Serenity Review

Director: Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel)
Screenplay: Joss Whedon (Toy Story)
Starring: Nathan Fillion (Castle, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog), Gina Torres (Angel), Alan Tudyk (Death at a Funeral, Dollhouse), Morena Baccarin (V), Adam Baldwin (Chuck), Jewel Staite (Stargate Atlantis), Sean Maher, and Summer Glau (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, The Cape)  
Gross Revenue: $38,869,464
Rotten Tomatoes TomatoMeter: 81%
IMDB Rating: 8.0

     In September 2002, the revolutionary T.V. show Firefly premiered.  Created by Buffy mastermind Joss Whedon, Firefly was a space western that depicted a ragtag group of frontiersmen, making their way through space on their ship called Firefly.  It was so critically acclaimed that no one understood it, and ratings were abysmal at best.  After only airing eleven episodes (out of order), Fox cancelled the show in December of 2002.  The story should have ended there, but it doesn't.  Fans were so adamant in their support of the show, through high DVD sales and internet blogging, that Universal ordered a movie based off the show.  Serenity is a continuation of that excellent show Firefly, and serves as an excellent science fiction actioner for fans and non-fans alike.
     Set in the year 2518, a war-hardened captain takes on two fugitives onto his ship: a doctor and a mentally unstable girl who harbors many dark secrets.  This girl, wanted by the government, is hunted by the mysterious "Operative" a "believer", who will stop at nothing to make sure that the fugitive girl is killed.  Captain Mal must avoid the government, the Operative, and deadly killers known as Reavers, while keeping his crew from breaking apart from the inside out.

     Joss Whedon has an arduous task in writing Serenity.  He had to make a film that served as a continuation of the series which pleased fans of the series, but also made sense for people who had never heard of "Firefly" before.  He is able to introduce the characters and the complex backstory to a new audience, but retain everything fans loved of the original series.  Whedon's snappy dialouge is present here, as characters yell and argue with each other in the quickest and wittiest way.

      The story is pure Whedon genius.  Joss Whedon is one of the smartest writers of his generation, and no one is better of setting the various ways people interact with each other against some massive conflict.  In this case, it's Mal's treatment of his crew and the world around him, while trying to run from the masterful assassin "The Operative".  Mal is the centerpiece of this movie.  Nathan Fillion's performance is a layered, three-dimensional look into how a man who has lost everything retain what he has left.  He's funny, dangerous, unpredictable, and unafraid to fight to get what he wants.  But he is also compassionate and caring, and believes in personal liberty above all else.  His actions inspire the people around him to fight, even to the death, for the cause of liberty.  The other characters are also just as complex, and just as funny.
      While the film does contain a social commentary on the nature of liberty and authority, it is also a freakin awesome action movie.  The budget isn't nearly as high as other similar sci-fi movies, but is just as good, even better.  The effects rely on practical methods instead of CGI, which make this western-influenced world seem more authentic.  The action scenes are expertly choreographed, and the ethos displayed from the characters adds to the tension and suspense of the fight scenes.

     Serenity is the perfect science fiction film.  It has exciting fight sequences, complicated characters, witty dialouge, and a timely social commentary all expertly weaved together by the master Joss Whedon.  Even though Firefly ended too early, fans refused to give up, and were rewarded with one of the better science fiction films of recent memory.  Serenity is an exciting continuation of the T.V. series Firefly and features exciting action, witty dialouge, complex characters, and is easily understood and enjoyed by fans and non-fans alike.  4.5/5
"I don't care what you believe in, just believe it"

