for getting the old team back together and because they needed to offer something they went with a pretty lame explanation.

As a comedy it fails as all of its one-liners and funny scenes fall flat.

I did like Mirren. She looks bad ass with guns. I think she'd be a blast as a Bond girl.