Red

Red is a 2010 comic book adaptation directed by Robert Schwentke that stars an ensemble cast including Bruce Willis (Die Hard), John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich), Helen Mirren (The Queen), Morgan Freeman (The Shawkshank Redemption), Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds), and Karl Urban (Star Trek).  The film centers around a group of retired government assassins that find themselves being hunted by their own government and killed off one by one in order to cover up an operation that they were all involved with in their past.  On a regular night Frank Moses (Willis) is going about his usual cycle when he foils an attempt on his life by a group of government spooks.   When this happens he realizes that he must take Sarah, his long distance  love interest, captive in order to protect her because the government will try and kill her since she has been in communication with Frank. 

            Soon after he alerts one of his past associates and close friend Joe Matheson (Freeman) that there was an attempt on his life.  With Joe's help, they quickly begin to start piecing together who has tried to kill him.  It doesn't take long for an attempt on Joe's life to occur as well, and when this happens he and Frank set out to get the rest of their old group together in order to solve what is happening together.  With all of their skills and knowledge, Frank and his group start to piece together who is trying to kill them and why.  While this is all going on CIA agent William Cooper (Urban) starts to piece everything together as well.  It doesn't take long for Cooper to find himself stuck between doing what the government wants him to do, and doing what he knows is right. 

            Red is a very fun light hearted action comedy that has a very good cast with great performances and also has very good directing.  The director and editor do a very good job of cutting scenes and shots together so that it flows very well.  At times it also feels like a comic book, which gives off a good pace to the film.  Some of the funniest sequences in the film are mainly due to the great use of editing.  A good example is a sequence in which the movie keeps going back and forth between a scene with Frank talking with Joe, and quick shots of Sarah slamming herself against the headboard of a bed that she is tied up to.  The scene is very comedic and very effective.

                                                                 

            The biggest complaint that I personally have with the film is the sound design.  While watching the film I noticed that there were several instances where sounds completely dropped off or their level was drastically too low.  In one instance there is a sequence where a car crashes, and the level (volume) of the sound effect is so low that you can hardly even hear the sound effect.  This happens many times throughout the film in which the sound effects either completely drop off or their levels are not properly balanced at all.  Other than the poor sound design, I feel that Red really does a good job in other technical aspects of film.  However, I would not say that any of its technical choices are above average. 

            Red is a very fun, comedic, and effective action comedy.  It features great performances from all of the actors, and has really good action scenes.  The plot for the film is very traditional espionage action film, but that doesn't really take away from the feature.  The only area that I feel the film really lacks is its poor choices in sound design.  It also does not take it upon itself to rise above average in other technical aspects.  Overall, Red is a solid  3 1/2 out of 5 in my opinion and I would enjoy seeing it again.