Movie: RED
Director: Robert Schwentke
Stars: Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 111 min
Studio: Summit Entertainment

Senior Citizens Rock in RED!

Thank goodness Hollywood decided to acknowledge the many audience members, and film fans, who are in their twilight years and still kicking? The film RED is blowing up the traditional concept of retirement and aging and bringing new zest to the notion of ‘being old’. Full of blockbuster action and a touch of romance “ elderly” stars Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and John Malkovich, shoot, kick, crunch, and kill their foes.

Serving long term with any agency like the CIA comes with a battery of secrets. Someone is trying to kill Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) and he shakes the rest of his team out of retirement to find out who is trying to kill the former agent.

RED, which means Retired Extremely Dangerous, is the perfect banner for Moses and the gang who are struggling with leaving their exciting professional lives only to settle into a boring and unexciting existence. Joy and violence ensues when the ex-agents experience unsolicited attacks and ban together to nab their feisty and well armed attackers.



RED is full of action, with a high propensity toward gunfire, but the storyline is cute, sweet and engaging. RED also features some memorable an action comedy from its star-studded cast. Willis’ wife in real life Emma Heming is 23 years his junior, but the May- December love story in the film RED between Willis and Mary-Louise Parker is both funny and saddled with unusual beginnings. The love interest sparks while Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) is retired, bored and lonely and creates reasons to talk to Sarah Ross (Mary-Louise Parker) the government worker who processes his retirement checks. Moses and Ross are both open to the notion of romance and have a healthy curiosity about the other. However, when they finally meet, Moses abducts Ross, against her will and for her own good.

Ross eventually feeds her zest for adventure and in the midst of a recon scam she and Moses are attempting Ross questions in an excited manner with a smile on her face, “ What do you suppose the punishment is for what we’re doing?
Moses replies, “Death”
Ross looks really delighted.

Contrary to the general lack of respect demonstrated for older citizens in America, and how folks in the midst of the aging process are often dismissively regarded, if nothing else RED is proof that getting older doesn’t mean you’ve lost your touch. When considering this DVD, by gazing at the cover art, remember not to let those age lines deceive you; these old folks are off of the farm and having fun!