Today I watched the John Travolta action picture From Paris With Love. The film, released in February of this year, also starred Johnathan Rhys Meyers as James Reese, the personal aide to the U.S. Ambassador to France. He is also a low level CIA operative. One evening he gets an assignment to meet a new partner and help him clear French customs. That new partner is John Travolta as Charlie Wax.
Wax is in Paris to take down a drug dealing operation that is a front for terrorists. The movie kicks into over drive when Wax meets Reese and a trip to a Chinese restaurant turns into a shoot out that leads to many more shoot outs. Half way through the movie it changes tone with a plot twist that I didn't see coming and ramps up the suspense a little more.
Travolta and Meyers do a good job and work well together. Travolta has a lot of fun with the role. He seems to really enjoy this type of character (Face/Off, Taking Of Pelham 123) and it's worth seeing the movie just to watch him.
My big problem with the film is a very common one these days. All the action is done in the computer and the editing room. Nothing really feels authentic. And if it's not authentic there is no real danger or suspense, just noise.
The film is essentially a "B" picture action film with a big budget. Netflix it or catch it on cable if you like chase films with lots of guns or you want to see Travolta in an over the top performance.
At The Movie House rating **1/2 stars
2 comments:
SOUNDS LIKE A BOMB. I CAN'T STAND THESE TYPE OF MOVIES. YOUR COMMENT ABOUT NOT BEING AUTHENTIC IS RIGHT ON. IT MUST HAVE BEEN EXPENSIVE TO MAKE THE MOVIE, DO THESE TYPE FLICKS DO WELL?...I DON;T UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMICS OF THEM
These movies generally make money, though this one was not as succesful since it was competeing with Avatar when it was released. The film cost $52 million to make and market and made $51 million in ticket sales (worldwide). Then it makes money on DVD sales, pay per view, premium cable, regular cable, network TV, syndication and other areas.
So yes the film will make money for teh studio but probably not enough to justify a sequel which the studio and director were hoping for.
Which is too bad since the characters and set ups actually work If they had been smart enough to tone down the action to give the film a sense of realism they would have had a hit. But the target audience is 13 to 29 year old males and everything has to be shot and edited like a video game.
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