Big Actors, Big Guns, and The One That Tripped (RED review)

RED
***

I knew before going in to see this film that RED was going to be a film of zero depth. It was, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. One reason is all the legendary actors that managed to be involved in this. I mean in my opinion, Helen Mirren would have been enough reason to see this film. Directed by little known director (to me) Robert Schwentke, the film falls a bit short, but it’s not a deal breaker.

RED is about a group of retired black-ops who suddenly become a target, and they must get back the old team to fight the attack. It’s an entertaining film, specially because all the actors play the parts well. They are all legends in their own right, and to see them in something far from their comfort zone, at least for most, was a blast. Such cast includes Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, and Mary-Louise Parker.

There are not many things that stand out completely about the film, but it is at times like a sightseeing tour. For example, I don’t think it gets anymore badass than to see Helen Mirren with a machine gun, seriously she is perfect for anything. Also I loved John Malkovich as the crazy man, who is not entirely nuts either. In one particular scene he grabs a woman coming out of a store, puts a gun to her head, and simply justifies it by saying “she smells like government”. Such a funny scene in the film. John Malkovich can certainly play the wacky old man. Another wonderful thing that just about made this film worth seeing was that the second half of the film would not have happened if one of the characters hadn’t tripped. Have you ever seen that in an action sequence, a character trip and then get caught? Well it happens here and it drives the second half of the narrative. It’s great, that made me laugh so much.

RED is not a serious film, so don’t be fooled by the pedigree in the cast. This is a fun, funny, and unique action movie. I would recommend you to rent it, if anything to see Academy Award winning actors embody action roles that are unlikely of them to do so. Who says old people can’t have fun? They certainly did in this picture.