FROM PARIS WITH LOVE
France, 2010, 92 minutes, Colour.
John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Kasia Smutniak.
Directed by Pierre Morrell.
Slam-bang – and more.
Luc Besson,who directed some classics in the past (Subway, The Big Blue) and a film on Joan of Arc (The Messenger) has for a long time written and produced a lot of over the top action shows like The Transporter series or Unleashed. And he relies here on former cinematographer, Pierre Morel, who also directed Taken with Liam Neeson to direct his screenplay.
It's the war on terrorism and it's right there in Paris. And John Travolta is let loose to wage and win the war.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers is not usually in this kind of show but obviously enjoys the opportunity to be the American embassy fixer in Paris, bugging offices and that kind of thing, but wanting to be out there with guns blazing. And he does get the opportunity. He contrasts with Travolta, head shaven, big moustache, bulky but agile, with an R-rated mouth on him, who seems to be always right in picking who are the bad guys with a shoot first, answer questions second approach. He gets lots of opportunities to do this. And the stunt doubles have plenty of work to do as well.
Basically, the plot is a plan for a terrorist attack during a Paris international meeting on Africa and some betraying going on – though if there was to be a bomb victim, the obnoxious American official would be a not unwelcome candidate as she ignores warnings and then whinges.
Some moments when there is a chance to admire beautiful Paris but there are always Chinese, Pakistanis, Arabs to be hunted and confronted. Rhys Meyers has to go through some disillusionment before he knows what the 'real world' is like. And Travolta leaps, sometimes literally from rooftop to rooftop, at the chance to be a mixture of James Bond, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and whoever the younger versions of these old heroes are today.
1.The parallel with From Russia With Love? Or a romance story?
2.Paris, the suggestion that it is displayed like a theme park for an action film?
3.The locations, the embassy, conference centre, apartments and offices, airports and freeways, districts and ethnic mix? Score? Excitement?
4.A film of action, the stunts, performance, computer graphics?
5.The plausibility or not of the plot: the embassy tasks, terrorists and cells, security, the role of the Americans, in continental Europe, the French authorities? Agents, agents like cowboys, act first and think second, the body count, stunts and action?
6.The background of diplomacy, the personnel who arrange matters, bugging offices, protocols, agents and missions, security and protection, the cover for activities, meetings and protection?
7.James, in himself, his work, age, with the ambassador, his personality, apartment, Caroline, his life at the apartment, the meals, love for her? The phone call, to the airport, meeting Wax, his carry-on at the airport, the reasons, smuggling his arms into Paris? Going immediately into action, James bewildered, helping Wax through Customs, his involvement at the Chinese restaurant, the shootouts, pursuing the waiter, the drug lords? The Pakistanis? The dealers, carrying the vase, the deals, arguments about money, quality of drugs? The terrorists, the confrontations, his watching the car? The girls and Caroline’s betrayal? His change of perspective, the official meeting, entering, the security difficulties, the ambassador letting him in, the confrontation with Caroline, former inability to shoot, shooting her? His wanting to be an agent – suitable or not?
8.Wax, the verbal build-up before his coming into action, his appearance, moustache, bald, bulky, yet active, athletic, running, climbing, jumping? His arrival, the carry-on at Customs, getting his gun into France diplomatically? His manner of talking, language? His reaction to James? His being a slob, yet an expert? Going to the Chinese restaurant, the waiter, the shootout, following the waiter, the heads of the drug cartel, confrontation, the vase and the drugs? Wax’s back-story and his expertise as an agent? Tracking the terrorists, the story of the American diplomat and his niece? Talking with the Pakistanis, the deals? His suspicions of Caroline? The situation, the chase, the shooting? The betrayal? Following the car, the mannequin in the car, the conference centre, following James, the achievement? His personality? The obverse of James Bond?
9.The ambassador, life at the embassy, office, security checks, officials, bugging offices? The Washington stories? The officials coming from Washington? Paris, security? The African conference, the delegates? James and his reliance on him, the bugging, the evidence?
10.Caroline, nice, life with James, the meals, the revelation of the truth, the chase, her explanations of indoctrination, the man in control, influence, rigged with bombs, the disguise, James discovering the material, entering into the meeting, the confrontation and her death?
11.An entertaining heightened action and reality show?
