Red
Starring: Bruce Willis. Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Carl Urban, Mary-Louise Parker
Director: Robert Schwentke
Rating: 3.5/5
Now, and I think that you would agree, any movie that boasts a cast list of Willis, Mirren, Malkovich and Freeman has to be worth a watch right? And let me tell you Red really doesn't disappoint!
Frank (Willis), Joe (Freeman), Marvin (Malkovich) and Victoria (Mirren) used to be the CIA's top agents - but the secrets they know just made them the Agency's top targets.
Now framed for assassination, they must use all of their collective cunning, experience and teamwork to stay one step ahead of their deadly pursuers and stay alive.
To stop the operation, the team embarks on an impossible, cross-country mission to break into the top-secret CIA headquarters, where they will uncover one of the biggest conspiracies and cover-ups in government history.
Alright if you can suspend your disbelief then you will enjoy a great and very funny movie because, it's fair to say, that a sense of realism is lost pretty early on - when you see the CIA machine gun Willis' house to destruction you know if going to be a little OTT.
We have seen a few action movies that bring together high powered casts to kick some ass this year but I think that Red could be the best of them all.
It's loaded with comedy, so much more than The Expandables; not that there was much wrong with Stallone's effort, and it packs a bigger punch than The Losers, which was a little disappointing.
The cast says it all and it's great to see someone like Helen Mirren pick up an automatic machine gun and start firing away.
It's a fast paced film with a great cast, John Malkovich is laugh out loud funny as he takes on as odd a role as usual, that has comedy just around every corner.
The special effects are good and the set pieces are big and exciting that you can't help but get swept along with it all.
Ok so the plot is a little weak in places, and I really could have done without the Frank/Sarah romance sub-plot.
And while it doesn't really have one toe in the real world the cast seem to be having so much fun that you can do nothing but join in.
Now I know that Red was a darker graphic novel and the movie quite obviously isn't, so for the purists among us I imagine that it might not be what you were expecting.
But Red really is a fun watch as a group of very experienced actors show everyone how to make a truly fun and funny movie - oh yes there is space for a sequel!
Red is out now
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw