Movie · 2010 · Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Thriller · 1h 51m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 2.1/10 (498.8K ratings)
Still armed. Still dangerous. Still got it.
Overview
After surviving an assault from a squad of hit men, retired CIA black ops agent Frank Moses reassembles his old team for an all-out war. Frank reunites with old Joe, crazy Marvin and wily Victoria to uncover a massive conspiracy that threatens their lives. Only their expert training will allow them to survive a near-impossible mission -- breaking into CIA headquarters.
Ratings
Curator score: 2.1/10
IMDb: 7.0/10
Letterboxd: 3.10/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 30%
Metacritic: 60
TMDB: 6.7/10
Director
Robert Schwentke
Production
di Bonaventura Pictures, DC
Cast
Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker, Karl Urban, Richard Dreyfuss, Brian Cox, Rebecca Pidgeon, Julian McMahon, James Remar, Ernest Borgnine, Heidi von Palleske, Jefferson Brown, Chris Owens, Jaqueline Fleming, Randy Wade Kelley, Jason Giuliano, Alec Rayme, Lawrence Turner
Where to watch
USA Network
Curator Review
Verdict
A breezy, star-powered action-comedy that works best as a hangout movie for viewers who enjoy older leads doing exaggerated spy-business with a wink. The plot is thin and the action is more serviceable than thrilling, but the cast chemistry and playful tone carry it over the line.
Best for
fans of light action comedies
viewers who like ensemble chemistry more than airtight plotting
people in the mood for a low-stakes spy caper
audiences who enjoy veteran actors cutting loose
Skip if
you want hard-edged or inventive action
you need strong character development
you’re allergic to broad, self-aware humor
you prefer suspense that feels genuinely dangerous
Overview
RED is a glossy, mildly ridiculous spy romp built around the pleasure of watching seasoned performers bounce off one another. It leans hard on the novelty of retired operatives being still very, very good at violence, and that premise gives the movie most of its charm. When it’s moving quickly and letting the cast play, it’s easy to enjoy.
Worth noting
The downside is that the movie rarely rises above its premise. The action is competent rather than memorable, and the story is mostly an excuse to shuttle the team from one set piece to the next. The humor lands often enough to keep things buoyant, but the film never fully commits to either sharper satire or bigger spectacle.
Bottom line
What lingers is the easy chemistry and the sense of a studio action movie that knows exactly what it is. If you’re in the right mood, RED is perfectly agreeable entertainment: not essential, not especially deep, but reliably watchable.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Jim (3.5★) · 350 likes
The Best Expendable Marigold Hotel.
𝚮𝖆𝖗𝖑𝖊𝖖𝖚𝖎𝖓𝖆𝖉𝖊 🙏🏻 (1.5★) · 238 likes
Logan Roy, Billy Butcher, Osbourne Cox and HELEN MIRREN carried this nonsense.
Josh Lewis (2★) · 199 likes
I've recently made it my mission to rewatch a bunch of stuff from my pre-letterboxed era that I know I've seen but never actually logged on here, and at this point I don't really know why I'm doing this to myself. Kind of incredible to think these actors were already in their geriatric cash-in phase in 2010, might even be fun to hang out with them if the action were actually good. Somehow still on the higher end of the Robert Schwentke catalog.
Rafael "Mister Movie" Jovine (3★) · 179 likes
Starring: My Name is Morgan Freeman
I haven’t seen this movie since its release, and I remember thinking it was alright. I believe I may have even fallen asleep during most of the third act. Definitely forgot Freeman was in this, and I can’t blame myself as his role here is pretty unremarkable, pretty much a glorified cameo.
The film as a whole is fine. It definitely tries to be cool, and it seems like everyone is having fun from… more
Björn (3.5★) · 173 likes
R - RapidE - EntertainingD - Dumb action
But I don't mind dumb action.It's fun!