Review: From Paris With Love
Andy Chruscicki
Issue date: 3/10/10 Section: Lifestyles
Shame on John Travolta. The actor who has been apart of great films such as Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction and The Thin Red Line, has reached a new low with From Paris With Love.
From Paris With Love tells the story of a low-level CIA agent, James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who also works as personal aide to the U.S. Ambassador in France. Reece has been chomping at the bit to get a shot at real action and become a real agent.
Reece's wishes are granted when he is assigned to investigate an underground drug ring. Reece is also assigned a partner, Charlie Wax (John Travolta), who is a trigger-happy, loose cannon and makes Reece realize what it takes to become an agent.
Soon after their investigation starts, Reece and Wax discover a plot linking the drug ring to international terrorists that could threaten national security.
The film is about as entertaining and complex as a Saturday afternoon television matinée. The narrative is very plain and familiar and leaves nothing to the imagination.
There is a plot twist toward the end, but with the way film makes everyone out to be the bad guy, the twist shouldn't come as a shocker.
Along with those disappointing facts, the action in the film is boring and will leave many thinking they have seen this before in almost every other shoot-'em-up film. The action in the film offers nothing exciting and becomes old and redundant extremely fast.
What has to be the most disappointing fact about the film, though, is Travolta's portrayal of the crazy CIA agent Wax. From the first time you are introduced to Wax, you can't help but laugh.
Travolta's effort to make the character wild and unpredictable is ruined by his silly and unbelievably lame lines. When watching the film, one has to wonder why a megastar such as Travolta would bother doing a film like this.
The rest of the acting in the film isn't much better. Rhys Meyers' monotone and uninspired delivery makes his character a joke. The supporting cast is just as bad with lackluster performances that hurt the film even more.
Not many positive things can be said about this film, because it doesn't offer anything to the audience. It's about as mindless as cinema can be in this day and age and that is really sad.
If it's a rainy Saturday and you're looking to see a movie, you're better off putting on FX or TNT to watch an older film. It's a better option than going to see From Paris With Love.
From Paris With Love tells the story of a low-level CIA agent, James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who also works as personal aide to the U.S. Ambassador in France. Reece has been chomping at the bit to get a shot at real action and become a real agent.
Reece's wishes are granted when he is assigned to investigate an underground drug ring. Reece is also assigned a partner, Charlie Wax (John Travolta), who is a trigger-happy, loose cannon and makes Reece realize what it takes to become an agent.
Soon after their investigation starts, Reece and Wax discover a plot linking the drug ring to international terrorists that could threaten national security.
The film is about as entertaining and complex as a Saturday afternoon television matinée. The narrative is very plain and familiar and leaves nothing to the imagination.
There is a plot twist toward the end, but with the way film makes everyone out to be the bad guy, the twist shouldn't come as a shocker.
Along with those disappointing facts, the action in the film is boring and will leave many thinking they have seen this before in almost every other shoot-'em-up film. The action in the film offers nothing exciting and becomes old and redundant extremely fast.
What has to be the most disappointing fact about the film, though, is Travolta's portrayal of the crazy CIA agent Wax. From the first time you are introduced to Wax, you can't help but laugh.
Travolta's effort to make the character wild and unpredictable is ruined by his silly and unbelievably lame lines. When watching the film, one has to wonder why a megastar such as Travolta would bother doing a film like this.
The rest of the acting in the film isn't much better. Rhys Meyers' monotone and uninspired delivery makes his character a joke. The supporting cast is just as bad with lackluster performances that hurt the film even more.
Not many positive things can be said about this film, because it doesn't offer anything to the audience. It's about as mindless as cinema can be in this day and age and that is really sad.
If it's a rainy Saturday and you're looking to see a movie, you're better off putting on FX or TNT to watch an older film. It's a better option than going to see From Paris With Love.
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