RED (2010) User Reviews (419)

Ridiculous...Entertaining...Delightful...RED is all this.!

[AudioFileZ · 7/10 · 15 October 2010]

When Bruce Willis plays his indestructible yet on the surface everyday guy he is right where the audience loves him. In RED, "Retired Extremely Dangerous", he has a close to perfect vehicle. And, so RED delivers in spite of a fairly ridiculous scenario of a group of ex-CIA operatives,or which Willis is one, being singled out for execution on the eve of the vice-president announcing his candidacy for president.

We get the message from the first that Willis is somewhat lonely and bored with retirement and is searching for a companion to make his new life matter. He isn't aching to get back to fast track, but is venerable and is fixated on a kind and cheery voice on the other end of the phone line when he complains about not getting his pension checks (he tears them up just to talk to his "handler"). He arranges a meeting with the sweet sounding gal just prior to everything falling apart because the CIA sends in a "wet" team to erase him. As suspected the CIA, as well as most all the resources of the government, are not up to the task.

Willis reassembles his old team, all in his age bracket or older, in order to survive. That team, if not on the surface a formidable threat, is pure cinematic gold as it consists of excellent performances by Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren. It is almost impossible not to like this film because of the wonderfully entertaining supporting cast. In fact Malkovich steals the show providing the correct dosage of crazed comic relief. This leads to impossible feats making for deliciously served up entertainment; all with a "nod-and-a-wink" that cuts through the unbelievable. Great action with comedy! Richard Dreyfus turns in a solid performance as a spoiled smart-ass (uber-wealthy and powerful) arms dealer who pulls strings behind the scenes. And, Ernest Borgnine has a cameo role which is memorable.

It's a character driven action comedy that truly is RED (ridiculous, entertaining, delightful). This movie gets a 7.5 and, as such, is hard to fault in spite of being pure light-weight fluff. See it and smile.

What The Expendables was supposed to be

[siderite · 8/10 · 21 October 2010]

When I first saw the trailer for The Expendables, I was already thinking of the interesting and funny relationship between the characters played by those action icons. After a zillion trailers and a movie, I was sourly disappointed. Now, I don't know who's fault it is, but relative to The Expandables, I almost haven't heard of Red before its release. However, it was exactly what I was looking for.

You have a great team of actors. They are not even action heroes, maybe that did it, but they do a great job. just look at that cast: Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Brian Cox, Hellen Mirren, Richard Dreyfuss, even Ernest Borgnine! As the young(er) crew, Karl Urban and Mary-Louise Parker are in it and they both play well. But more than that, each character actually has a role. They don't just come in, say a few inconsequential things, then die or are completely forgotten *cough* James Remar *cough*.

So it had the ridiculously packed action and at times it looked and sounded like Ocean's Eleven, who cares? The rest was great! Even the fight scenes... not even the bad guys go out in full view firing wildly then getting shot. People actually took cover, helped each other and synchronized their moves. The lines were funny and somewhat complex and all the people on the set were clearly having fun doing what they loved.

Bottom line: I don't know, maybe because the director is unseasoned in the ways of Hollywood the movie turned out to be so good. Or maybe it was the cast. Or maybe it was the fun of it. The movie turned out great, with a few screw-ups that I am ready to ignore. The mash-up is Jason Bourne meets The Expendables via, luckily for us, just a pinch of Ocean's Eleven.

What's a senior to do? Get a bigger gun of course

[Simon_Says_Movies · 8/10 · 15 October 2010]

You're wrinkly, have health issues and your age is higher than the calibre of your gun. So what's a senior to do? Why get a bigger gun of course. That is certainly one of many philosophies in the action comedy RED (That would be Retired Extremely Dangerous for those still living in fear of Communism. Hey, it is the right age bracket) which collects a who's who of Oscar-grade talent and has them blow stuff up real good. This is but the fourth men-on-a-mission film so far this year after The Expendables, The A-Team and The Losers, heck even Inception could fall into that group. The good news is with the exception of the latter it is the best of the bunch and by far the most fun you're bound to have this fall season.

Now onto the CIA. I don't know what they're dipping their dirty little fingers into Stateside but in addition to being at the center of some ticked off senior's attention in RED, they have been the villains in aforementioned The Losers and The A-Team as well as Salt and Knight & Day. Talk about your need for homeland security, they had better keep one of those high-tech satellites over Hollywood. At the receiving end of the Central Intelligence Agency's scope are a band of former operatives including the "kid" of the group, Frank Moses (Bruce Willis), the ailing Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman), the brain-fried eccentric, Marvin Boggs (John Malcovich) and the sultry heartbreaker, Victoria (Helen Mirren). Brian Cox also shows up as a Ruskie who may or may not have been previously shot by one of the former. Though not having seen action in a good decade, they have been deemed "RED" by an unknown force, which means curtains for this rag-tag bunch of geriatrics.