Who Framed Roger Rabbit Review

Director: Robert Zemeckis: (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump) and Richard Williams (animation)
Screenplay: Jeffery Price and Peter S. Seaman (Wild Wild West, Shrek the Third)
Producer: Steven Speilberg (A living legend) and Frank Marshall (Indiana Jones Film series, The Sixth Sense)
Starring: Bob Hoskins (Mona Lisa, Hook), Charles Fleischer, Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future, Taxi), and Joanna Cassidy (Blade Runner)
Gross Revenue: $329,803,958
Rotten Tomatoes TomatoMeter: 98%
IMDB Rating: 7.6
Awards: Won Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Editing, Best Editing, and a Special Achievement Award for Richard Williams
     It may be hard to believe for moviegoers of today, but during a time of the late 80's, animation was considered a "dead" or "dying" art form.  Disney, the company that practically invented the market for feature animation, had produced a string of mediocre films that had been outgrossed by rival animation studios.  Who Framed Roger Rabbit was seen by Disney as an attempt to revive animation and make it profitable again.  Massively over-budget and very close to being shut down, Who Framed Roger Rabbit was a smashing success. By combining groundbreaking special effects with an entertaining original story, Who Framed Roger Rabbit enchanted critics and audiences alike, and is still held in high regard to this day.
     Who Framed Roger Rabbit takes place in an alternate 1947 Hollywood, where humans and "Toons" live side by side in the real world.  Toons act out in "cartoons" the same way that movie stars act in regular movies, and there are few Toons as successful as Roger Rabbit.  After the body of jokester and owner of Toontown Marvin Acme is discovered, Roger is framed for his murder.  Roger calls upon Valiant, a private investigator who specializes in helping Toons, to discover the true murderer.  Valiant, however, no longer helps Toons due to the death of his brother and partner at the hands of a Toon.  The two form an unlikely duo as they set out to discover the truth behind his murder, which they soon realize is at the center of an even bigger conspiracy.

    The film succeeds largely due to its amazing and impressive special effects.  The filmmakers came up with an ingenious way to combine traditionally animated cartoon characters with flesh and blood actors and real environments.  Their interaction is seamless, and the film is worth watching just to see these effects.  In a time before computers and digital animation, filmmakers had to rely on "practical effects" to tell their stories.  Though they are sometimes not as believable as their CGI counterparts, it works perfectly hear, and it is amazing how realistic the effects are.  Whether a cartoon is touching a living actor, a cartoon smashes through a wall, or even as subtle as a cartoon slapping the water to make a splash, no detail is too insignificant for these filmmakers.

     What makes these effects even more wondrous is their subtlety; they are never flashy or showy.  Many blockbuster films today are that are heralded by their special effects often make their effects the focal point of the movie.  Instead of placing their importance on characters and story, they place it on making their effects are realistic as possible.  That is never the case here, and the effects never take precedence over the characters and story.  The animation of all the cartoons is truly masterful, and is among the best Disney has ever produced.

     While the story is relatively simple and a tad dated, what truly sets the film apart is the characters.  All the cartoon characters are not treated as creations or drawings, but as living creatures with thoughts, feelings and desires, especially Roger.  Roger is the star of this film, and is one of the most fully realized animated characters of all time.  Everyone else in the film is just reacting to this energetic and overbearing but lovable rabbit, and his performance is the emotional centerpiece of the film.  One of the best parts about this movie is seeing all the "cameos" from various cartoon characters from different companies.  Donald Duck, Betty Boop, Yosimite Sam, even Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse appear in this film, which make it all the more amazing because they are all from different companies.  This is one of the only, if not the only, times in film history that such a variety of cartoon characters from a host of different parent companies appear together in the same film, making this film a treasure for the ages.

     The film is a bit cheesy now and the story is a tad dated and simple, but the film is still great fun.  It is one of the true family films that are equally enjoyable by children and adults.  It is hilarious, fun, and features such a host of endearing characters it is no wonder that the film has become a modern classic.  Since the filmmakers place precedence on the story and characters instead of the special effects, the film has stood the test of time and will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come.  By combining groundbreaking special effects that serve an entertaining original story with a plethora of endearing characters, Who Framed Roger Rabbit will continue to be revered as a family classic and an example of masterful filmmaking.  4/5.
"Just like a Toon to drop a safe on a guy's head"

Babe Review

Director: Chris Noonan (Miss Potter)
Screenplay: Chris Noonan and George Miller (Mad Max, Happy Feet)
Starring: James Cromwell (L.A. Confidential, The Green Mile), Christine Cavanuagh (Rugrats), and Magda Szubanski
Gross Revenue: $254,134,910
Rotten Tomatoes TomatoMeter: 98%
IMDB Rating: 7.2
Awards: Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.  Nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor, Best Film Editing, and Best Art Direction

     Most of you probably haven’t heard of this little Australian film known as Babe, of if you have, you probably don’t remember watching it.  It warranted quite a reaction when it was released in America, and was even nominated for an award for Best Picture.  This is quite remarkable for a film about a talking pig.  But that’s the beauty of the Babe.  Though it’s a movie largely about the antics of animals, it is actually an emotionally complex and sometimes dark film with enough heart and soul to win over any skeptical film goer.

