So as a kid in the 80's I loved action movies. Then I grew up, the 90's hit and in a weird synchronization of timing, it seemed like Hollywood matured about the same time my friends and I did. Action movies all but went away (well, they never really go away, but Mr. Tarantino and friends helped relax their grip on the vernacular of film) and smart-talking, indie cinema Savoir Faire took over. These days action movies are back, but in an upgraded, definitely gone-through-the-meta-paradigm-and-come-out-the-other-side way. The thing is, the good ones know what they are and they don't want you to take them seriously - they can barely take themselves seriously. And when in the hands of good actors this works. The first Red was a good example of this. It excels in its meta-snarkyness in all the ways that a franchise like The Expendable does not*, wh It caught my eye because it's based on a comic by Warren Ellis. It was pretty damn good (I think the only thing I disliked was the music). This one looks right in line with the first, and it seems as though the 'amping up' that is always sure to happen in an action sequel will even be done in a tasteful, elastic way. Not just "MORE BLOOD! MORE EXPLOSIONS!" but Dame Helen Mirren with two guns and Storm Shadow in tow.
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| image courtesy of iwatchstuff.com |
Popcorn flick extraordinaire!!!
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*Admittedly I've only seen the second Expendable, and in spite of myself I did enjoy it (though its visceral violence quota was a bit much for me) but it isn't a 'justifiable' 'Like' the way Red is.
