Red - a review by Yearrghsworth

[cinematixyz]

Well this is a pleasant surprise. I normally can't stand comic book films, especially ones that try to entice you with an "all-star cast". Normally, when a film is adapted from a comic book and has a cast lineup that reads like a who's-who of Hollywood, you can almost guarantee that the writing and character development will be complete garbage.

Comments

[cinematixyz]

Agreed. I surprisingly enjoyed this film as well, Y, and you know how I hate action films.

Zuzu

[cinematixyz]

The Expendables coming out the same year was another reason I avoided Red for so long. I was afraid that this was going to be a new trend in Hollywood - Trying to revive the action franchise with big names alone and no real story.

The Expendables failed. So hard.

Red succeeded.

Which one got a sequel? The suckfest. Figures.

Although, it's probably because Red didn't do as well at the box office despite being the clearly superior film.

-Y

[cinematixyz]

Thank you. I'm really glad you enjoyed it! (Both the review, and the film actually. So I guess I'm glad you.. enjoyed.. them? Bah. Not enough coffee yet!)

-Y

[sabotabby]

Hah, I love this movie so much. Nothing beats Helen Mirren in combat boots and an evening gown blasting away with the big-ass machine gun.

[cinematixyz]

I'm not sure how well I expressed it in the review, but let's just say I have a ... "thing" .. for Helen Mirren. And even with that, I still avoided Red. I'm really glad I finally watched it though. I don't dig cookie-cutter action movies or comic-book movies, and I'm especially weary of any film that tries to pull you in with *just* the cast. Red was extremely surprising in that it managed to take all of those things and still pump a little originality into it and manage to not suck.

-Y

*Slight* Spoiler Alert from Zuzu

[cinematixyz]

Oh god, and when the semi-warped John Malkovich (from being given low doses of LSD for eleven years by "The Man", man) keeps reloaded her ammo or giving her a fresh guns once she fired everything in the ones she was using and the Secret Service scatter like scared pups and she looks at him and says in that lovely lilting proper voice "I seem to recall the Secret Service being a little bit tougher than this" and him saying back "Yeah, me too. Amateurs." I LOVED that!!!

I also loved the romance which I won't give away but what is interesting is I am a bleeding heart liberal, I hate wars, hate guns, hate action movies and senseless violence...but knowing it was all just a film and watching Helen, John, Bruce, Brian, and Morgan whip freaking arse was priceless. I enjoyed this one immensely. I was surprised as anyone, but it was funny, actiony, romantic, and although not the cerebral 'what does it mean' film that usually draws me in, it was good ole, popcorn eating fun.

Zu

[missmircea]

The only good movie based on a comic what I ever saw was Ghost World, especially for the amazing soundtrack

[cinematixyz]

Yeah, that was a great soundtrack. Good catch. ;)