     Babe is about the antics of a wee pig named Babe, who is won by a farmer at a local fair.  Being quite young and separated from his mother and family, he is scared in this new environment of the farm, and is overwhelmed by the rules society has set down for farm animals.  A sheepdog named Fly takes him in under her wing, and teaches him the rules of the farm.  As Babe meets the assortment of colorful and quirky farm animals, he begins to dream for a life beyond that of a pig, with an ultimate destination of becoming “Christmas dinner”.  He finds his calling in becoming a sheepdog, and turns his, and the farm’s, world upside down.

     Part of the reason the film works so effectively is due to the spectacular visual effects.  The animal characters are portrayed through a combination of real animals and animatronic animals provided by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.  The transition is seamless, and it really looks like these authentic, flesh and blood animals are talking to each other.  The visual effects won the Oscar, and it’s impossible not to see why, for Babe is one of those rare instances when the effects truly served the story, instead of just being a flash display of computer generated imagery.  James Cromwell also shines in a very low-key performance as Farmer Hogget and gives real-world reference for Babe’s emotional journey.
      For  a film about talking animals, Babe is surprisingly complex and adult.  Babe, just like many of us, is a dreamer.  He is not satisfied with the place society has “destined” for him to be, and longs for a grander purpose, an innately human characteristic.  Babe goes through the same struggles that many humans face; abandonment, loss of innocence, manipulation, growing up, and the discovery of a purpose.  The character of Babe brings a new innocence and hope to the farm, and teaches the animals a lesson in tolerance and destiny.  Who can’t relate to that?
     Babe is everything you want in a family film.  It’s funny, dramatic, features a whole assortment of great characters, a relatable and inspirational story, and groundbreaking visual effects.  It’s light-hearted and fun enough to be enjoyed by children, but mature and dark enough to be enjoyed by adults as well.  If only movies populated by humans were half as good.  Babe is the best movie about talking pigs ever made, due to its relatable and inspirational story, mature themes, and a large amount of fun that make it a must see for the whole family.  4/5.
"That'll do pig.  That'll do"

 

Hot Tub Time Machine Review

Director: Steve Pink (Accepted)
Screenplay: Jarred Paul (Yes Man) and Sean Anders (She's Out of My League)
Starring: John Cusack (Say Anything, High Fidelity), Rob Corddry (The Daily Show, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay), Craig Robinson (Pineapple Express, The Office), and Clark Duke (Greek).
Gross Revenue: $61,336,869
Rotten Tomatoes TomatoMeter: 64%
IMDB Rating: 6.7
    Hot Tub Time Machine: with a title like that you know you're in for a movie you've never seen before.  And this is almost the case.  Hot Tub Time Machine tries to differentiate itself from the millions of other raunchy comedies out there, and it almost succeeds.  However, it is unable to become more than the average "raunch com", and is neither better nor worse than the standard fare for the genre.
   Hot Tub Time Machine features three friends who are dissatisfied with their lives.  One has been repeatedly unsuccessful in love and has his nerdy nephew living in his basement, another is divorced and possesses massive debts, and the other has a terrible job at a spa for dogs and a controlling wife who may be cheating on him.  After spending a weekend bonding in a Hot Tub at a former popular hang out spot for the three friends, they unexpectedly wake up in 1986, due to their "Hot Tub Time Machine".  As relive their highs and lows from that weekend, they are torn between reliving it all in order to keep the future intact, or changing it to make their lives  better.

    Time travel is a tricky business.  Done well and can make a very enjoyable and mentally-stimulating film, done wrong and it becomes a boring and confusing mind bender.  Hot Tub Time Machine makes good use of the time travel schtick, without making it too confusing or hard to follow for the average viewer.  In fact, Hot Tub Time Machine is one of the simplest time travel movies I've ever seen.  They go back in time, relive their weekend, and do the same stuff over.  Not hard to follow.  By doing little to differentiate itself from the hordes of time travel movies, Hot Tub Time Machine doesn't establish itself as one of the definitive films from the genre.
     The cast is the best thing about this movie.  They make the most out of their average script, and you can tell they had a fun time making the movie.  As far as raunchy comedies go, the movie is slightly above average.  It's not a "classic" of the genre, like Animal House or Knocked Up, but it is a genuinely funny and enjoyable film, and seeks to differentiate itself with the time travel angle.  The stars and the filmmakers know exactly what kind of movie this is, and they both have a great time making it.  It doesn't try to be a high-brow commentary on society, or try to teach its characters any lessons, and is just a fun time.

