RED 2
Summit Entertainment | Release Date: July 19, 2013
6.5
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 249 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
136
Mixed:
92
Negative:
21
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6
PStakhivAug 1, 2013
Red 2 is fairly entertaining, has some fine characters, also some funny moments. The best thing in it is of course Anthony Hopkins probably the best actor of recent time. Main plot isn't very good, action par is ok, overall it's slightlyRed 2 is fairly entertaining, has some fine characters, also some funny moments. The best thing in it is of course Anthony Hopkins probably the best actor of recent time. Main plot isn't very good, action par is ok, overall it's slightly above average!… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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6
Movie1997Aug 10, 2013
As far a sequels go, the usually don't work so well. This one surprisingly works. Grant it it's no "The Dark Knight" but for a movie like this, it's fun and enjoyable. Be sure to check out my YouTube channel "TheMovieManLife" and let me knowAs far a sequels go, the usually don't work so well. This one surprisingly works. Grant it it's no "The Dark Knight" but for a movie like this, it's fun and enjoyable. Be sure to check out my YouTube channel "TheMovieManLife" and let me know what you think. Overall it's a fun popcorn movie to watch on a Saturday night.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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6
TheQuietGamerDec 29, 2013
I found this to be much better than the first movie, which I didn't enjoy. Just like the first I find the humor to be much better than the action, so the much improved jokes are greatly appreciated. Once again John Malkovich steals the showI found this to be much better than the first movie, which I didn't enjoy. Just like the first I find the humor to be much better than the action, so the much improved jokes are greatly appreciated. Once again John Malkovich steals the show and Lee Byung-hun makes for an excellent addition to the cast. So while the movie exceeds at humor and cast, it stumbles with it's action and plot. The plot is slightly confusing, familiar, and ends up going nowhere. The action is tolerable but nothing spectacular. All in all it's a decent action flick that surpasses it's predecessor, but fails to leave a lasting impression. Still might be worth a rental to fans of the original.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
ClariseSamuelsJan 15, 2014
Red 2 continues to be the romp that began with the original Red, with the incomparable Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker—and with this second round, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Anthony Hopkins. The plot is convolutedRed 2 continues to be the romp that began with the original Red, with the incomparable Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker—and with this second round, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Anthony Hopkins. The plot is convoluted and a little confusing, but there is a weapon of mass destruction out there called Nightshade, and the CIA wants to kill its very own Frank Moses (Willis) and his cohorts because they were vaguely associated with the secret project. The inventor of the secret bomb is a slightly senile professor named Bailey (Hopkins) who has been kept safely locked up in a sanitarium for over thirty years, Stalin-style, until he is rescued by the aging agents Moses and Victoria (Mirren). Although the ex-agents try to pretend they are retired, you can't keep a good spy down, and when called, they serve. And they serve with skill, talent, and dry humor in spite of their gray hair (or no hair) and wrinkles. They're more fun than James Bond.

Frank Moses' best friend Marvin Boggs (Malkovich) stages his own death in the beginning but resurrects himself just in time to save his friend. Malkovich struts through the film with his signature blase attitude, his Zen-like calm, and that mesmerizing lilt in his voice. Frank Moses has already rebelled against his age by taking on a new girlfriend, Sarah Ross (Parker), who wants to be an agent just like her boyfriend Frank, but he only wants to protect Sarah from herself, for he is convinced that she's too weak and vulnerable to be a real player. Not since Diane Keaton la-dee-dahed us in Annie Hall have we seen such charming naivete and spontaneity in the archetypal role of the presumably helpless girlfriend. Parker as Sarah Ross is 49 but looks like she's 29, so she may appear to be a midlife crisis for boyfriend Frank, but she is in fact age-appropriate.

The dynamic pack of senior spies have to face impossible obstacles, such as rescuing Bailey from the asylum for the criminally insane, which looks like a fortress, and then having to penetrate the Kremlin, which is truly a fortress. The plot would not be a comic book (the film is not trying to be overly realistic) if there were not an evil Asian contract killer (Lee Byung-hun) who has sworn to kill Moses. And then Moses's ex-girlfriend Katya (Zeta-Jones) appears, and she is a suave, sophisticated Russian KGB type who is also after Nightshade, and she teams up with her former beau Frank while swapping mild insults with his girlfriend Sarah, who is slightly threatened by Katya's charisma. “She's cute,” says Katya to Moses while glancing over at Sarah. “Where did you find her...Nebraska?” she asks. “Kansas,” chirps Sarah who is listening in with interest. Katya is described as “Frank Moses's kryptonite,” and Zeta-Jones delivers the goods in the role of an exquisite rhymes-with-rich. Willis does a variation of his unperturbed yippee-ki-yay character from Die Hard but with a new sense of resignation and eternal patience that only a senior citizen could have. Mirren continues to play the role of an omnipotent spy-genius—there is nothing she cannot do while making caustic remarks through it all. Hopkins fools us by playing a role within a role, as he pretends to be the bumbling and harmless professor.

