Punches above its weight.

Rating: 7/10 (2 November 2010)

Red must've been a blast to make. The entire cast look like they enjoyed it immensely. It's not a surprise really. I'm sure they thought their gun-toting days were well and truly over. Dame Helen Mirren's list of things to achieve in her illustrious career probably didn't feature shooting a massive automatic weapon at dozens of Secret Service agents. I doubt Malkovich considered he would be swatting grenades with the butt of a rifle at the ripe old age of 57. To be fair, Willis has still been kicking around the last couple of years with underwhelming actioners like Surrogates and Cop Out, but this is a welcome return to form for him at any rate. The younglings, Parker and Urban, look chuffed to share screen time with the seasoned vets as well, although Parker's 'confused waif' persona grinds on the nerves very quickly.
Those expecting the family-friendly, Space Cowboys level of action will be in for a shock. Red is not soft. Although very funny in parts and featuring a tongue-in-cheek vibe throughout – Jon and Erich Hoeber's humorous script deserves credit for that – Red is an action flick first and foremost. Featuring one of the most hard-hitting fight sequences this year – Willis and Urban's bruising office melee – this graphic-novel adaptation doesn't hold back. More importantly though the set pieces convince, thanks to respectable CGI, well-staged gun fights and stirring camera work. And the sound design is loud. Very loud. Perhaps to accommodate the seniors groups who unwisely choose this as their monthly Morgan Freeman movie.
Different – and better – than expected. This sneaky blockbuster punches above its weight and below its age.
3.5 out of 5 (1 - Rubbish, 2 - Fine, 3 - Good, 4 - Great, 5 - Brilliant)