Mindless is exactly the point of this action-packed, star-studded extravaganza. John Malkovich, in particular, is hilarious.

Rating: 8/10 (16 October 2010)

Recently, I got out to see the new madcap, action/comedy Red, based on the graphic novel by Warren Ellis, and Cully Hammer.
My advice: Don't go in expecting the greatest movie ever, but do expect to have a great time.
In the film Bruce Willis plays Frank Moses, a man who is RED (Retired and Extremely Dangerous). Over a long period, he's had an over the phone relationship with a Kansas City receptionist named Sarah (Played by Mary Louise-Parker). After a rather intense invasion of his home by mysterious gunmen, he travels to Kansas City, and kidnaps Sarah, fearing that the people who want him dead, may also want to kill her, and also tries to always keep one foot ahead of a CIA agent named William Cooper (Played by Karl Urban). He seeks help from old, and equally dangerous friends such as Cancer-stricken, but intelligent Joe Matheson (Played by the legendary Morgan Freeman), excessively paranoid stealth-man Marvin Boggs (Played by John Malkovich), and caring, but fiery assassin Victoria (Played by Helen Mirren).
This film really is, in every way, a mindlessly fun popcorn flick, filled to the brim with laughs, and reckless action sequences, kind of in the same category as Roland Emmerich's Independence Day, minus the aliens, and on a considerably smaller scale. The movie may present a bit of elements that has been seen in a number of films, but its stylistic approach, and clever wit is what makes it better than most of those.
Aside from a great cast I've mentioned earlier, it also includes appearances by other legends like Ernest Borgnine, Brian Cox, and Richard Dreyfuss. The main cast is really what makes it so great, such as Bruce Willis, who's definitely still got what it takes as an action star. Mary Louise-Parker could have been great, but as it goes, she's rather good. Helen Mirren is very effective in somewhat short screen time, as is Morgan Freeman, albeit to a fairly lesser extent. But the true standout is John Malkovich, whose character is so fun, so bizarre, and utterly, and hilariously paranoid (Often for nothing but good reasons).
It's oh-so enjoyable, reckless, witty, and brimming with action. The cast specifically get a lot of laughs...
...enough for me to give Red *** out of ****