Review: Red 2

Red 2
Cert: 12A / 116 mins / Dir. Dean Parisot



I'm not sure how they've managed it, but Summit Entertainment and DC have pooled resources to create a two hour slew of car-chases, shoot-outs and bomb-countdowns, which is also one of the dullest things I've seen in a long old time. As slick as the fight choreography and stunt driving are, there's a palpable lack of excitement throughout, and it's not helped by a script which feels like it has been lifted directly from the comic version*¹. A lot of the delivery is fine, but the timing seems to have been destroyed by the edit; and jokes which work in the trailer are left floundering in awkward silences in the final movie*².

I suspect it's this same edit which is responsible for so many of the action scenes falling flat, too. The screenplay takes us from country to country, set-piece to set-piece, and plot-twist to unremarkable plot-twist with no real care in telling the actual story. And there is a story there; It's nowhere near as convoluted as the movie would have you believe, and it should be far more fun than it is. For the record, I rather enjoyed the first movie, but there seems to be a lot missing this time round.

The ensemble cast jostle for position from time to time, but are generally on very good form, and at least play it like they mean it*³. Welcome additions in the smaller roles include David Thewlis, Brian Cox and Neal McDonough (who are nonetheless reduced to one-dimensional snapshots). With more focus in post-production, Mirren and Hopkins could well have saved this.

I really did want to like Red 2 more, but there's a far better film to be made from this.

No. It's a lot tighter for a start.



Sadly, not.



No.



The explosions and chases look nice on the big screen, but you'll not lose much by watching it on DVD/BLU.



No.



Only if I watch 1 and 2 back to back in preparation for 3..



Not that I heard. I mean, come on.

It's not just me, is it? Is it me?

*¹ I know that 22 pages limit the amount of dialogue you can realistically work with. 116 minutes do not.
*² The most awkward of which were in the cinema itself, as the audience sat silently through 90% of the verbal quips.
*³ With the honourable exception of Mr Willis, who's on a strict auto-pilot. Yes, I know that'll surprise you.

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