The cast truly is great in RED, and I don't simply mean the actors in general; they simply all give full-on great, funny performances. The subtle (but hilarious) underlying lament of these characters is they all reminisce over their past lives as hardened assassins and pine just to kill one more little ol' person. More at the forefront of course is the bang-on wry humour and delicious action sequences. This is old fashion stunt work at play here (fittingly perhaps) and I'll take it over a green screen any day. These bursts of adrenaline are dumb to be sure, but not totally ludicrous; think of a cross between Die Hard and Enemy of the State. What they are not is anything short of exciting and kinetic, and are interspersed with laughs in such a way as to not drift to one focus too long. RED also gleefully embraces its comic book origins, using playful transitions as the globe-trotting commences. Yet again, director Robert Schwentke never revels in one gimmick for too long and the film goes down smooth and easy as a result.

The younger cast is more than worth mentioning as well, with the highest accolades going to Mary-Louis Parker from TV's Weeds. There is a joke in RED which I am not sure was intentioned, when after being injected with a knockout-drug, Parker's Sarah exclaims "I'm so high". She steals most scenes when given the chance but her character (a love interest of Frank who unintentionally gets caught up in the fracas) is utilized far more towards the beginning of the film. Karl Urban is also solid as a CIA operative tasked in finding the RED's but becomes suspicious at his orders which grow increasingly corrupt. I always wonder in the movie world how they would explain attack helicopters shredding an airport to the general public. The government must have some amazing PR agents on staff. Richard Dreyfus (in his second cameo of the year after Piranha) is also well used as an oily arms dealer who comes across the team's path.

Summit Entertainment is pulling out all the marketing stops for this film, and I am happy to report the results seem to be worth the glamour. While venturing through my theatres ticket checkpoint they stamped my stub "confidential" instead of ripping it, and a squad of agents clad in sunglasses and suits patrolled the lobby. The showing seemed to be a generous mix of old and new patrons and that really comes as no surprise. Even though the majority of the cast has long breached 60, these are actors generations of all ages still admire. Even if they are not the draws they once were (some of them never were) this is a great example of people showing up to see actors, performers, and not special effects. RED may be imperfect, it may not even be particularly fresh, but it exudes something movies lack far too often: fun.

playeraffinity.com

John McClane, Cyrus the Virus, God and The Queen team up and kill people for laughs

[ced_yuen · 26 October 2010]

A retired CIA operative, hunted by his own people, reunites his old team for one last mission. It's certainly not an original story, mashing together ideas that we've seen before in the Bourne series, The Expendibles and The Losers. 'RED' (which stands for 'Retired, Extremely Dangerous') is the 4th film this year to be adapted from a graphic novel. It is also the 4th to feature men going on a mission, and the 5th with a plot involving the CIA. I couldn't help but feel skeptical. But then I noticed the cast list and realised that this is meant to be a comedy. At this point I saw the project in a different light. 'RED' is a film in which John McClane, God, Cyrus the Virus and The Queen join forces and kill people for laughs. Clearly this was going to be a film where story and sense came second to cast and chemistry.

From 'Die Hard' to 'Sin City', Bruce Willis' good-guy-having-a-bad-day routine has evolved little, but it does not need to be fixed. His performance in 'RED' is familiar, but he is never less than entertaining. This time he brings with him an air of self-parody. Throughout the film he maintains a carefree poker-face, as though he's done this so many times over the years that he can afford to be relaxed. There are valid attempts at making Willis seem more normal, and these can be quite amusing. The first 10 minutes, which show him adjusting to retirement and aimlessly wandering around the house in his dressing gown, are reminiscent of Carl Fredricksen's first appearance as an old man in 'Up'. Deeper characterisation, however, only serves to show how abnormal he really is, and it is a delight to see him in action.

With the exception of Willis, the cast is made up of actors who have no business waving guns around. Helen Mirren was an inspired choice, as if making up for the predictability of Willis' casting. Flower-arranging OAP on the outside and bad-ass hit-woman on the inside, Mirren is strangely suited to action. There is something about the juxtaposition of her gran-like demeanour with exaggerated violence that makes her very funny and extremely watchable.

John Malkovich is particularly entertaining in his performance as a mentally questionable conspiracy theorist who refuses to retire peacefully. After the numerous roles he has played with an undercurrent of insanity, it is hilarious to see him go full-on howling mad. It is not often that Malkovich gets to flex his comedy muscles, but he steals every scene in which he appears.

