I don't know how this movie got away with billing itself as simply "Red." Googling "red movie" does return it as the first hit but there are just too many other "red" movies about, not to mention the service Redbox. I mean, there are at least three other movies also titled "Red," including one that also stars Brian Cox. The superb plot of that 2008 gem is "A reclusive man sets out for justice and redemption when three troublesome teens kill his dog for no good reason." A plague on all your houses!
Okay, I guess there wasn't much to fear about anyone confusing 2008 Red with 2010 Red. Such is the power of having stars like Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren on board. I mean, they didn't even have to acronymize "R.E.D.," even though it actually does stand for something. "Retired, Extremely Dangerous."
The movie itself is enjoyable all around I guess, even if it's pretty standard action fare. Actually, it's not standard, as it's far better than the other action crap they've been pushing this summer - hey there Expendables. I thought Mary Louise Parker was especially enjoyable in her role as the unflappable non-ex-assassin tagalong and I'd like to see her in more movies. She deserves it don't you think?
We watched Secretariat earlier, which had a horse named Big Red and John Malkovich as his outlandishly dressed trainer. So I think the universe was trying to tell me something. If you can't draw life meaning from movie hopping coincidences, where else can you look?
