Review - Red

Red (PG-13), 2010, 111 minutes - What do you get when a handful of older highly respected actors and actresses get together to make an action flick? Well, if it's done well, you get Red - an action/espionage flick based on the graphic novel by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner.

Red (Retired, extremely dangerous) is about Frank Moses (Bruce Willis), a retired black ops agent who is having a bit of a tough time adjusting to the retired life. Frank may be retired, but someone wants him dead. The attempt to take him out fails and he goes about trying to figure out who is behind the hit. No, this isn't the most original plot line in the world, but it works quite well with the characters, and more importantly, who plays them. While conducting his search, Frank brings together a group of also retired former associates (played by Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren) and a bank representative (Mary-Louise Parker). Richard Dreyfuss and Karl Urban provide some star power to the group hunting Moses down.

Red really had the potential to be a dud - hugely recognizable cast, fairly unoriginal plot - but it is well made and quite entertaining. Malkovich's neurotic character is just what the world has come to expect from him, and honestly, how is Helen Mirren running around shooting the hell out of things not a great idea? I haven't read the graphic novel, but I can only hope that the film is fairly faithful. If you're looking for a fun movie that doesn't take anything too seriously, Red is worth checking out.