Morgan Freeman is unfortunately the weakest part of this alternative A-Team, not because of his performance but because he is under-utilised. He has little action time and even less characterisation. There is a glimpse at pervy-old-man behaviour (which could have been funny) and a mention of health problems (which could have been touching) but these are quickly forgotten. It is as though the writers were distracted, trying too hard to develop a secondary storyline involving Willis' romance with a pension office clerk. This subplot adds little and distracts from the main picture. It is a pity, because the wasted effort could have been more effectively put into making the story tighter, or on giving Morgan Freeman more screen time.

Overall, this is a good laugh, even if you won't remember it afterwards. Taking things less seriously and trying less hard to be cool means that 'RED' is more fun than 'The Expendibles', and less embarrassing too. Stallone can mumble all he wants about "shooting real action" - I'd rather see the Queen fire machine guns.

Helen Mirren with a machine gun

[ccrivelli2005 · 7/10 · 30 October 2010]

Silly is the operative word but also very entertaining. What did it for me was the cast. Helen Mirren lifts whatever she is in and the endearing thing about her is that she's not "precious" She goes for it and her fun becomes our fun. Hurrah for that! To go into the plot seems an exercise in futility because that's not what we will enjoy particularly but Mirren holding a machine gun with relish, the wonderful Mary Louise Parker tied to a bed or Brian Cox with a Russian accent and a mischievous spark in his eye. John Malkovich, I hope he soon plays a woman, he would be marvelous as Edna in "The Edna May Oliver Story" He is such fun to watch. Bruce Willis can do this kind of film in his sleep and he kind of does and Morgan Freeman? Well, he's always worth the trouble. The film has already vanished from my brain but the cast is glorious.

Red completely justified to its Slogan "Retired-Extreme-Dangerous". Thumbs Up!

[saadgkhan · 7/10 · 19 October 2010]

RED – CATCH IT ( B+ ) Red completely justified to its Slogan "Retired-Extreme-Dangerous". The whole movie plays out really cool, funny and clever. In recent times Bruce Willis's movies becomes very cocky and senseless despite of lots of heavy Action, Drama and even comedy. RED is funny from the beginning and opening phone chat sequence between Bruce Willis and Mary-Louise Parker gives out lots of dept and characterization. After that it's a non-stop roller coaster ride and we get to meet so many interesting characters one by one. Now let's talk about the great actors who actually made the movie work like no one has expected. Bruce Willis is at his best in RED, I think after Die Hard action franchise finally Bruce Willis got another action franchise which can be preceded further. Bruce's amazing wit, Sharp action moves made it really thrilling experience. Trust Me! Watching Bruce Willis coming out of the heavy speed moving car was just outlandish. You have to watch that scene to believe it! Mary-Louise Parker is adorable, after watching her racy/funny side on "WEEDS" from almost 4, 5 years; it's so fun to see her in Big Star studded movie with her crazy witness and attitude. She is really fun to watch, the chemistry between Bruce Willis & Mary-Louise Parker is wonderful. John Malkovich is Hilarious; I never knew this man can be so funny, his moves, dialogues thus every thing was great, and he pretty much steals the scene when he is on screen. Morgan Freeman was the slowest among all of them in humor I guess, though he did pretty decent job in his small role. Last but not the Least we are introduced to Dame Helen Mirren, who just simply stole the show, seriously watching her moving that machine gun like a fire cracker is unbelievable. She brought the utmost charisma to the team of RED. The youngest cast member of the movie was promising actor Karl urban, his tux made him move like 007 & he gave an utmost completion to the RED team, the best thing about Karl urban was that he brought freshness to the movie. Brian Cox, Julian McMohan and Richard Dreyfuss were good. Overall it's a fun ride which no one should miss on any chance. Watch it in first moment!

Bruce Willis is in his comfort zone...

[MLDinTN · 7/10 · 5 December 2011]

in this action film with bits of comedy thrown in. It's a revamp of Die Hard with a lot of famous castmates. Willis plays Frank, retired CIA, whom finds himself on a hit list. He goes to save this girl, Sarah, whom he's befriended, then it's off to track down other retirees. He gets Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirran to solve the mystery. It has something to do with a mission in Guatamale from 1981. And they learn CIA is trying to kill them and it goes all the way to the top: the Vice President.

This is a suspend reality type of movie. It's got some funny moments and was entertaining.

FINAL VERDICT: If you are looking for a popcorn flick, then this is a good choice.

