IS VIOLENCE FUNNY?

If you read  any of my reviews, you know I avoid violent films or close my eyes.  However, the action in Reds 2 is so fast paced, I didn’t have time to close my eyes before the scene morphed into something new.

 

In this flick, violence is funny.  If you’ve followed Bruce Willis since “Moonlighting”, which I have while trying to avoid the violent ones, you know that a glimmer of a grin sits right under that threatening scowl.  Mary-Louise Parker is the perfect foil for his antics and John Malkovich has the skill and nuance of a British actor.

 

No need to tell you the story.  It could have ended two or three times before it did.  But the cartoon-like action didn’t slow just because there was a change of scenery.  Speaking of which, the transitions are brilliant.  And literally cartoon animation fading the image to red and swiping the screen to another locale:  Hong Kong, London, Paris, Moscow.

 

Lee Byung-hun is a modern day Bruce Lee.  Add in my favorite Helen Mirren and you have a brilliant and humorous all-star cast that makes you laugh even when it’s violent.

 

I only found one discrepancy in this film.  Pretty good considering all the scenes, and explosions beyond counting.  I won’t tell you where it is.  You probably won’t notice.  This is a good summer film to catch on a hot summer day when you yearn for air conditioning and riveting action.

 

I saw it at Sundance Cinema in Seattle, one of five in the country, geared to an adult audience, that requires an ID to prove the audience is 21 and serves wine and food.  The rake of seating is not as good as the Barkley Cinema 16 in Bellingham or the Pickford Theatre.  If someone had sat in front of me, I would not have been able to see.  Too bad.  It opened ten days ago so a remodel is far in the future.