FILM REVIEW RED 2

That is not to say ridiculous in a bad way; only after seeing a fight scene in which someone beats up a group of police with a fridge door handcuffed to them did I realise it was the one thing I had been waiting to see.

The cast looks to be having the time of their lives, bouncing off each other and everyone having their moment in the spotlight.

Everyone knows Bruce Willis can action films; his role as Frank Moses is the kind of thing he could do in his sleep. However, the difference from recent Willis action flicks such as the latest Die Hard is that he actually seems to be enjoying himself.

While RED 2 may not have been the sequel everyone was dying for, it certainly has its place as not simply another cash-in movie, and WildStorm and DC’s comic book series of the same name as the source material certainly helped give the film direction.

It is hard to say the plot was the letdown of the film, because I doubt many people were expecting anything groundbreaking; the generic international terrorism scheme and government cover-up is at play here.

The characters know the situations they are in are ridiculous, and respond in an appropriately light-hearted way. There are some nice developments, and the self-referential running quote of ‘I bet you didn’t see that coming’ ensures nothing is taken too seriously.

Willis is the driving force of the movie that holds everything together, yet the standout performance is Mary-Louise Parker as Frank Moses’ girlfriend Sarah Ross.

It is nice to see an overly enthusiastic ‘average person’ (sort of) trying to fit in with a group of highly trained killers while trying to prove she has what it takes.

A standout scene comes in the form of Sarah’s unique ‘interrogation’ method, which will leave audiences wondering, along with the other characters present, ‘what just happened?’

The action sequences are well executed and highly entertaining, but the actors are the real reason to see RED 2.