I don't agree with the critics on this one.

[DarkVulcan29 · 8/10 · 20 October 2010]

Red manages to balance the line between action thriller, and light comedy, and does it quite well.

Frank Moses(Bruce Willis) a former C.I.A. agent is now retired, and living a simply, and at times boring life. His only joy of the day when he calls Sarah(Mary Louise Parker) a customer service agent, who he likes, Frank pretends not to get a monthly check, just an excuse to talk to her. But Franks simply life is interrupted, when he learns that somebody has put hit on his life, he goes on the run, after escaping an attempt on his life. He takes Sarah along too, much to her dismay. And gets his old team back together(Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich) in hopes to uncover who is behind the hits, but will they before it's too late?

I really don't agree with the critics on this one. Red was entertaining. It's funny without trying to get overly silly. Action scenes where good. Bruce Willis, Mary Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, Karl Urban, Richard Dreyfuss, Brian Cox, and Morgan Freeman. But it's John Malkovich who steals the show, with his funny one liners. And also a great co starring role by veteran actor Ernest Borgnine.

Not as good as it could have been, but still enjoyable fun.

[blacklist-1 · 6/10 · 23 October 2010]

I haven't been to the cinema much recently as for me there hasn't really be many films out that have caught my attention. The last film I saw at the pictures was the impressive The Town directed by Ben Affleck that I saw in late September. Red I saw in a trailer prior to that and it looked like terrific fun and was a film I was very much looking forward to. The 7.7 IMDb rating on this film in my opinion is a little extravagant and isn't really justified. It's for me hard to avoid the conclusion that the director Robert Schwentke just placed all the fun moments in the trailer for the sake of drawing the audience to the cinema in a way, but it isn't entirely true.

The basic story starts off with ex-CIA agent Frank Mose's chats on the phone to Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker) whom have a thing for each other when Frank is attacked by CIA operatives who attempt to kill him. He hooks up with Sarah and other retired CIA agents along the way, which include Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman), Victoria (Helen Mirren), Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich) and Ivan Simonov (Brian Cox) to try and find out why their own government wants to kill them. Whilst the CIA appoint operative William Cooper (Karl Urban) to apprehend Frank.

The story is quite basic and the screenplay is functional at best, whilst there are some funny moments, the script isn't witty or sharp enough and that's where the film loses it's edge. There were moments particularly in the first forty minutes where the movie threatens to be dragged down by it's slow pace and mediocre script, but the film does pick up and get better later even if things get a little silly. In terms of the acting, Willis gives an okay performance, but I was a bit disappointed to be honest. He tries to sparkle but he just couldn't and it felt very run of the mill, whilst Malkovich has a few decent comic moments, but Freeman and Mirren hold themselves much better with more spark in their eyes and wittiness in the projection of the dialogue they speak. They sounded like they were enjoying themselves. Karl Urban does solidly well for his more serious supporting role, but the best person in this was Mary Parker as Sarah. She was terrific as a woman living a normal life but coming to grips that the man she like is a CIA agent and becomes immersed in his world. The action was great and smoothly handled and the music was very good. The style as well was handled nicely as to some extent trying to be cool.

Red has been compared to the terrible The Expendables, which is similar in terms of story retired soldiers coming against their own government, but that is where the similarities end. As Red is much better than that trash. Maybe this wasn't as good as it could have been, but it's entertaining enough and is worth seeing. I wouldn't say no to seeing it again, but I would only rent it out on DVD, not see at the pictures or buy it. Saying that it's an enjoyable enough ride and should satisfy anyone's need for harmless entertainment.

super fun - worth watching over and over

[remaxmiracle · 10/10 · 9 January 2012]

You just never know what is going to happen when they pull together such a diverse cast - but this movie fires on all cylinders. Bruce Willis is perfect as the retired CIA agent feeling adrift with nothing but a 'normal' life to live. Helen Mirren is gorgeous and unexpected as the retired British flower arranging bad ass. John Malkovich I have never been a fan of, but he killed every scene he's in as the crazed 'conspiracy theory' member of the team. Brian Cox played his role with enthusiasm. Morgan Freeman is...well..Morgan Freeman! Last but not least is Mary Louise Parker (also not a big fan of hers) who was perfect as the mousy customer service rep dreaming of a life of adventure outside her office cube farm. Throw in super sexy Karl Urban as the young blood agent trying to figure out what side of the action he should be fighting on and Richard Dreyfuss as the snarky bad guy and it's pure heaven. Even Ernie Borgnine gets a few laughs in his small part. I saw this in the theatres, I have it on Blu-Ray and I watch it over and over on cable. I can't think of an action movie I've enjoyed this much in years.

