RED

It’s not paranoia if they are really out to get you, and that’s the conclusion that four ex-spies come to when they learn that someone is trying to kill them. Classified R.E.D., (Retired, Extremely Dangerous) they have been targeted for assassination so they must bond together in order to survive. Bruce Willis (Die Hard) plays Frank Moses and he is the first to discover the plot. When he uncovers that his phone line has been tapped he realizes that he has put a young woman in serious danger. Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds) portrays Sarah, an associate at the Social Security Administration and she and Frank have been talking on the phone. Frank is enamored of her and their frequent conversations about spy novels and travel have been misconstrued. Her life is now in jeopardy and Frank must find a way to get her out.
 
Frank decides to kidnap her and after a brief struggle he takes her to a retirement home where his friend Joe, Morgan Freeman (Invictus) lives. After warning Joe to watch his back they move on to see Marvin, John Malkovich (Secretariat) who is already paranoid and at the ready. After loading up with heavy weaponry they are discovered and must move on. Next they collect Victoria, Helen Mirren (The Queen) who in her day she was the best Wetwork operative alive. Now in retirement she admits that she still takes the occasional odd job. Her special skills will soon prove to be most helpful.
 
Together again, these former spies must find out who is trying to kill them and why. They break into the CIA and visit an old friend, 93-year-old Ernest Borgine (Marty) for some secret files. More informed than they were before they call in a favor from Brian Cox (The Escapists), a former Russian spy. They learn that CIA agent William Cooper, Karl Urban (Star Trek) has been ordered to kill them all. Now they must find the reason why.
 
RED is a lot of fun and I really loved this film. It was like watching stylized mayhem. Borrowing from the graphic novel that inspired the film, the shots are artistic which adds to the over-all look of the film. Bruce Willis is at his charming best but he is also still the badass that we’ve grown to love. The chemistry between him and Mary-Louise is precious. Mary-Louise Parker is completely adorable and her comedic sense is excellent. She really contributes a lot to this film.
 
Morgan Freeman is a bit underused but I guess at 73 he wasn’t up to some of the action sequences. But Helen Mirren makes up for that. She displays a lot of sex appeal slinging around her heavy weaponry. Braced behind a machine gun with an unblinking reserve, she is one hot senior citizen. John Malkovich supplied the explosives and some additional comic relief. A true paranoid, his conspiracy theories are suddenly coming true. At first he is seen as a crack-pot but when his instincts are validated he comes off as a wise and resourceful man. This is an excellent role for him and he really chews it up.
 
Karl Urban as the assassin is almost as relentless as the 2-1000 and he really shows his grit. He has one weakness though; he’s not a machine. Agent Cooper, like Frank Moses is an ex-Marine and is dedicated to his country. He follows orders without question, but he is also a man of honor. In private life he has a wife and children and this makes him vulnerable as a spy. Will he do the right thing when the truth comes out? Frank is betting yes.

RED is a fun spy romp and is full of great characters and has plenty of action. I loved its youthful graphic novel look, yet it will also appeal to the AARP crowd. Just seeing Helen Mirren man a machine gun in a white ball gown is incentive enough. The script is smart, the stunts are fantastic and with this cast you can’t loose. This film has something for everybody.

Rating: First Run Being over 50 never looked so cool