From Paris with Love (C or 2/4 stars)
Frenchman Pierre Morel gave us last yrs. January/February action hit, Taken, starring Liam Neeson (in the wake of his wife's recent untimely death). And in this early-year movie season, he's given us his next actioner, 'From Paris with Love', starring John Travolta & Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The framework of the plot for this film is it being a mismatched buddy flick (not unlike the Mel Gibson/Danny Glover Lethal Weapon pairing). The story unfolds from the perspective of James Reece (Rhys Meyers), a personal aide to the U.S. Ambassador in France. He's in early training to be a CIA agent, but his assignments are boring, allowing him to live it up in gay Paris; spending his free time playing chess with said ambassador, & his evenings with beautiful fiancee, Caroline (polish-born, Kasia Smutniak).
Charlie is then offered his 1st senior-level assignment (& is happy as a clam). But his demeanor sours when introduced to his partner, superspy Charlie Wax (Travolta). Charlie is a vile, trigger-happy killing machine, and before 1 hour has even passed since their 'meet-cute' (haha), the dead bodies around them have started to amass. At first, it seems that Charlie is in France to extinguish drug dealers who caused the death of the Sec. of Defenses' daughter. But that's not quite it. His real purpose, it seems, is to eliminate a terrorist cell before it can attack Americans in Paris. And James winds up being a target of this crime ring! So, with Charlie taking James on a wild shooting spree through Paris' underworld, does James still want to be a secret agent? Will he make it out alive to even choose?
You know what, this film's best assets are its short running time & quick pace. I really mean that. The movie is not great, the acting is not great, the plot has been done before a million times - and yet - it's intermittently enjoyable, & over before you can start to hate it. Let me break it down. The story ... who cares? It's far from good, kinda silly, but 'moves' the movie from plot point A to B to C, etc. (I'm reminded of films like Crank & the Transporter series). Tons of action (most of it bland), but ... tons of action, regardless. Don't get me wrong, you may eventually numb-over during the myriad of fight sequences, car chases through a dingy Paris, & neverending shoot-outs, but a few of them stand-out (like a well-filmed spiral staircase scene).
As for the performances, well, I've learned that Jonathan Rhys Meyers can inflect a great American accent. I've learned that newcomer Kasia Smutniak has the worst celebrity name ever. And I've realized now that John Travolta - though he gives this film some needed energy - does not convince as a bad-ass, AT ALL. Travolta is an actor who thrives with great material (Pulp Fiction) or lighter fare (Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Hairspray, Wild Hogs). Him doing "bad" comes across as completely phony. He's just not that guy. 'From Paris With Love' is not awful, but it pales in comparison to last yrs. Taken, and that movie was no masterpiece, either (though lots of fun). And so, though preposterous (plot), & though hammily acted, I still liked this movie in a very generic way, & think a lot of people will dig it in a "rent it from Blockbuster/Netflix on a Saturday night" way, as well.
Charlie is then offered his 1st senior-level assignment (& is happy as a clam). But his demeanor sours when introduced to his partner, superspy Charlie Wax (Travolta). Charlie is a vile, trigger-happy killing machine, and before 1 hour has even passed since their 'meet-cute' (haha), the dead bodies around them have started to amass. At first, it seems that Charlie is in France to extinguish drug dealers who caused the death of the Sec. of Defenses' daughter. But that's not quite it. His real purpose, it seems, is to eliminate a terrorist cell before it can attack Americans in Paris. And James winds up being a target of this crime ring! So, with Charlie taking James on a wild shooting spree through Paris' underworld, does James still want to be a secret agent? Will he make it out alive to even choose?
You know what, this film's best assets are its short running time & quick pace. I really mean that. The movie is not great, the acting is not great, the plot has been done before a million times - and yet - it's intermittently enjoyable, & over before you can start to hate it. Let me break it down. The story ... who cares? It's far from good, kinda silly, but 'moves' the movie from plot point A to B to C, etc. (I'm reminded of films like Crank & the Transporter series). Tons of action (most of it bland), but ... tons of action, regardless. Don't get me wrong, you may eventually numb-over during the myriad of fight sequences, car chases through a dingy Paris, & neverending shoot-outs, but a few of them stand-out (like a well-filmed spiral staircase scene).
As for the performances, well, I've learned that Jonathan Rhys Meyers can inflect a great American accent. I've learned that newcomer Kasia Smutniak has the worst celebrity name ever. And I've realized now that John Travolta - though he gives this film some needed energy - does not convince as a bad-ass, AT ALL. Travolta is an actor who thrives with great material (Pulp Fiction) or lighter fare (Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Hairspray, Wild Hogs). Him doing "bad" comes across as completely phony. He's just not that guy. 'From Paris With Love' is not awful, but it pales in comparison to last yrs. Taken, and that movie was no masterpiece, either (though lots of fun). And so, though preposterous (plot), & though hammily acted, I still liked this movie in a very generic way, & think a lot of people will dig it in a "rent it from Blockbuster/Netflix on a Saturday night" way, as well.