Fun action thriller

[Calicodreamin · 7/10 · 20 September 2021]

Red is a fun action thriller with some seriously high powered actors. Willis, Mirren, Malcovich, and Freeman, make for a killer squad. The storyline is interesting and not too complicated. The action scenes are well coordinated. All in all, a pretty easy watch.

Red is brilliant!!!

[reneweddan · 10/10 · 15 October 2010]

I never thought much of this film prior to viewing it, as many others might not have either, but if you have even the slightest inclination to view this, you must! The story is typical, nothing special about the basic plot synopsis, but the delivery and the interesting plot twists keeps it fresh and interesting. The humour is hilarious, mostly a subtle humour that is apparent throughout the entire film, in nearly every scene.

Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Brian Cox, and Karl Urban all excel, as would be expected. It is refreshing watching Bruce Willis star in another action film, alongside Mary-Louise Parker (the gorgeous mother in Weeds) no less. John Malkovich plays the paranoid role quite astonishingly and Helen Mirren firing large weapons, including a gatling gun, is amazing! Every name above plays an equal part in the film, which is amazing. I never had so many characters in a single movie that I highly enjoyed equally. Remarkably done with talent seeping through the actors and vividly portrayed on the screen.

Don't expect this film to change the history of all films, but expect it to exceed in entertainment. If you give it a chance, you won't be disappointed. It's definitely a Friday night flick, something that is easily enjoyed.

Brilliance!

an all star cast has a silly blast

[NateWatchesCoolMovies · 7/10 · 4 December 2016]

Despite being somewhat neutered by the ever present annoyance of the PG-13 rating, Red is some of the most fun you can have with in the glib assassin subgenre of action comedy. Bold, hilarious and just a little bit demented, it jumps right off the pages of the graphic novel it was based on for just under two hours of wiseass popcorn movie nirvana, hosted by a cast that's almost too good to be true. 'RED' stands for 'Retired Extremely Dangerous', a moniker given to aging ex contract killers who have laid down the guns, but are still closely watched by the CIA. Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is one such person, languishing in the doldrums of forced retirement, bored out of his mind and chatting endlessly with a cutey call center girl (Mary Louise Parker). Things get freaky when deranged former associate Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich) pays him a visit, belting out wild theories about the CIA sending operatives to terminate him. Before he knows it, Frank is swept up in espionage and intrigue once again, pursued by a slick, ruthless agency man (a deadly Karl Urban doing the anti-007 shtick nicely), with Parker in tow, whose terrified reactions to the escalating violence and deadpan sociopaths around her get funnier and funnier as the film progresses. Helen Mirren is regal gold as a well spoken ex MI6 spook who dissolves corpses in bathtubs full of acid, right before afternoon tea, I presume. Watching this dainty waif rock a Barrett 50 caliber and make red mist out of her enemies is one of the many mental pleasures one can get from this flick. Morgan Freeman takes it easy as another former buddy of theirs from the older, and I imagine, more agile days. As for the supporting cast, hell, take your pick. Richard Dreyfuss is a slimy Trump-esque politician lowlife, an underused James Remar shows up for a very brief cameo, as does that old toad Ernest Borgnine, Julian McMahon once again shows that no one wears a suit like Julian McMahan, and that lovable imp Brian Cox almost walks away with the film as a sly devil of a Russian agent who woos Mirren with the silver tongued virility of a fox. What works so well the dynamic between the three leads; Malkovich is mad as as hatter, Willis plays exasperated babysitter and Parker looks on in horror that starts to turn into amusement with every outlandish scenario. Action comedies are tricky recipes, and it's easy to let too much of one ingredient slip into the pot. This one keeps a steady trigger finger that's locked onto the funny bone and positively sails.

Mildly amusing in one or two places

[imdb-9652 · 3/10 · 17 October 2010]

I guess the people who found this film 'hilarious' and 'amazing' must be really easily pleased. I found it overly long, badly scripted, predictable and poorly acted. Malkovitch put some effort into his part as Marvin the paranoid android, err, sorry, ex-CIA agent but all of the other big names seem to have decided that what this 'comedy' needed was for them to ham it up. And Brian Cox was the hammiest of the porcine bunch.

What's most disappointing about this film, however, is that the writers seem to think that because what they're writing is an 'action comedy' they don't have to bother trying to make anything about it the slightest bit believable. It's as if they think the word 'comedy' is code for 'will only be watched by gullible fools'. Thanks for the insult, guys. Now, can I have that two hours of my life back, please?

