R.E.D. - Älter. Härter. Besser.

R.E.D. - Älter, härter, besser ist eine "Kostüm-Hanswurstiade“ mit einem senilen Plot, in dem es mehr um die einzelnen Attraktionen als um die Konsistenz des Ganzen geht. Sie werden sich amüsieren; den Willis spielenden Willis, den sich an bessere Zeiten aus Burn After Reading - Wer verbrennt sich hier die Finger? erinnernden Malkovich und die aus einem Maschinengewehr schießende Königin Helen Mirren im weißen Kleid genießen. Ein besseres Drehbuch konnte für einen der besten Filme des Jahres sorgen, es hat aber leider nicht geklappt. Karl Urban ist auf dem Weg zu markanten Rollen in erstklassigen Blockbustern. Schwentke, der sich um ihn auf der Kreuzung dreht, machte aus der Bay-Drehung um einen Typen mit einer Knarre in der Hand eine Ballettvorführung. Genau zwischen 3* und 4*, für vier habe ich mit deshalb entschieden, weil ich drei Resident Evil: Afterlife gegeben habe :). (29.10.2010)

I’m pretty fed up with action team-ups this year, but this old-fashioned comedy was a pretty pleasant and fun surprise. It never goes beyond the average, but the characters have so much chemistry. The four stars are excessive, but I don’t care. (22.10.2010)

I’d happily replace gaps with drawn-out verbal filler in favor of action, which Schwentke handles quite easily. Thumbs up for those moments when the retired agents are having fun over the fact that in their youth the SS (Secret Service ;-)) wasn't a bunch of old farts because the actors are having a blast with it. However, the lack of a stronger villain and a thicker plot won't let me give that fourth star. 3 ½. (17.10.2010)

Schwentke müsste etwas mehr als ein lehrsamer Routinier sein, damit RED eben als etwas mehr als lediglich eine solide Angelegenheit herüberkommt. Alles ist hier recht dynamisch zusammengefügt, jedoch der Stil wurde anderswo abgeschaut, so dass er definitiv nicht konsistent ist. Die Geschichte ist auf comicsähnliche Weise leicht übertspitzt und in der filmischen Erzählung mutet sich bis zum Entsetzen banal an. Aber die alten Kapos sind einfach dolle und die Arbeit geht ihnen von der Hand. Am Ende habe ich mich wunderbar amüsiert und war überzeugt davon, dass hier ein einfallsreicher Steuermann das Kommando übernähme, könnte diese Fahrt enorm an Sinn gewinnen. Jedoch entsprechend der Umstände haben wir hier eben nur etwas unterhaltsames. (01.11.2010)

I admit that I approached Red as an action comedy with a certain disdain because I usually don't appreciate action nonsense, and when I hear the term "action actor," I instantly get a rash. And behold - this film won me over. It's good enough to cast actors who have facial expressions and acting talent, instead of desperados who spend their whole lives in the gym. It's good enough to act with a suitable dose of irony, humor, and nobility, and most importantly, to stay somewhat grounded when massacring hordes of enemies. Red is somewhat more intimate compared to its genre siblings, giving more space to dialogue, quotes, and the main stars - Bruce Willis from the older generation and Karl Urban from the younger one, who, alongside their exceptional physical condition, are very decent character actors. Bruce Willis also excels at self-irony, which he has been honing since the days of Moonlighting. Any fan who has seen a few of his films will recall specific scenes and shots from his filmography when seeing his face, his raised eyebrows, and his dry lines. Great character actors also work well in supporting roles, which you wouldn't expect in an action movie, led by Helen Mirren, who fearlessly fires a heavy machine gun. Add to that Mary-Louise Parker, for whom I have a weakness, who carries the romantic storyline of the film, and above all, the insane John Malkovich, whose paranoia and pink piglet he drags around everywhere led me to want to give Red five stars. It is a very enjoyable and memorable film. Overall impression: 75%. (29.04.2011)

Finally, Bruce is acting! in a good film. Red is primarily a family movie with something for everybody - granny, grandpa, mum, dad and for big and little kids alike. The plot is as old as the genre itself, and that goes for most of the cast, but it’s enough for a series of pleasant escapades for one dusty team of agents. The best portion of gags were delivered by John Malkovich who is an expert at paranoid smegheads… and this model is one of his best, by the way. Cute Karl Urban is used mainly in the action/battle passages and Schwentke’s now certainly already patented 720°shot comes off really well. Certainly a very pleasant surprise. (08.01.2011)

