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Capone enjoys the insane French fun of FROM PARIS WITH LOVE!!!

Published at:  Feb 05, 2010 1:52:55 PM CST


Hey, everyone. Capone in Chicago here.

The action genre should be kissing director Pierre Morel's feet for adding a little fire and insane fun back into its tired ass. Working for and under the production guidance of Luc Besson for several years (he's also set to direct the reboot of DUNE), Morel directed two dynamite-in-your-pants fun movies, DISTRICT B13 and last year's surprise hit TAKEN, with Liam Neeson. Both films seemed intent on making their action sequences feel as unrehearsed and unchoreographed as possible. The results are some of the most raw and shocking fight scenes I've seen in a long time. With his latest work (from a screenplay by Adi Hasak from a Luc Besson story), Morel takes his organic style adds a layer of crazy in the form of a bald John Travolta, playing the ugliest of ugly American operatives who enters the City of Lights and blows most of it up.

FROM PARIS WITH LOVE begins with James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers in slight wimp mode) working as an aide to the U.S. Ambassador to France. On the side, he also does some low-level spying for the CIA, but is rarely put in any real danger or asked to do anything more than observe or plant the occasional bug. But he's itching to get into the shit. He also has an beyond-believably beautiful French girlfriend, who wants him home more and for them to get married. Rough life for Reece. No sooner does he voice his readiness to be a full-on agent then he's given an assignment to retrieve Charlie Wax (Travolta), a foul-mouthed operative, from French customs (he's stopped for trying to bring energy drinks into the country, but nothing is quite what it seems), then he quickly becomes partners with Wax on a mission that seems to be constantly changing. First it's about drug dealers, then it's about crime families, and eventually it ends up about terrorists and assassination plots.

The reason Wax and the CIA keep Reece in the dark about the true nature of the mission isn't entirely made clear, but it doesn't really matter because it's funny watching Reece react when the stakes get higher and higher with each new round of killing and blowing things up. I'm a genuine Meyers fan, although I'll admit the guy hasn't done a whole lot worth jumping over the moon for beyond Showtime's "The Tudors." Still, it's nice to see him in a role that doesn't require him to lean on his looks or charm. He's pulls of the "fancy lad stuck in a world of violence and evil" role really well.

The subtext about the way Europeans view Americans as roughneck cowboys who come into a foreign land and run ramshackle through property and civil rights is pretty apparent, but I actually found it really funny. As for Travolta, I haven't been much of a fan of his villain roles (THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 being the most recent failure to convince me that he can play a baddie without being obvious), but Wax isn't exactly a villain. As the film goes on, his intentions and apparent heartlessness adjust and come more into focus. It's a more complex character than the trailers would have you believe, and for the most part, he pulls it off convincingly.

That said, many of the film's real bad guys are so blatantly evil and acted so poorly, it made me cringe. And when we get to one of the final action set pieces involving a gathering at the U.S. Embassy, some of the characterizations of the supporting character are laughably terrible. When a security agent tells an official that there's a threat, and the official says to "Ignore it," it takes me right out of the movie because I simply don't believe that would happen. Still, most of FROM PARIS WITH LOVE is entertaining lunacy shot out of a bazooka right into your adrenal gland. Upon reflection, there's no way this film holds up in terms of logic or anything else, but is this really the kind of film that you tend to reflect upon? Of course not. Enjoy it in the moment, and then let is slip right out of your brain like pot smoke. It may not be good for you, but it's fun while it lasts.



-- Capone
therealcapone@aintitcoolmail.com
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    Readers Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 1:56:17 PM CST

    1st

    by osamp1

  • Feb 05, 2010 1:58:37 PM CST

    "Jonathan Rhys Meyers in slight wimp mode"

    by nice marmot

    Like there's any other version.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:05:51 PM CST

    Crazy Fun FTW!

    by blhotz

    Sounds good to me... nothing better to do tonight!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:06:09 PM CST

    pot smoke analogy...

    by cenobite

    pot actually helps a great number of sick people far more than hurting them. A better analogy would be fast food: "Fun for a brief 15 minutes, but hurts your arteries for a lifetime."

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:06:37 PM CST

    no subject

    by cobra--kai

    Looking forward to seeing this one... but not at the theater.
    Sounds a CRANK like experience that is best enjoyed at home with many beers and some good buddies around.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:06:37 PM CST

    Loved Travolta in

    by human_bean_juice_

    pelham. That scenery chewing was a thing to behold.
    Looking forward to this.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:08:15 PM CST

    no subject

    by cobra--kai

    Bald Travolta / bald Statham / bald Willis = lots of lovely violence.
    Bald guys have all the fun.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:12:32 PM CST

    Crazy go NUTZ!!

    by cajunsblues

    it was a fun movie. Yes i agree it did not feel rehearsed. But was half hoping that Jason Stathum was driving the car at the end

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:13:17 PM CST

    From Paris' Snatch With Love?