Red

[0U · 21 February 2020]

I love it when I watch a movie and the cast seems to be having loads of fun in it, and with a cast like this one, it is really fun to watch. Red isn't revolutionary by any means, but it has the feeling of being very rewatchable for me. I throughly enjoyed the great special effects and the over the top, but still fun action. Red is the definition of a fun film to watch, but it doesn't quite live up to what it could be, still a very good time though

It's not at all the type of film I normally watch, but I liked it.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 11 June 2012]

I some ways, I am not the best person to watch this film. While I have reviewed over 12500 movies so far, practically none of them were action films. It's one of my least favorite genres and to me, a lot of them look the same. I don't particularly care about explosions, machismo and the like. So why did I watch it? My uncle was in town and he wanted to see the film again...and I went on to be a good sport. Well, although the film didn't completely win me over to the genre, it was enjoyable and the sort of film a non-fan could enjoy.

The film begins in a rather mundane way. Bruce Willis is living in his suburban home--talking on the phone to a customer service lady. It seems they talk a lot and you can tell he really likes her--and he tells her he's coming to her town soon. However, it occurs MUCH sooner than either expected--as men in black attack Willis' home and try to kill him! He dispatches them quickly--leading you to believe it ain't just an ordinary guy!! And, from here on, he and his lady friend embark on a crazy adventure with LOTS of secret agents trying to kill them! Why? See the film for yourself.

"Red" works because the plot has some clever twists but more importantly because of some of the supporting characters--in particular the crazy guy played by John Malkovich. The film never takes itself all that seriously and has some clever moments--but, unfortunately, like too many films in the genre, a few too many explosions and gunfire exchanges (and practically NO ONE seems to die when 28408234012319 shots are fired). Not great but very good.

Helen Mirren firing a machine gun you gotta see that

[Marwan-Bob · 7/10 · 16 March 2019]

Fun Action/Comedy Film with a Top Shelf Cast, Yeah i'll recommend it for anyone who likes the genre.

Love these movies!

[ryanssmith-45583 · 7/10 · 4 October 2020]

Just all around fun movies, both 1 & 2. Action, comedy & a little romance make these enjoyable, however, John Malkovich' character sold me on both. A retired hitman with a history of excessive LSD use? Yes!!!

Great date movie

[claire-maslen · 8/10 · 6 October 2010]

Went to watch a preview screening of this last night. I should qualify that I'm a big fan of Bruce Willis especially when he plays this kind of character - a tough guy with a wry sense of humour.

Really interesting mix of genres here - think action/comedy/romance rolled up into one. Just enough romance without being sappy, heaps of action to keep it exciting and the occasional comedy touches which had the whole audience laughing out loud.

It's not going to win any Oscars but don't take it too seriously and you'll be taken along for a pretty enjoyable ride.

Worth a watch - great date movie - possibly one to wait for DVD for...

Sooo much fun!!! See it in theatres with an audience!!!

[audiodave_82 · 9/10 · 13 October 2010]

You will leave this film laughing. The action scenes are really good but it's the characters and actors that makes this film worth seeing. The casting in this film was perfect! Great all around supporting cast. Morgan Freeman is always a nice touch to any film. Helen Miran firing a Rambo sized gun is worth the admission alone. If you miss the classic Bruce Willis Action Comedies this one makes up for all the bad ones in recent years. But what really makes this film worth seeing in theatres with an audience is John Malkovich! John Malkovich steals the show with maybe the performance of his career. If Johnny Depp can get nominated for "Pirates" and Robert Downey Jr. can get nominated for "Tropic Thunder", then Malkovich should get nominated for this, seriously. Every time he came on screen the whole theatre would be dying with laughter.

Movies are expensive now and not all of them are worth seeing in theatre but this one is. It's not the best film ever made, the story could have been a little tighter, but I can promise you'll have a lot of fun and you will be laughing your ass off through most of it.

Messy but fun

[ethanbresnett · 7/10 · 22 August 2020]

RED has a great premise. A retired CIA operative who was at the top of his field is the subject of a hit, and as he attempts to figure out who is behind it, various retired friends and colleagues come to his aid to uncover the conspiracy. There's lots of fun to be had with this concept, and RED does a good job of squeezing out this fun, mostly through the character quirks and the interactions between them.

I think its safe to say though that this film is rather messy. I couldn't help feeling when watching it that the pacing was off slightly, some of the dialogue was clunky, and at times they were trying too hard to inject humour where it just wasn't working. The plot was fun and had a good couple of twists and surprises, but there were still a few beats that were off.