    The audience for this movie know exactly who they are.  For those "hardcore" fans of this type of movie, you already know you are going to like it.  For those that are appalled from this type of movie, you probably won't like this one either.  For those that are on the fence, this film is better than average, and you might enjoy it more than you expected.  Hot Tub Time Machine is a better than average comedy with the best title of the year, and is the perfect movie to watch with a group of friends.  Especially in a hot tub.  3.5/5

HOBY 2011 Winter Reunion

     This past weekend, I had the privilege to participate in the HOBY 2011 Winter Reunion.  Not that it mattered what the event actually was; if someone sticks HOBY on the name, I'll make sure I find a way there.  I was excited to see my friends again, and "hopefully" secure my spot as a member of Team Alumni for HOBY 2011, admittedly selfish reasons.  Even someone as passionately and unabashedly in love with HOBY as I was a little bit...surprised by the choice of event for this reunion.  I was driving all the way up to Phoenix, MD on a Saturday, in freezing temperatures I might add, to hear a guy speak on volunteering?  And he was in a wheelchair?  HOBY has continually shown me the danger of preemptively making my mind up about something, but I couldn't help but be a little bit skeptical...  I figured to myself, at the very worst I get free pizza and get to see some of my HOBY friends, so it wouldn't be a total waste.  Just like it's always done, HOBY continued to surprise me.
     When I arrived there, I was a little saddened by the numbers.  There were only 5 HOBY Alums from 2010, and one from 2009, not to mention Mr. Aaron Bernstein (Big Daddy) and Ms. Carol Applegate (HOBY Mama).  It was nice to reunite with my old HOBY friends, including my bros for life Matt and Ben, as well as make some new ones.  I love just, talking to HOBY Alums, especially ones who have been around far longer than I, and have been witness to so much more life.  I learned so much, and I appreciate all the HOBY Alums who were there that day to share their stories.
    Then came the reason we were there.  We marched up to this house, most of us a little unsure about what to expect.  We sit down around a table, and wait for the speaker to come in.  Instead of walking, he is rolled in.  Our guest speaker, Mr. Dave Ward, was a quadrapelgic.  I knew ahead of time that he was in a wheelchair, but I did not know the full extent of his injuries.  I knew instantly what HOBY had brought us here today.
    Mr. Dave Ward talked with us for over an hour, and weaved an entrancing story of danger, heroics, sacrifice, service, and most importantly service.  He talked with us about he received his injury, falling off a tower into a lake, and how he has lived with that for the last 33 years of his life.  The age old saying "Actions speak louder than words" certainly is true here.  Though his list of accomplishments are quite impressive-Junior Chamber Senator, President of the Optimist Club, and running for political office, I was more struck by his attitude and character.  Here is a man who has no feeling in his entire body except for one shoulder, his neck and head.  He has been confined to a wheelchair for over 30 years, and everything has to be done for him.  He is like a slave in his own body.  Yet he has a very positive outlook on life, and a great sense of humor, which I find very admirable that a man who has suffered through extraordinary adversity can retain his positive outlook on life.
    We were given a tour of the house, which was a remarkable experience.  Mr. Ward lives in a "future home", and everything in his house is outfitted so that it can be used by a person with ANY disability.  He has rails in the bathroom, moving coffee tables, and a voice-activated computer.  It was really cool to see how technology has advanced to allow people with disabilities to live as normally as possible.  One thing he said resonated with me.  He said "We keep trying to adapt the people to the environment, but why don't we adapt the environment to the people."  What he means is instead of building wheelchairs that can climb stairs, why don't we just get rid of stairs.  I never looked at these problems through the perspective of someone who is disabled, and it was eye-opening to view it from their perspective.  I will certainly never look at these ethical issues the same again.
    The thing that made the biggest impact on me was definitely his attitude.  I'll probably forget most of what he said by next week, but I won't soon forget his attitude.  If I ended up being confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life, I'm not sure I would be able to handle it as well as he does.  He handles himself with dignity and grace, and he has a great sense of humor, as well as a positive outlook on life that refuses to fade.  He is an optimist by nature, which for a man of his position, is inspiring.
    I'm not sure what HOBY wanted me to get out of this visit to this unique volunteer, but I know that this was a trip worth making.  I was re-energized by seeing the kindness and optimism of this man, which makes the troubles of my life seem trivial.  If this man can forge on, despite his grave circumstances, I certainly can as well.  Thank you Mr. Ward, for teaching me a lesson in optimism and overcoming obstacles.  It was an OUTSTANDING day.

