Movie Info
Movie Name: RED
Studio: DC Entertainment
Genre(s): Action/Adventure/Comedy/Comic Book
Release Date(s): October 15, 2010
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Worst…date…ever
Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is dealing with retirement and trying to find the courage to ask out Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker) who works at the GSA Pension Office. When Frank is targeted for death, Frank realizes that he and everyone he knows are in danger. Frank kidnaps Sarah Ross and sets out to find his team of special agents. Pursued by CIA agent William Cooper (Karl Urban), Frank, unstable Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich), Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman), and Victoria (Helen Mirren) must find out why a past mission has them marked for death.
Directed by Robert Schwentke, RED (short for Retired, Extremely Dangerous) adapts the 2003-2004 limited comic book series Red by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner by Wildstorm’s Homage imprint. The film was well-received by critics and nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Picture—Musical or Comedy (losing to The Kids Are All Right).
Bombs for everyone!!!
RED is an action film along the lines of other action-comedies like Lethal Weapon or Die Hard. The action is real, but it is still infused with a lot of humor which keeps the movie going (and cuts down some of the ridiculous nature of the story).
RED sets up a good storyline and makes it easy to follow. The story is a nice thriller with the underdogs fighting back. It could be a bit deeper, but it does keep the odds high with a target on the vice-president. I kind of expected a traitor to pop-up among the REDs (Morgan Freeman was my vote), but it was a rather straight forward action.
If I ruin this dress, you all will die!
RED is primarily pushed by its cast. Willis is in his normal form as the soft spoken action man and he’s teamed with the bubbly Mary-Louise Parker who is drawn into a world of action (and gets to like it). I rather expected Morgan Freeman to have a bigger part in the movie, but I was glad he didn’t because he would overshadow the entertaining John Malkovich and Helen Mirren. Karl Urban continues to be one to watch as the CIA agent who thinks he’s doing the right thing. Brian Cox, Ernest Borgnine, Richard Dreyfuss, and James Remar are also nice in supporting roles.
Dammit Bruce Willis, I’m a CIA agent not doctor!
RED is an action movie, and it isn’t short on big explosions. The movie is shot pretty stylish and the style adds to the fun. I would have enjoyed to see it even more stylish (maybe not to Wanted’s level), but it does work.
RED isn’t the best action movie, but it is fun. I wasn’t expecting much entering RED and thought it started pretty slow. Once the movie gets going, the action doesn’t stop though it still left me wanting more. RED was popular enough to spawn a sequel in RED 2 which was released in 2013.
