From Paris With Love (2009)

“From Paris with Love” is a buddy film directed by Pierre Morel. Reece, (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), plays an over-zealous assistant to the American ambassador in Paris. He seems to have it all; the cliche of a gorgeous French girlfriend, boyish good looks and a great job, but he is tired of carrying out menial tasks. When Reece’s dream to be an agent comes true the role is far from what he imagined

Charlie Wax (John Travolta) is an arrogant, morally deficient partner assigned to be Reece’s mentor. Travolta’s rugged soldier of fortune appearance was more shocking than that of his portrayal of as Edna Turnblad in “Hairspray”. Waxʼs unorthodox approach of acting first and thinking of the consequences later balances out Reece’s methodical textbook nature as they try to shut down a terrorist web in Paris. Just when Reece starts longing for his desk-job he finds out that he is a target for the very people he is trying to take down. Reece knows that he has to take a page out of Waxʼs book to make it through the next few hours but he is conflicted between his ethics and his duty.

Pierre Morel’s focuses on the relationship between Wax and Reece rather than developing the interesting terrorism plot which merely functions as a back drop. Despite being full of action, with Wax shooting 26 men in 24 hours, the plot evolved at a highly slow pace. It was like watching a kettle that refused to boil.

Director: Pierre Morel
Starring: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers r
Certificate: 15
DVD Runtime: 88 minutes (approx.)
Release date: 2 August 2010
DVD RRP: £15.99
Blu-ray RRP: £22.99

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