    by tina_turners_vicodin

    Not the same movie I suspect. Unless Danny Zuko has finally gone the porn route and started making creampie flicks. I'll check it out just to be sure.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:15:39 PM CST

    Trailer looked naff

    by the_taste_of_love

    But loved Taken and the district films so I will put said trailer out my mind and toddle off to my local to see this with a smile on face expecting some good old ' let's blow shit up' fun :)

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:17:41 PM CST

    Is this a sequel to Swordfish?

    by d.vader

    Looks like Travolta is playing another good-bad guy who does bad things in the name of fighting terrorists. Or am I wrong?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:17:45 PM CST

    This looks HORRIBLE

    by sonnyfern

    There's nothing in any of the trailers or anything else that makes me want to see this at all.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Either that or he's playing Bald Bull from Mike Tyson's Knockout. Remember, hit him on the X followed by 4 punches to the face.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:41:08 PM CST

    Capone has been a busy boy...

    by workshed

    ...three reviews up in quick succession is great. If only everyone at AICN could work as hard.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:42:54 PM CST

    Oops...

    by workshed

    ...make that four.!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:43:51 PM CST

    I like Travolta Pizzas!

    by jeffreykatzenkunt

    They're like normal ones except with lots of extra HAM.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:44:33 PM CST

    bald, goateed Travolta = no dice.

    by jackknifed_juggernaut

  • Feb 05, 2010 2:45:34 PM CST

    Jonathan Rhys Myers ruins movies.

    by robosushi

    seriously, he is the worst actor ever. I hate movies simply because he is in them

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 3:07:49 PM CST

    DistrictB13 was a very solid action film.

    by ganymede3001

    The only thing that bugged me was the voice over. Very good director IMO.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 3:45:49 PM CST

    This movie is getting BAAAD reviews -- 33% on RT

    by randomwordrandomword

    Is aintitcool.com giving Morel the cock suck treatment cuz he's directing Dune?? I say yes.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 3:59:02 PM CST

    early contender for Worst of '10

    by filmcans

    So, so bad. This movie is incomprehensible garbage. The story literally makes NO sense, Jonathan Rhys Myers is astoundingly terrible, and Travolta is miscast.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 4:05:45 PM CST

    I refuse after seeing the "Royale with Cheese" joke in a commerc

    by blackmantis

    Horrible.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 4:07:36 PM CST

    I'll see it just because...

    by jabroni

    "Taken: kicked ass, this director looks to be the future of manly, testerone fuled action flicks. I will gladly give him my $12 if it means one day he can make a follow-up to Besson's "Professional". One can dream can't he?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 4:10:56 PM CST

    What? Are you kiding me?

    by dharma4

    Dude, are you kidding me? You and Armond White are the two critics I know of who enjoyed this movie. Except that troll Armond actually made connections with this and 9/11 :| like he does with all of his movies. I hate that guy. Capone, I don't know if I can trust you anymore

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 4:14:43 PM CST

    Travolta...a bald guy who wears toupees in real life and goes ba

    by kravmaguffin

    This looks like a rental to me. psi

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 4:24:51 PM CST

    This movie is garbage.

    by god's brother

    District 13 rocked, Taken was ok, but this piece of shit didn't make any goddamn sense. It felt like a straight-to-video effort. Travolta ain't bad, JR Myers can't act for shit, and the 'story' is almost completely incomprehensible. Plus, the 'royale with cheese' joke made me feel embarrassed for the filmmakers. Nice try, dudes...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 4:30:35 PM CST

    This looks as disposable as any of the Rush Hour

    by skimn

    movies minus the charm of Jackie Chan...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 4:39:56 PM CST

    FROM XENU WITH LOVE

    by azultool

    XENU CURED JOHN OF HIS TABOO YEARNINGS! IT'S TRUE! IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, LOOK: http://www.cultnews.com/?p=2132

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 6:08:32 PM CST

    I'm looking forward to seeing this, when the snow melts

    by soylentmean

    Holy shit the Mid-Atlantic is going to get a shit ton of snow!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 6:59:01 PM CST

    One word...

    by mainman2001

  • All AICN posts must now end in !!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 7:40:27 PM CST

    there is NO WAY this could be anything but horrible

    by badmrwonka

    I'm sorry, but jesus fucking christ, just LOOK at it. I mean, for god;s sake, bald Travolta overacting? Jonathan Rhys-Myers drunk terrible acting? horrible direction? asinine plot?if ever there were a movie GUARANTEED to be horrible, this is it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 7:41:03 PM CST

    A shame

    by squilookle

    Yet another film I want to know about, yet another review by Capone, and yet again no spoiler warnings, so I won't read it in case he wrecks it for me without warning. Like he did with Public Enemies...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 05, 2010 7:56:47 PM CST

    In Public Enemies they killed Johnny Depp

    by soylentmean

    and filmed it with a fuckin' camcorder.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 06, 2010 12:58:55 AM CST