Although completely zany and unrealistic, the film is irresistibly beguiling because of the megawatts of charm generated by the actors. The theme is perhaps not quite as fresh as it was in the first Red, but hopefully there will be a Red 3 where the producers will work a little harder on the plot.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
TyranianFeb 21, 2020
Somewhat entertaining but mostly very unoriginal and not funny enough. Acting is okay.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
quincytheodoreAug 22, 2013
Although not as well constructed as the prequel, these senior action heroes still have gleeful somewhat appealing spy adventure. Like all the movies with collection of stars, RED 2 adds some familiar faces into the mix. Anthony Hopkins andAlthough not as well constructed as the prequel, these senior action heroes still have gleeful somewhat appealing spy adventure. Like all the movies with collection of stars, RED 2 adds some familiar faces into the mix. Anthony Hopkins and Lee Byung-Hun are nice inclusion, they bring some novelty with nice acting and stunts. The story is far from impeccable, it's a bit rushed, contains too many half-baked plan of infiltration and relies more on firepower than the previous title. However, it is still decent and fun to watch as the cast seem to enjoy the mash, especially towards the end.

Story revolves around the usual conspiracy, framed heroes and zealous contract killers. It passes some points with little explanations, these scenes occasionally turn silly, not in the witty parody of spy flick, but simply ridiculously mindless. Bruce Willis has decent performance, although sometimes he looks overly joking, or just sleepy, and can't be taken seriously. John Malkovich is good, he provides strange nuance as if he's funny with that little grim side tucked away. These two and Mary Louise-Parker seem to be enjoying their roles and it gives the movie a lighter tone, almost comedic even.

Anthony Hopkins is suavely convincing, his voice exudes sophistication although he appears slightly frail from his age. Catherine Zeta-Jones plays the femme fatale from the past, but she's trapped in a generic role and her rivalry with jealous main character is very silly. The martial artist Lee Byung-Hun completes the cast as it's almost mandatory to have an Asian to do all the fight stunts. Surprisingly, he has fairly amount of humor part as well, it won't be a surprise to see him more often in Hollywood movies.

While the cast does possess weighty names, the script is rather weak. Jokes are stale, with only a few of them able to force chuckle. Screenplay also isn't executed neatly as in the first, half of it is predictably sluggish. It picks up the pace towards the end and ultimately ends up passable. More explosives and bullets are utilized, although they are dull and have less impact than they are meant to be. Aside from the occasion tussle and despite the soundtracks' fervent attempt to fire up the audience, the action is only average.

RED 2 has some merits, it's fairly enjoyable, but it's arguably inferior to the first. It is less charming, not as clever and not an appealing case for another sequel, which is a shame since RED has potential to be a smarter version of Expendables.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
beingryanjudeSep 2, 2014
Typically sequels of this nature fail to bring any fresh and/or exciting looks into the realm of their first installment. Red 2 contains a similar formula, but manages to provide thrill after thrill.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
GreatMartinJul 26, 2013
You walk into “Red2” knowing exactly what you are getting. After checking your brains at the door you lean back and observe the actors from how beautiful Catherine Zeta-Jones is to how much fun Helen Mirren appears to be having even to theYou walk into “Red2” knowing exactly what you are getting. After checking your brains at the door you lean back and observe the actors from how beautiful Catherine Zeta-Jones is to how much fun Helen Mirren appears to be having even to the point of playing a queen gone mad in one scene. There is John Malkovich playing crazy as only he can and Bruce Willis flipping off repartee as if he was back in “Moonlighting” only this time sparring with Mary-Louise Parker. First spotting Anthony Hopkins you may think Charles laughton has come back to life. With this cast it is hard to stand out but Korean star Byung Hun Lee, as a lethal body weapon, gets laughs with his ‘want my plane back’ tirade at Bruce Willis and Neal McDonough is ready to jump into the next James Bond movie as a villain extraordinaire.

Director Dean Parisot and screenplay writers Erich and Jon Hoeber know they aren’t making a picture for the ages but a fun romp with stellar performers. Yes they throw in a mad scientist, a device that will blow up, if not the world, then at least Moscow. There is a timing device ticking down and wires being cut but suspense is not the name of this game. Have a few car chases, blow up a few more cars, break a lot of glass and have Helen Mirren come out blazing with a gun in each hand plus a sexy scene with her, being a sniper, and Brian Cox enthralled by her and her shooting and her toes curling with each round she fires off and you will be smiling.

What can you expect of a movie that takes place in Paris, France, Moscow, Russia and Teterboro, New Jersey, that also has a subdued, but pounding beat of a music background by Alan Silvestri and throws in “Papa Loves Mambo” sung by Perry Como?

This is the type of movie that throws away a line like “Is that a stick of dynamite or are you just happy to see me?” to burn in your mind and go right on to the next line!