The cast were slightly disappointing for me too. You'd think a film with Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Brian Cox et al would demonstrate the crème de la crème of acting, but none of them brought their A-game. To be expected I suppose, the script and overall vibe didn't necessarily lend itself to Oscar worthy performances. Karl Urban was probably the standout for me, I thought he put in a great performance.

The action in RED is thoroughly entertaining. It very OTT and all the better for it. There are lots of entertaining scenes, particularly one brutal hand to hand fight between Bruce Willis and I won't say who, which was really well choreographed.

RED is a fun film and definitely worth watching if cheesy tongue in cheek action films are your thing. If they aren't, probably best to steer clear from this one.

Retired Extremely Dangerous – A Highly Entertaining Film

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 12 March 2011]

In Christmas, the retired middle-aged suburban Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) has a boring routine life. Frank has a crush on the pension department attendant Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker), who is a lonely woman that has disappointing dates, and he tears his checks to talk to her. When a team of heavily armed killers break in Frank's house, he escapes and travels to Sarah's house. When Frank meets Sarah, he explains that he is a former CIA agent tagged RED – Retired Extremely Dangerous - and her life is in danger since they have had many phone conversations. Sarah does not believe in his words, and Frank abducts her and he crosses the country with Sarah to meet his loyal friends and gets information. He meets and teams up with Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman) that lives in a nursing home; the paranoid Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich) that lives hidden in the woods in Florida; the retired Russian spy Ivan Simanov (Brian Cox); and the British assassin Victoria (Helen Mirren). Their investigation shows a huge conspiracy, where the Vice-President Robert Stanton (Julian McMahon) and the gangster and former CIA agent Alexander Dunning (Richard Dreyfuss) are involved. Meanwhile, the efficient CIA agent William Cooper (Karl Urban) is assigned by his boss Cynthia Wilkes (Rebecca Pidgeon) to chase Frank.

"Red" is a highly entertaining and hilarious action movie. The non-stop action entwined with very funny situations make this film one of the best of the genre that I have recently seen. My family and I laughed a lot with the group of retired extremely dangerous agents, but John Malkovich steals the film with his paranoid character that sees conspiracy everywhere and most of the time is right. Mary-Louise Parker and Helen Mirren are great surprises since this is not their usual genre. If you a seeking a movie simply to entertain and shutdown the brain, "Red" is certainly the right one. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Red – Aposentados e Perigosos" ("Red – Retired and Dangerous")

The cast truly is great in RED

[kskupto · 7/10 · 12 September 2011]

The cast truly is great in RED, and I don't simply mean the actors in general; they simply all give full-on great, funny performances. The subtle (but hilarious) underlying lament of these characters is they all reminisce over their past lives as hardened assassins and pine just to kill one more little ol' person. More at the forefront of course is the bang-on wry humour and delicious action sequences. This is old fashion stunt work at play here (fittingly perhaps) and I'll take it over a green screen any day. These bursts of adrenaline are dumb to be sure, but not totally ludicrous; think of a cross between Die Hard and Enemy of the State. What they are not is anything short of exciting and kinetic, and are interspersed with laughs in such a way as to not drift to one focus too long. RED also gleefully embraces its comic book origins, using playful transitions as the globe-trotting commences. Yet again, director Robert Schwentke never revels in one gimmick for too long and the film goes down smooth and easy as a result.

The younger cast is more than worth mentioning as well, with the highest accolades going to Mary-Louis Parker from TV's Weeds. There is a joke in RED which I am not sure was intentioned, when after being injected with a knockout-drug, Parker's Sarah exclaims "I'm so high". She steals most scenes when given the chance but her character (a love interest of Frank who unintentionally gets caught up in the fracas) is utilized far more towards the beginning of the film. Karl Urban is also solid as a CIA operative tasked in finding the RED's but becomes suspicious at his orders which grow increasingly corrupt. I always wonder in the movie world how they would explain attack helicopters shredding an airport to the general public. The government must have some amazing PR agents on staff. Richard Dreyfus (in his second cameo of the year after Piranha) is also well used as an oily arms dealer who comes across the team's path.