    Suilookie

    by greyspecter

    Dillinger was killed on the run. the movie was telling his story. He wasn't gonna ride off into the sunset, was he? Were you shocked when Titanic went down too?
    In other news, Taken sucked. That this film was made by the guy who made Taken is not a selling point. Throw in Travolta in "Broken Arrow" mode, and I'll pass. A kidney stone. And enjoy it more. Than this movie.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 06, 2010 3:07:39 AM CST

    I am in a film from PARIS WITH LOVE, some scenes!!!

    by dickballsworth

    John Travlota was bald, I am in a scene when many peopels are shot in a crowd, but this film is pretty good with no robot terminator or giant robot to fight. Also film a scene i a prostitite house, only on special edition DVD and blue ray! THIS DVD WILL MAKE MILION OF DOLAAR!!!1

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 06, 2010 8:17:41 AM CST

    greyspectre

    by squilookle

    where did I say anything about wanting a different ending? point is i didn't know it, he blurted it out before I saw it, and so movie was wrecked.

    To answer your question no, i wasn't shocked when the titanic went down, but I already knew it would, and besides- the few reviewers I had read from about that film all had the tact and decency not to talk about what happened at the end.

    Like Capone did. Y'know... With Public Enemies.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 06, 2010 10:35:46 AM CST

    Really?REALLY???WTF!!

    by kafka07

    What?? I'm sorry, I...I...I...just don't know about this. I refuse to believe it's good.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 06, 2010 12:25:06 PM CST

    Squilookle

    by badmrwonka

    Dillinger being shot is, in my book, as common knowledge as the Titanic going down, apollo 13 landing safely, JFK being shot, etc. if you didn't know it, you are an anomaly. you can't expect a reviewer to cater to an outlier such as yourself, just because YOU have somehow avoided a piece of common knowledge.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 06, 2010 1:50:29 PM CST

    I'll see this the same way I saw Taken (which I liked)

    by turketron_2

    As an avi file played on my xbox360.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 06, 2010 2:19:12 PM CST

    Maintain your skepticism, kafka

    by greyspecter

    maintain your skepticism. Even mediocre fare like Swordfish is probably more watchable that this.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 06, 2010 7:08:19 PM CST

    BadMrWonka

    by squilookle

    No, it's not because I'm an anomaly. It's because I am not North American. And as such, I shouldn't HAVE to know all the intricacies of your history before watching a film, even though I did with the Apollo 13 accident, JFK, pearl harbor, Flight 93, etc etc. Saying reviewers shouldn't cater to those that do not have NORTH AMERICAN common knowledge is incredibly short sighted and insulting to the rest of the world. Not least because you're effectively saying ANYONE not living in the good ol' USA is what you define as 'an outlier'. Congratulations, you've just insulted 95.46% of the world's population.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 06, 2010 7:23:28 PM CST

    Travolta is a homo

    by fitzcarraldo2

    "The subtext about the way Europeans view Americans as roughneck cowboys who come into a foreign land and run ramshackle through property and civil rights is pretty apparent."
    Don't flatter yourself. When was the last time you gun-hugging pansies fought a creditable action against the odds? Never?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 06, 2010 9:42:22 PM CST

    Squilookle

    by badmrwonka

    you seem to speak pretty damn good English, you ever heard the phrase "Dead as Dillinger?" yeah, that's about him.look, I'm sure someone in the middle of nowhere in India may never have heard about the Titanic. does that mean an American reviewer shouldn't mention that the damn boat sinks just because that person might read their review?it's simply not feasible to expect reviewers to force themselves to write cryptic, awkward reviews of biopics because some people might not be familiar with the subjects. if a reviewer mentioned Ray Charles going blind in "Ray", and you had never heard of Ray Charles, and didn't know he was blind, would you expect a reviewer to somehow review the movie without mentioning his blindness?movies that capture real events CANNOT be held to the same standards of "spoilers" as fictional ones. it's ludicrous to expect that.and thanks for turning to the "Americans think they're the best" argument without a moment's hesitation.just out of curiosity, can you guys which 3 countries I spent my childhood in?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Feb 08, 2010 9:17:35 AM CST

    precisely Wonka

    by nomoredirtyjokespleaseweareyanks

  • Feb 08, 2010 9:15:06 PM CST

    Wonka (again)

    by squilookle

    No, I have never head of that phrase, which is hardly surprising as I do not live anywhere near where it was coined. Do you know any popular phrases surrounding foreign outlaws like Phoolan Devi or Yemelyan Pugachev? Of course not. And yes, an American (or any) reviewer should NEVER mention a crucial late-plot twist in a review without warning. It isn't hard at all to do a spoiler free review and it is certainly not awkward or cryptic for the most basic of writers.

    and even if someone DOES do a spoiler review that's fine, as-long-as-they-have-a-spoiler-warning! If you really don't have the talent to keep your reviews spoiler free like EVERYONE else did, all you have to do is put a spoiler warning on and people are properly warned! It's not rocket science!

    by the way, I never suggested that 'Americans think they're the best' only that you're definition of outlier and anomaly (!) seems to indicate everyone born everywhere else.

    Reply to Talkback

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