Toy Story 3 Review

Director: Lee Unkrich: (Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo)
Screenplay: Michael Ardnt: (Little Miss Sunshine)
Starring: Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan), Tim Allen (Home Improvement, The Santa Clause), Joan Cusack (Working Girl, In and Out), Ned Beatty (All the President's Men, Charlie Wilson's War), Don Rickles (Casino), Wallace Shawn (The Princess Bride), Michael Keaton (Batman, Beetlejuice), and John Ratzenberger (Cheers, Every single Pixar film)
Gross Revenue: $1,063,161,943 (Number 1 film of 2010)
Rotten Tomatoes TomotoMeter: 99%
IMDB Rating: 8.7
     Threequels are a risky venture for any company, especially making it several years after the previous film.  Many of the great cinematic trilogies (The Godfather, Spider-Man, Star Wars), have a great first film, a superior sequel, and a mediocre threequel that isn’t on par with the previous films.  So it must have been a daunting task for Pixar when they decided to make Toy Story.  Originally a project within Disney and then taken over by Pixar, the responsibility of making a film that not only lived up to the standards of the previous two films but also stands on its own and concludes a saga, must have seemed next to impossible.  Fortunately for audiences everywhere, Pixar knocked it out of the park, and Toy Story 3 is a worthy addition to one of the greatest trilogies of all time.

     The third entry in the Toy Story saga takes place several years after the previous Toy Story film left off.  Andy is now all grown up and preparing for college, and he hasn’t played with Woody, Buzz, or any of his toys in years.  Through a mix-up involving a trash bag, the toys arrive at Sunnyside Day Care, a toy “paradise” where toys are never outgrown as new children arrive every year.  However they soon discover that Sunnyside is run like a prison, with a toy hierarchy headed by Lotso, a plush bear with a troubled past.  Woody and his pals attempt to escape Sunnyside, in order to get Woody home to Andy before he leaves for college. 

      Toy Story is is a superb entry in the Toy Story saga.  All the regular characters are back and voiced by their respective actors, except for Slinky, who was originally voiced by Jim Varney, but was replaced due to Varney’s untimely passing.  In addition, a whole host of new characters are in this film including the commanding Lotso “Hugg-Em Bear”, Mr. Prinklepants a dramatic thespian, and the funniest and best addition “Ken”, Barbie’s perpetual companion.  Ken steals every scene he is in, and easily garners the most laughs in the film.  There are a lot of toys in this film.  Possibly hundreds of toys populate the halls of Sunnyside Day Care, making it Pixar’s most populous and diverse cast yet.

     The story is structurally centered on a break-out of Sunnyside Day Care, and it is done in the same manner and style of classic prison break-out movies.  It features all the usual aspects of a prison movie: the old time informant, the elaborate escape plan, all with that unique twist that only Pixar can bring.  Seeing the toys work together to escape brings back fond memories of Toy Story 1 and 2, and it’s among the most fun sequences in the film.

     Like any truly great film, Toy Story 3 features both hysterical sequences, and moments of great drama, sometimes within seconds of each other.  It is easily the most dramatic of the three Toy Story films, and it brings the audience to a place they never they would be with a movie about toys.  I shed some serious tears in Toy Story 3.  There’s a point in the film, which I won’t spoil to people that haven’t seen it, where it looks like all the toys are about to die.  Watching it for the first time, I honestly had no idea whether the toys would make it out alive.  For a few brief seconds, I sincerely thought the movie might end with the toy’s dying.  Fortunately that is not what happens.  The movie is also quite hilarious, mostly due to the antics of Ken.  Michael Keaton’s Ken is the definition of scene-stealer, and some of his lines literally left me crying with laughter.

     The End.  Well, let me just say first of all that if someone doesn’t cry after watching the last 15 minutes of this movie, then this person has no soul.  I won’t spoil the ending, but it deals with the end of the toy’s time with Andy.   It’s simultaneously heart-wrenching and joyous, as the door on their life with Andy closes, but the door to their new life enters.   If you are a human, you will cry.  After hearing that the movie was about their escape from a Day Care, I honestly had no idea how the movie was going to end.  I am proud to report that Pixar ends the film with grace that properly wraps up our characters’ journeys in the most touching way possible.
     Now to the ultimate question: How does it compare to the first two films?  There may be some debate among critics about this issue, but I believe that Toy Story 3 is not only a worth sequel to the first two films, but actually improves on them, and is the rare threequel that surpasses their predecessors’ quality.  It’s more dramatic, features better-looking animation, and is all around a better movie then the first two.  However, the film does suffer a few extremely minor flaws.  Unlike the first film, there are really no “quiet” character moments, when two characters are just talking to each other about how they feel.  The film is far too busy for that.  It is also not as funny as the first two, for the seriousness of the subject.  But these are minor flaws in an otherwise great film, and Toy Story 3 continues the Pixar string of greatness.


