Red 2

  

Article by Zach Goodier

Red 2 is the sequel to the DC comic movie Red.  Now that I've successfully stated the obvious, let's discuss whether this movie is a worthy follow-up or not.  Frank Moses and Sarah are trying to lay low and live normally, but Sarah is getting tired of the safe, protected life that Frank insists on.  Thankfully, the silence is soon broken when Marvin makes an appearance and tells them that someone is out to get them.  Frank dismisses it as more of Marvin's paranoia, until Marvin's car blows up in the parking lot.  What ensues is a worldwide quest to find out who is out to get them, and why.

Household chores are so boring...

Red 2's plot is a little... meh.  It's not bad, but it doesn't really break a lot of new ground.  There are a couple of little twists and turns along the way, but this movie isn't focused on espionage and spy games, it's more about the fast-paced action and humor, and this is done very well, just like in the first one.  Just like in the first one, it's the funny banter between and during the firefights that make this movie just so entertaining.  And just like in the first movie, there's plenty of hilarious moments to be had, and the cat-and-mouse element between Frank and his pursuers is just exciting to watch.  So I don't care if the plot feels a little.... meh; it's the overall entertainment we're after, and Red 2 delivers.

I hope that's your gun digging into his hip.

The characters are mostly the same, with some obvious additions.  Anthony Hopkins joins the crew as a British scientist who is not quite right in the head, but provides for some great comedy.  Catherine Zeta-Jones plays a Russian agent, and this provides for some friction with Sarah, since she once had a relationship with Frank.  My favorite new addition to the cast is Byung-hun Lee as "Han," the world's most dangerous contract killer.  Han has some history with Frank, and the rivalry between the two keeps the action and humor going throughout the film.

Meet Han, he has some unresolved issues to work out with Frank.

The only real problem this movie has is that it seems to lack some..... thing.  It's tough to put my finger on, but I feel like it wasn't as intelligent or grounded as the original.  For example, there are a few instances where someone is caught in a "certain death" scenario, and then they are miraculously saved by someone else, even though they had seemingly no idea when or where to be to save the day.  So sometimes you're left asking yourself, "how the hell did they pull this off?" Sometimes it's not so bad, but other times you feel like too much was left to the imagination.

Russians... even the ladies are not to be treated lightly.

Overall, this sequel is a great watch; there is plenty of action and comedy to entertain you throughout.  This may not be as grounded as the original, and it may lack some of the feeling of suspense and danger that the original had, but that doesn't make this movie bad by any means.  The additions to the cast are outstanding overall, and make this movie that much better for it.  If you liked the original Red, then I would recommend you go out and watch this, because it is more of what you loved.

The Good:

-Great action

-More great comedy

-New cast members bring new tallent

The Bad:

-Not very grounded in terms of action or plot.

-Story felt a little...meh.  And yes, that is my technical term for "uninspired" or "not too thought out."

Scully Rating: 9.0 out of 10