'Red2' --A Review

Sometimes, it's fun just to sit back and watch a movie that isn't trying to hard too be a blockbuster and just wants to have a good time.   Red 2 is that film and then some.  Falling into none of the usual pitfalls that plague sequels in Hollywood, Red 2 manages to keep the characters from the first movie fresh and interesting with a new story that sends our protagonists on the trail of a weapon of mass destruction that threatens to destroy an entire city.

The film opens with Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) and his girlfriend, Sarah (Mary Louise-Parker) trying to live a normal life as best they can, shopping at the local CostCo.  Marvin (John Malkovich) shows up, insisting to Frank that people are still after him- but Frank dismisses him.  When Marvin drives away, his car blows and Sarah insists that Frank goes to the funeral, where he delivers a tearful eulogy.

After the funeral, Frank is taken into custody by government agents and taken to a facility to be interrogated about a project called Nightshade he was involved in, which involved smuggling pieces of a nuclear weapon piece by piece into Moscow during the Cold War and hiding it somewhere in the city.  Another agent, Jack Horton (Neil McDonough) shows up and threatens to torture Sarah until Frank gives up the information-  Frank eludes Horton and meets up with the actually alive Marvin and goes on the run, along with Sarah.

Soon, everyone is looking for Frank.   Their old friend Victoria (Helen Mirren) is hired by MI6 to kill him.  An old flame, Katya (Catherine Zeta-Jones) comes after them.  A contract killer from Frank's past, (Lee Byung-Hun) is also after them and soon enough, the gang is in Paris on the trail of a master assassin named The Frog (David Thewlis) who reveals that the man they are looking for is, in fact the master genius and inventor Edward Bailey. (Anthony Hopkins)  Turns out that MI6 has kept him locked up for the past three decades and when Frank, Victoria and the gang spring him from prison, he helps them hunt down the bomb- which he planted in the middle of the Kremlin- but is Bailey really who he seems to be?  (As always:  no spoilers!)

Overall:  I loved Red and Red 2 is just as fun, entertaining as it's predecessor and doesn't take itself too seriously.  I think that's probably the secret to the success of both movies in this franchise: you can tell that the actors are having a good time making these movies and the exciting story moves at a pace that keeps the viewer engaged and entertained.  The all-star cast is charming, excellent and altogether a blast to watch- though I think Helen Mirren and Mary Louise-Parker (especially with the latter's ongoing gag about wanting a gun throughout the movie) just about steal the show.   I'd say *** out of ****.  I could see myself buying this and watching it over and over again.  This is just one of those movies that's a ton of fun to watch over and over again.