     The Toy Story films mean a lot to me, and probably have more sentimental value than any other film franchise.  I remember being 3 or 4 years old watching the original Toy Story and wondering how the filmmakers got the toys to move around.  Those initial images were so groundbreaking that in a youngster’s eyes such as myself, I thought they were real toys.  I had my very own Woody doll and Buzz Lightyear action figure, and I can vividly remember sleeping next to my Woody doll as a youngster.  I can even remember watching Toy Story 2 as a pre-pubescent, and being so affected by it that I tried searching for my Woody and Buzz toys, which by then had been long lost.  So when I learned that they were making a third Toy Story movie, I was extremely skeptical.  This wasn’t just a movie anymore, these were my childhood memories, and Pixar better get it right.  Of course, we all knew Pixar would get it right, and get it right they did.  Toy Story 3 completes one of the greatest trilogies of all time, and is an excellent addition to the Pixar film tradition.  Though not quite as funny as the first two, Toy Story 3 is the most dramatic, heart-wrenching, and the best of the Toy Story pictures, and is guaranteed to leave your sides splitting, your heart melting, and your eyes crying.  4.5/5.
" Now Woody, he's been my pal for as long as I can remember. He's brave, like a cowboy should be. And kind, and smart. But the thing that makes Woody special, is he'll never give up on you... ever. He'll be there for you, no matter what."- Andy

Red Review

Director: Robet Schwentke (Flightplan, The Time Traveler's Wife)
Screenplay: John and Erich Hoeber (Whiteout)
Starring: Bruce Willis (Die Hard, The Sixth Sense), Morgan Freeman (Glory, The Shawshank Redemption), Helen Mirren (The Queen, National Treasure: Book of Secrets), John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich, Empire of the Sun), Mary Louise-Parker (Weeds, The West Wing), and Karl Urban (Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers)
Gross Revenue: $154,662,000
Rotten Tomatoes TomatoMeter: 70%
IMDB Rating: 7.2
    Old age: many long for it, others fear it.  While old age brings wisdom and understanding of the way the world works, it also brings health problems, and proves the mortality of man.  For this reason, many people struggle with complacency when they reach old age.  This is the subject of the spy action thriller Red, which features several great stars as retired secret agents re-entering the field.  It had such promise to be a different take on this typical genre, but Red is just standard action movie fare, and doesn't rise above its potentially awesome premise.
    Red, which stands for Retired Extremely Dangerous, is about a group of retired secret agents who go back into the field, as members of their former team start to be mysteriously killed off.  The group, led by extremely talented agent Frank Moses, tracks down their assassins, and uncover a conspiracy that goes all the way to the Vice President of the United States.

    Red has a very interesting premise.  Taking the traditional spy caper movie and turning it on its ear by making the protagonists old people was a very clever idea.  However, the movie is only different and unique for about the first ten minutes, then it is pretty standard spy caper action movie fare.  Sure the spies are old, but they still do the same stuff.  Drive fast cars, blow stuff up, and shoot people.  There was the occasional joke about elderly life, but it was pretty standard stuff.  Not that that is always a bad thing.  The standard stuff was pretty exciting, and there are some exciting shoot outs, and the final caper scenes are exhilarating.  I was just hoping for a little bit more...

    The cast is definitely the best thing about this movie.  You'll be hard-pressed to see a better cast than Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and John Malkovich.  Unfortunately, the movie squanders the talents of its cast.  Morgan Freeman is barely in the movie, and his character lacks the depth that Morgan Freeman is  masterful at showing on screen.  John Malkovich is the comic relief character, as this senile "crazy" ex-agent. but his shenanigans grow tiresome after awhile.  In short, the filmmakers could have put its cast to much better use then they did.  These are master thespians, but here they are little more than line readers.

   I went into Red with low expectations, and I was mildly entertaining.  This isn't a rush-to-see movie, but it wasn't bad, and is by no means a bad movie.  If you like action movies, than you will like this movie.  If you like the cast, you'll probably like it.  It's a great rental, but not worth buying.  Red is typical spy action movie fare, but it could have been much better, due to its splendid cast and intriguing premise. 3/5.