I'm bored with super heroes and comic book adaptations. No matter what the colors of their suit are, they all all want the same thing and all have the same tired, righteous morals. But everybody wants a hero, so these films have and will continue to have a great success at the box office. Enter Warren Ellis, British author, comic book writer, bona fide visual artist, literary troll and forefather of the RED characters, a motley crew of retired, elderly CIA agents with attitude. His creation also found success on the big screen because 1) They are incredibly well-written (Ellis is a creative and talented storyteller) and 2) The only thing people want more than a hero is to not grow old and die. It's also probably why I enjoyed RED 2 as much as its predecessor. Retired people have never felt more alive.
The sequel to the 2010 unlikely barnburner picks up in Costco, a few months ater the events of RED, as Frank (Bruce Willis) and Sarah (Mary Louise Parker) are starting to settle down. He loves the idea of a quiet everafter, but she doesn't. Good thing for us, trouble finds Frank fast. Project Nightshade is a closed file, dating from 1979, or at least Frank would love to think so. There is a nuclear device bunked somewhere in Moscow, ready to explode and turn the international balance of power upside down. Opposing factions jockey for control and are trying to use Frank and his pals for information, oblivious to the fact they're messing with the wrong guys. How dangerous can a bunch of retired agents be?
RED 2 is a successful movie for the same exact reason RED was: It's funny. It operates under the assumption that the most passionate, selfless and career-driven CIA agents undergo an identity crisis once they retire and pathologically seek the excitement of their old days. That itself is vector of countless jokes and make the humor on RED 2 graceful and seamless. The jokes are a byproduct of the storyline, which makes RED 2 comedic, but not exactly a comedy. It's primary purpose is not to make you laugh, but to first narrate the adventures of Frank Moses. I don't often get strong, genuine emotions from comic book-based movies, but I'll admit that RED 2 had me laughing out loud a couple of times.
Find the error with this Asian stereotype.
There are new events, new characters and new locations in RED 2 but mechanically, it's a similar movie to RED. Something from the past has come up, so Frank is chased and needs to shut down the imminent threat, so he can go back to his peace of mind. It's a tried and true formula and it makes for a dynamic movie, so it's hard to begrudge the screenwriters and the production team for going back to a proven method. Watching RED 2 literally feels like reading the second volume of a graphic novel. It's both comfortable and predictable. The RED franchise doesn't exactly reinvent filmmaking, but original characters and Warren Ellis' trademark over-the-top sense of humor are a refreshing malfunction in the lucrative business of comic book adaptation. If you're as bored as I am with it, RED 2 should stimulate your interest gland a little.
