Red

As one of the least anticipated comic book films this year, DC’s Red proves to be a political thriller without a hint of the scale that that the Batman and Spider-Man films have made synonymous with the genre. DC Comics’ openness to bringing all or any of their stories to the big screen has resulted in a strange catalog of good films and forgettable mistakes. Red leans more towards the positive side. It was miles better than June’s Jonah Hex; let’s just say that.

Red stars Bruce Willis as a retired CIA agent who finds himself the target of a political conspiracy because of an event in his past. He teams up with former friends/agents (and his love interest) to try and figure out the puzzle and fight the pursuers head on. The other former agents, played by Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren, make up a quality ensemble cast with Willis. Freeman however, gives a rare forgettable performance as Malkovich and Mirren steal the show with laughs and brutal action sequences. Mary-Louise Parker rounds out the group providing surprising chemistry with Willis. I could have gone without her bickering throughout the film’s first half though.

The unwavering Willis proves he can still bring it as an action star, and when matched up against the very likeable Karl Urban, the film carries a strong sense of the blurred lines between good and evil. The story’s conspiracy doesn’t end as full circle as other films in the genre, but it made sense. With so much polish on the strong character development, there’s a bit of a sacrifice with the progression of the plot. Ultimately, everything is understandable, but there are a handful of “what just happened” moments. With a cast as fun to watch as this one, I hope to see them together again in future projects, maybe in a different color next time…. Get it? Because the movie’s called Red. (7.6 out of 10)