Hot and/or rainy day? Want to forget everything for 2 hours and just relax? Definitely go see “Red2” and watch pros have a good time!… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
snazzyjuiceJul 23, 2013
One thing about this movie Is that it's incredibly boring. The first half is going nowhere and is a great cure for Insomnia. Then we meet Hopkins (who steals the show) and we get the ball rolling and you start to have fun but you realize theOne thing about this movie Is that it's incredibly boring. The first half is going nowhere and is a great cure for Insomnia. Then we meet Hopkins (who steals the show) and we get the ball rolling and you start to have fun but you realize the movie ends.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
analogkid280Jul 20, 2013
An entertaining sequel that benefits from weak competition from other opening movies this weekend. I found it ultimately forgettable. Not that it was a bad movie per se, but I will not be calling my friends telling them what a greatAn entertaining sequel that benefits from weak competition from other opening movies this weekend. I found it ultimately forgettable. Not that it was a bad movie per se, but I will not be calling my friends telling them what a great performance Willis makes doing something new and different. Hey, much better than the last Die Hard movie though. Much Much better....… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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5
callumjsouthDec 13, 2014
It's an unrealistic action movie, and for that reason, it's walking on eggshells right off the bat. Again I have endured a film that lacks significant identity. It has just been thrown together in an untidy fashion in the hope of achievingIt's an unrealistic action movie, and for that reason, it's walking on eggshells right off the bat. Again I have endured a film that lacks significant identity. It has just been thrown together in an untidy fashion in the hope of achieving something. However unlike action films of a similar quality, it is able to successfully incorporate comedy into the experience, and that on it's own can make a film. The story doesn't deserve recognition but the entertainment factor it delivers does.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
Meth-dudeMay 29, 2019
This more ambitious sequel embraces even more it's comic book origins. With bigger and sillier action scenes, more interesting characters and a more out there plot, if you were a fan of the first, you will enjoy this sequel.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
GregePorterAug 31, 2015
Bottom line: I didn’t expect much from Red 2 and I wasn’t disappointed; it is funny at times and is, overall, a pleasant enough movie.

I didn’t see Red because I was never the biggest fan of movies where the kick is that older people areBottom line: I didn’t expect much from Red 2 and I wasn’t disappointed; it is funny at times and is, overall, a pleasant enough movie.

I didn’t see Red because I was never the biggest fan of movies where the kick is that older people are doing things typically associated with younger people. I will say that I would rather see old people in a film than children. Both groups make snarky comments but I feel like once you reach a certain age, it is fine. I was pleasantly surprised by Red 2. It’s funny here and there and it isn’t really trying to be anything more than a comic book movie. It isn’t too stylized but it isn’t too realistic. “Stylized,” mind you, isn’t inherently bad but is when executed poorly. I suppose anything could be bad but it’s the difference between Kill Bill and Baytown Outlaws.

Red 2 is about a bunch of retired CIA (MI6, KGB, etc.) agents going back into action to track down a missing Cold War super-weapon before it falls into villainous hands. I liked each of the characters. I was a little wary of Mary-Louise Parker. She teetered on annoying but she was sympathetic enough to not make me hate her.

The humor in Red 2 is a lot like the following joke:
Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other guy whips out his phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps, "My friend is dead! What can I do?" The operator says "Calm down. I can help. First, let's make sure he's dead." There is a silence, then a gun shot is heard. Back on the phone, the guy says "OK, now what?"

There is something matter-of-fact about the violence which intertwines with the humor. “It’s been months since you’ve killed anyone, Frank,” says Marvin (Malkovich). “That’s a good thing, Marvin,” Frank responds.

One thing I thought was kinda funny was the word choice. If you recall Live Free or Die Hard using ‘technical buzzwords’ like “download”, Red 2 uses the word “Internet”: “Ever since that document was put on the Internet....” and “There’s no way to take down the list after it was posted on Wikileaks on the Internet.”

A driving subplot is the relationship between Willis and Louis-Parker. He is a former operative and she is a former phone operator for the Social Security Administration office. Much like the rest of the movie, it isn’t tense or drawn out. It provides opportunity for quick little jokes such as the scene where John Malkovich (another retired CIA hitman) and Byung Hun Lee (the world’s best hitman) give relationship advice to Bruce Willis. I can imagine how having three hitmen talk about feelings might not seem worth a sequel, but it is. Instead of adding stupid jokes Red 2 let’s silly little situations speak for themselves. This is to say that Red 2 generally shows restraint, which I appreciate.

Overall, I’d recommend Red 2 for a Sunday matinee kind of thing. It could make for a cute date movie. It isn’t the best movie ever in any respect but it was good enough for me to want to see the original some time.… Expand
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5
Fixer84Mar 16, 2023
Compared to the first film, which was enough, this film is just mediocre. A film that I was able to recover only a short while ago and I've already forgotten it, in fact I don't remember what it was about at all, which means how profound itCompared to the first film, which was enough, this film is just mediocre. A film that I was able to recover only a short while ago and I've already forgotten it, in fact I don't remember what it was about at all, which means how profound it was and how much it struck me.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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