RED 2: THE BEST NEVER REST   3.2****

 

In 2010 “RED”  was released, a movie based on a limited comic book series from DC. The move did surprisingly well and of course they have done a sequel: “RED. 2 The Best Never Rest”. Take the aging actors that were in the first film and add more aging actors seems like was their  approach.. Bruce Willis and John Malkovich are back, as well as Helen Mirren and Mary-Louise Parker. Morgan Freeman was dropped and they added Anthony Hopkins, no one plays crazy better than him, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays a sexy Russian. Also Byung-Hum Lee who is the baby in the main cast. The plot is simple enough, the R.E.D. crew must come together again  to find and stop a nuclear bomb that was placed in Russia during the cold war. Lots of shooting, plenty of explosions, and of course some witty dialogue follows.

It is easy to hate sequels since most of them are not as good as the original. "RED 2" becomes one of those rare sequels which is as good or even  better than the original. I think it is because everyone was having fun when they make this movie, and that translates to the audience. Willis is Willis, and brings the same things that have made him an action star for the past 25 years. Everyone is good in this movie, and they embrace their characters and you want them to win. The movie wouldn't be the same though if Mirren or Malkovich were not there, because they provide some of the best lines of the movie.  The interplay and repartee between Willis, Malkovich,  Mirren, and Parker was great. They all have such good chemistry. Also, they brought back Brian Cox for a few scenes, which was brilliant.  

 

Clark