You can fight off villains and pull international operations off your sleeve; until you handle the risks of married life, you ain't seen nothing yet!

Rating: 10/10 (7 June 2005)

In the end of the day, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" is a classic Hollywood production: big guns, fast paced action sequences, lots of punch lines that'll thrill the audience, and two stunningly beautiful lead actors (who somehow remain beautiful, despite all the mass destruction going around them throughout the second half of the film). The pre-release buzz regarding the dynamic duo's on screen chemistry is absolutely true: as a pair, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are even more sparkling and charismatic then when they are apart (on screen wise, I mean; don't know what's happening off-screen). As a matter of fact, I could have sworn I actually saw them shining during several parts of the film. Add that to director Doug Liman's unique, if controversial, directing techniques (with many of the stylistic action scenes followed by melodramatic music and sharp camera movements) - and you've got yourself a certified crowd pleaser, and the best action film to come on screen... well, since Liman's "The Bourne Identity" three years ago.
The plot, for those of you who haven't already read about it in almost every form of magazine or internet site, revolves around a seemingly normal married couple: John (Pitt) and Jane (Jolie) Smith. The Smith's have been married for several years now, but apparently lost their initial passion to each other, replacing it with what seems to be chronicle marriage fatigue. What they don't know, is that underneath their upper-class and dull daily routine of troubled marriage, lies a secret waiting to explode: both of them are highly skilled deadly assassins, working for rival agencies. Of course, neither of them knows what the other's occupation really is, what only widens the gaps threatening to destroy their relationship. A mission gone wrong on both sides leads them to discover they are not working alone... and that their component, whom they now have to eliminate, has been sleeping beside them for the past five, maybe six, years!
From here on out, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" turns into an intense, action-packed, cat and mouse chase, as the prince and princess of modern-day Hollywood turn their guns (hidden in extremely nonchalant hideouts inside their house) - at each other. The last half hour offers the viewer some of the most stunning examples of why I love Hollywood so much, as pure mayhem conquers the screen, with bigger than-life action fragments (the best i've seen since the original "Matrix" back in '99), catchy one-liners thrown to the air, waiting to be quoted by movie buffs who'll come in droves to watch this, and intriguing (yet somewhat predictable) plot twists lurking at each turn of the script. It's hard to go into details without spoiling the film for those who are intending to watch it, but I can easily say that I, for one, was very pleased with the final result. Liman directs this summer fare with heart and style, always a lethal combination. Although many will claim it is an emotionally drained vehicle, only good for it's large-scale destruction sequences, one can easily relate to the marriage crisis the heroes are handling, proving that (as Liman said in an interview I read) you can fight off villains and pull international operations off your sleeve; until you handle the risks of married life, you ain't seen nothing yet!
Clocking in at nearly 120 minutes, there are some obvious "dead moments" throughout the film, especially after the excellent beginning and somewhere towards the middle (before all cinematic hell breaks loose). What saves these moments from crucially sabotaging the film's experience is the numerous cynical remarks the Mr. & Mrs. keep throwing at each other. At times, they are so cute, you just want to pause the film, cross the screen into the movie, and give them both a big hug. This is, by far, one of the best on screen pairings I have ever seen; where the relationship part of the film feels a lot like the 1979 classic "War of the Roses", and the action will even make the almighty Jerry Bruckheimer gaze at the screen with envious eyes. Another positive angle in the film is Vince Vaughn's character, Eddie, the comic relief of the film, who plays Pitt's long time business buddy and best friend, in a parodic appearance that sheds new light on Vaughn's portrayal of Norman Bates in the 1998 remake of "Psycho".
All in all, "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" is made up of all the right ingredients to turn it into a classic action piece, one that could be watched over and over again throughout the years, and yet stay fresh and entertaining as it is today. True, this isn't the most intelligent or thought-provoking movie I have ever seen, but it sticks to what it's good that, and for that i'm happy.
I gave it a strong 4 out of 5 stars, and a 9/10 IMDb rating.