The only thing atypical about Red is that, the main roles of former special agents in this action comedy with a terribly hole-ridden script and music that, with its attempt to create a relaxed feeling, remotely resembles the lightness and elegance of Ocean’s Eleven, are played by usually non-action actors, perhaps with the exception of Willis. Some may find this cool, while others may shake their heads. But the originality of the idea with retired agents cannot be denied. Unfortunately, it does not reach the top in terms of quality, not because it is not sufficiently self-conscious or slow-paced, but because it is sterile and half of the film basically consists of generic location changes culminated by one action set-piece or another. (24.07.2015)

Für Willis’ Ausstieg aus dem sich drehenden Auto, für den verrückten Malkovich und sein Schwein, für Helen Mirren, die in einem Abendkleid und mit Kampfschuhen hinter einem Maschinengewehr steht, für Freeman in einem Altersheim und in der Uniform eines Generals, für die Augen von Mary-Louise Parker, für Bruces blutige Schlägerei mit Karl Urban, für Ernest Borgnine, für die großartigen Actionszenen (wie die am Flughafen), die sowohl spannend als auch unterhaltsam sind, für die witzigen Sprüche und das lässige Drehbuch, für die Figur von Richard Dreyfuss, für Becks Musik und für den Anfang des Abspanns… Für all das gebe ich dem Film viereinhalb Sterne. R.E.D. - Älter. Härter. Besser. ist wirklich sehr unterhaltsam und hat viele Momente, die man sich merken wird. Jeder, der ein Fan von Actionfilmen mit Humor ist, sollte sich diesen Film anschauen. Manchmal war der Film zu "comicartig". Das hat man vor allem an dem Handeln der Mitglieder der Kommandos und der Spezialeinheiten gesehen – sie haben sich wie Rindviecher benommen (der Anfang in Moses’ Haus, die Schießereien in den Garagen). Deshalb gebe ich dem Film nicht fünf Sterne. (20.02.2011)

Even a master carpenter makes mistakes sometimes. I have long ranked Bruce Willis as an ultimate action icon, whose films tend to be just the right staple in my cinematic menu, but Red is one of the unwanted exceptions. While Bruce performs up to his standard, and for the most part the FBI and CIA together don't even come to think of him, the main storyline is too weak, the actual quality and fun action is downright sparse, and I didn't like how the story tried to be too cool all the time. Freeman has a desperately small role to pull it up somewhere, and as for the villain syndicate, bland is the word. Apart from Willis, the only one worth mentioning is the infernal "old man" John Malkovich, whose perfectly (un)measured performance in similar action titles is something I always enjoy. Anyway, I'm curious about the second one, with more imaginative direction and acting refreshment, they still may have a few rounds left. (19.04.2011)

The studios are well aware that there are no new acting elites being grown, and the younger ones (who are now all over 40 anyway) like Depp have expenses that could turn something like Addis Ababa into a lucrative metropolis, so they're trying to pull all the old '80s and '90s hot stuff out of the swamp to justify this totally unimaginative and perhaps illegally primal spectacle. By the way, they have themselves to blame for the acting youth, because they look for new stars based on the right curl of their bangs or the obligatory pigmentation. Red works in part because, for example, Malkovich and Mirren were quite good. But is it worth including Willis anymore just to stand there or walk around? The man has completely given up on making any effort to act and he goes through the entire film with one expression, which isn't fair for that kind of money, am I right? Anyway, it's a film shot on a vacation for all involved with horrible elevator music, resulting in a disgustingly chill out spectacle for undiscerning retirees and proponents of the notion that movies are about actors. For me, The A-Team rules. (21.03.2012)

I had a very good time. The action scenes were decent, I laughed a lot, meaning it did work as a comedy, and since it was a comedy, I turned a blind eye to some of the illogicalities. I just relaxed and enjoyed a story about a rather odd bunch of pensioners. A fun comeback of many stars. (18.01.2018)

Bruce Willis delivers his usual performance, but when it comes to emotions, he's actually quite good. And clumsy. It's even more evident in the sequel. John Malkovich stands out the most, playing a great madman, paranoid Marvin, who sees agents everywhere. Well, after all, just because someone is paranoid doesn't mean they're not being followed. And when he picks up a pig, it's really a treat. The communication between the team is incredibly filled with humor, creative and interesting. Humor is the main thing that drives the movie forward, even though it also relies on the classic formula of action spy films - locations change very often, the government is somehow involved in everything, and someone we know nothing about pulls the strings. The script is sufficiently convoluted, allowing the film to truly be labeled as a spy movie. More: http://www.comics-blog.cz/2013/08/250-red-2010-70.html (27.08.2013)