Red (2010)

Directed by: Robert Schwentke | 111 minutes | action, comedy | Actors: Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Mary-Louise Parker, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Karl Urban, Richard Dreyfuss, Brian Cox, Julian McMahon, James Remar, Ernest Borgnine, Michelle Nolden, Audrey Wasilewski, Laura DeCarteret, Justine Wachsberger, Emily Kuroda, Jonathan Walker, Amber Gaiennie, Jaqueline Fleming, Lawrence Turner

Retired action heroes are hot! ‘Rambo IV’, ‘Rocky VI’, ‘The Expendables’, these are all recent films that show that the elderly can still keep up with the action genre. But this is not just a recent phenomenon. As early as 1991, Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman made a name for themselves in the masterful (anti-)western ‘Unforgiven’, but also in ‘Space Cowboys’, ‘The Bucket List’, and even the animated film ‘The Incredibles’. gratefully made use of this principle. Sometimes this involves pure drama or action, but not infrequently the oldies are (also) used for the comic relief. The latter is certainly the case in ‘Red’, Robert Schwentke’s adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name by Warren Ellis and Cully Hammer. And while the plot is too ridiculous and clichéd for words, it is indeed the humor – mainly from the joy of seeing these old, established heroes go wild from the silver screen in their delicious over-the-top roles – that make the movie to sell. Add to this a few fun action scenes, and you have a great recipe for a great movie night.

Actually, there is quite a bit to criticize about ‘Red’ and you can analyze the film completely afterwards, if you wish. But, who really wants this, when there’s so much fun to be had from the film while watching it? This is typically one of those films that as a whole is more than the sum of its parts. Or maybe it is the case that the fun, memorable scenes and the strong premise (“oldies in action”) make the film so enjoyable that the less successful moments can easily be taken into account. Who cares that the plot about that “one last job” of old-timers and the “exciting” denouement about a government-level conspiracy is “thirteen-in-a-dozen” caliber, if your character actress Helen Mirren is chasing one of the can see clods of washed machine gun, which for minutes, under the deafening sound of fired bullets and shells clattering to the ground, she keeps her pursuers at a distance and destroys her surroundings? Who cares that the dialogue isn’t as sharp as it could have been and some of the roles are given too little context, if John Malkovich can act like a paranoid, intimidating soldier who, with his sometimes stomping, childish behavior, creates an unnecessary appendage, but makes the right decisions at key moments – and manages to bury his opponent under a sea of ​​fire in one hilarious showdown with a single bullet?

And what does it matter in the end that the film is just a little too self-conscious to be a really good, pulpy action comedy if you as a viewer are part of this party of fun top actors, who seem to be having a great time with this about -the-top bullshit movie? ‘Red’ has funny, over-the-top action scenes and some nice finds, but it’s the actors who make the film a success. It’s a joy to watch them work together. If there are also successful comedic situations, several kick-ass scenes, and even some, “oddly” enough, heartwarming moments in the film (especially in scenes with Helen Mirren and the excellent Brian Cox as iron-mongering, but Russian in love), you can really only speak of a success. In fact, as a viewer you close the characters in such a way that retirement may not be allowed for a while. ‘Red 2’, anyone?