Review: RED 2

It's been pretty hit and miss for both Bruce Willis and Jon Malchovich in the last few years.  And by 'hit and miss,' I really mean almost entirely 'misses.'  Can anyone think of any decent movies from either star besides the first RED movie?  They are both capable actors who, like many modern teeny boppers, need New Direction(s), or at least good ones (I know, that's a bad pun).  And they seem to have found it and amazing character writing in their latest endeavor, RED 2.

I adored the first movie to the point that I own it on Blu-ray.  It was a refreshingly unconventional take on the spy genre in that it was well executed AND it didn't take itself too seriously.  Any film that tries to break convention gets points in my book.  Add some marvelous acting and character development, and I'm sold!  Now, I don't want to turn this review into a review of the first film, yet I would be remiss if I didn't note how much I loved it and how much I was anticipating the sequel.

THE GOOD
First and foremost, this movie is character-driven.  And the characters are likable to the point of them being Whedon-esque.  I will go through each of them individually because I enjoyed them so very much.

Mary Louise-Parker is, in my humble opinion, the most under-used actress in Hollywood right now.  She is even better in this movie than she is in the first.  Not to be a dead horse, but her character is so likable, quirky, and yet the most grounded of them all.  She is the character that the audience relates with most, and I would suggest that her performance is flawless here.

Jon M. and Helen Miren are both also better than the first film, which I would have thought impossible. Their chemistry, along with most of the rest of the cast, is electrifying. I enjoyed all their interactions so very much.  Even Byung-hun Lee's character had good chemistry with them, although I think that was more due to wonderful writing and directing than his actual acting ability.

This movie is the funniest film I've seen all year.  So, if you liked the first one, this one delivers the goods in spades.

The set piece transition mechanism is also a step up from the last movies' postcards.  They basically use the comic book images to transition between scenes.  I really enjoyed it.

THE BAD
Although the acting was good with most of the main characters, there were blaring exceptions.  Neal Mcdonough, Catherine Zeta Jones, and Anthony Hopkins were just so-so performances.  McDonough felt out-of-place, like he didn't belong in the same league as the other legends.  Whereas Zeta-Jones and Hopkins are in the same league, but just didn't deliver on the same level as the 4 protagonists.

The story was campy and outlandish, something that a lot of audiences don't have tolerance for post-Bourne.  I was willing to give an exception here, however I can see why some would find it too corny.

CONCLUSION
I really loved this movie.  I recommend it to anyone who liked the first one and I certainly can understand why this isn't for everyone.  Critics have been hard on it and part of me understands why.  It is quirky and not everyone loves that.  4.25/5 Disco Balls.

PARENTS GUIDE
The language isn't too bad, yet there is a remarkable amount of killing.  I think if someone were to do a body count I wouldn't be surprised if it was in the 100s. They don't show a lot of blood.  But, don't be mistaken: this is a horribly violent film.