Red Card for RED

[estebangonzalez10 · 5/10 · 6 April 2011]

¨He got old. Then some thumb-sucker came along and tagged him RED: Retired, Extremely Dangerous.¨ Robert Schwentke (The Time Traveler's Wife, and Flightplan) had the privilege of directing a talented cast including Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Brian Cox, Karl Urban, and Richard Dreyfuss. A lot of big names for the latest adaptation of the DC Comic graphic novel written by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner. One would expect nothing could go wrong with a movie with such great star power, but I was disappointed with this lightly entertaining comedy slash action flick. Red suffers from a poorly adapted screenplay written by Jon and Erich Hoeber (the guys who brought us one of the worst films of 2009: Whiteout). The plot is really bad, and the actors do the best they can in order to save the film. There are some funny moments (but far too few) thanks to the talent from the entire cast that save the movie from falling into horrible territory. John Malkovich gives a very comedic and surprising performance, but unfortunately he doesn't get enough screen time to save the movie. The rest of the cast give good performances, but they are far from memorable. The chemistry between Bruce Willis and Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) is pretty decent, although nothing we haven't seen before. I really expected this movie would have a lot more funnier moments, but the screenplay failed to help out the great cast. Red could have been much better if the producers would have taken more time in finding better screenwriters. I just felt this movie was like an All-Star team without a good coach to help them win the championship. With a better plot, Red would have been a great and memorable movie.

Bruce Willis is Frank Moses, a former CIA agent who is now retired and having a difficult time making the transition. The only thing that seems to keep him going is when he gets to speak over the phone with his government pension representative, Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker). Her life doesn't seem all that exciting either, and she spends her days working and reading sexy spy novels. Sarah and Frank spend a lot of time on the phone discussing their boring and lonely lives without having ever met, but they seem to enjoy each other. Their daily routines will change all of a sudden when someone puts a hit on Frank and tries killing him. Frank might be old, but he's still got game. He manages to elude the dozen of assassins that are sent to his home and decides to give Sarah a visit in Kansas City guessing she might be in danger as well. Frank will need some help in order to discover who is after him so he decides to get his old CIA team back together: Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich), Victoria (Helen Mirren), and Joe Matheson (Morgan Freeman). They are all more than happy to get back in action since they all seem to have difficulties adapting to their retiree lives. Together they begin delving into the past in search for clues, while at the same time they have to face the young CIA agent who is after them: William Cooper (Karl Urban). Richard Dreyfuss, Brian Cox, and Julian McMahon also have smaller roles in the film.

I really wished this movie would have been funnier considering the talented cast. Malkovich is by far the funniest one in the film; I've seen Willis in better roles; Freeman doesn't add anything to the story; Urban being one of the younger actors proved he has what it takes to stand next to these A-list actors; Louise-Parker was pretty funny in this movie, but she is way better in Weeds; and Helen Mirren always brings her A game to the table. I didn't have a problem with the performances, but I just wished they would have done a better job with the plot and the screenplay. This is one of those movies that looks hilarious in the trailers, but then you discover it isn't actually that funny when sitting through the 100 minute film. Red is not terrible. I actually had a decent time watching it, but it is just light entertainment I wouldn't consider recommending it or watching it over again. The movie did give me a nostalgic feeling seeing how so many of these actors are actually close to their retirement, but they still have the talent if given the right script to work with. I am a huge Bruce Willis fan, but I have to admit John Malkovich stole each scene he was in. Richard Dreyfuss and Brian Cox both have small parts in this movie, but they are really funny in it as well. Seeing these brilliant actors working together is the highlight of the film, but they should have brought in some talented screenwriters as well.

http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/

imagine an over-the-hill-gang of CIA agents on a case

[dickybilly-816-122540 · 12 August 2010]

I just came from a screening of RED which opens Oct 15th. We were told that what we saw is the final cut without some of the special effects completed.

The plot...Willis plays a bored retired CIA agent who amuses himself by calling the federal clerk who handles lost retirement checks (Parker) falsely asking for replacements (he tears them up) while flirting with her on the phone (could this be love?). One day he finds himself under attack at home. After taking care of the attackers he goes on a quest to find out why someone wants him dead.

RED, stamped on Willis' CIA file stands for retired extremely dangerous. The movie is based on the graphic novel of the same name. Loads of big time actors show up while Willis is on the search for the killers. Some of them are other retired CIA agents (Freeman, Malkovich, Mirren). Then there's the federal retirement clerk and love interest to Willis' character (mary Louise Parker who steals the movie) and an old Russian KGB agent (Brian Cox who always does a great acting job). They team together to find out why they and others have been targeted to be killed. Helen Mirren as a hit-woman is a hoot. Malkovich is fun as an oddball ex-agent. Great cameos by Ernest Borgnine and Richard Dreyfuss. I enjoyed watching them all.

I think the movie is meant to be a comedy, but the script could be punchier. I sat for long periods watching an ordinary spy movie plot unfold with few laughs. OK I was wowed by the actors but let down by the script.

Willis is in his element. Freeman is underutilized but works well as part of the team. If you're a fan of these actors you might want to see the movie to watch them play together. They seem to be having fun.