Red - 6th August 2013

After a week off, due to other commitments, Tuesday Night is Film Night is back with a bang! This week we check out the thrilling, action, comedy adventure that is;

Red

A supreme stellar cast, set the screen alight in this action comedy. Based on a DC Comics graphic novel, Red follows a band of ex CIA operatives, who get back together after one of them becomes a target of an undercover government plot to cover up some nefarious activities by the now Vice-President of the USA.

Bruce Willis heads up the cast as Frank Moses, the target of the high tech assassins, due his involvement in an operation several years ago in Guatemala, basically he knows too much and needs, along with the others involved, to be silenced. Permanently.

Frank Moses, up unto this point was classified as Retired, but Extremely Dangerous, hence the title; RED, see? In fact the only excitement in his life up until this point, was contacting the pensions department to complain about his pension or lack of it.

His case worker for his pension woes is; Sarah Ross, played by the delightful Mary-Louise Parker. Frank and Sarah hit it off on the phone, but after his first assassination attempt, Frank ends up, uninvited at Sarah's apartment. She thinks this is all a bit weird and doesn't trust Frank to begin with and as the people out to kill Frank, will now be after Sarah too, Frank (who has a penchant for duct tape) kidnaps her! Trust me, it will make sense.

As the threats become greater, the action starts to spread across the States, as the hunted are tracked by the hunters. On their travels, avoiding the killers, Frank and Sarah start to pick up Frank's old cohorts from the CIA, namely; Marvin Boggs played beautifully and manically by John Malkovich. Joe Matheson an old black op's pro who has ended up in a nursing home! Played by the quintessentially cool dude; Morgan Freeman. The fourth side to this retired quadrumvirate brings some English glamour into the action, as the always gorgeous Helen Mirren plays out the role of Victoria.

Whilst on the subject of the cast, one should make note that the current CIA agent who is leading the assault on Frank and his team is William Cooper. Cooper is played magnificently by Karl Urban. There are roles as well for Brian Cox, Ernest Borgnine and Richard Dreyfuss, so a very accomplished cast hit the screen for our entertainment.

As to the film itself, it is a totally over-the-top, bullets flying, big bangs, wheel-squealing, car chasing, gun-toting, action packed adventure.

And we loved it!

Much in the same vein as Die Hard and films of that ilk, where the good guys are seemingly indestructible, Red follows the formulaic approach, but injects a load more comedy, throws in a bit of a love story, you end up rooting for the good guys and are intrigued to find out how they will get out of the next predicament that they find themselves in. Look out for some plot twists too.

Red is a superb action movie, yes it is OTT, but it's a laugh as well. And with Red 2 at the cinema's now, we have a guaranteed TNiFN follow up as soon as it is available on DVD.

So, to the all important and much mocked TNiFN scores. After a quick add up and a little division the score comes to a nowhere near Retiring, but an Extremely and Dangerously good;

8.7 out of 10.

Really must start rounding the numbers up or down!

Anyway, Red is a winner. Enjoy!