Friday, January 28, 2011

RED - Movie Review

Red, with Bruce Willis. How can you not love Bruce Willis? Bruce Willis killing people. How can you not love Bruce Willis killing people? He does it so well. But expectations don’t go very well with this movie. It’s solid.

It’s just… When all these great actors / actresses get together, one expects a stand-out film. With everyone building off each other, playing off each other, operating at the top of their game. Here, everyone’s solid. Can’t complain. But I wanted a special movie. Everyone’s in their own bubble and rarely do they interact with each other in a meaningful way. Maybe its respect, everyone giving everyone room to do their thing. But nobody builds or plays off anyone. Marvin Boggs(John Malkovich) as a character demands it. Can’t let someone be crazy all by themselves. Then it’s just weird. It feels like he steps up, does his joke, then sits back down. Victoria (Helen Mirren) and Ivan Simanov (Brain Cox) have a little banter, over there by themselves, but I don’t remember any lines. Sara Ross (Mary-Louise Parker) does the typical “why am I here?” thing. Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman) is a guy. He does things. Yeah, nothing special. Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) has a few very good action scenes then plays normal guy. I don’t have any interest in normal guy. I’d like a character.

I think it comes down to Red being a loose movie. It’s not over-the-top and it’s not serious. It’s in the middle. Potential plot holes are smoothed over with charm and a “just don’t think about it, not important to what’s going on”. Action doesn’t always make sense as far as why it’s happening. What it needed was a stronger reason to exist. Really sell that old versus young theme. Because I’m with them! Loved it when they called Cooper’s (Carl Urban) haircut cute. Loved the old guy (Ernest Borgnine) who was in charge of the C.I.A.’s records just letting Frank take whatever he wanted. Great guy. Just wish they shot young cute guys the whole movie. Wish Malkovich set a Hollywood record for most guns used. More of Victoria telling Sara that if she breaks Frank’s heart she’ll kill her. And Morgan Freeman having a running commentary throughout the whole damn movie. Picking people apart, tons of that wonderful dry humor. That alone would make this movie incredible.


Still. Fun. Just got me wishing for more or a stronger showing.

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