From Paris With Love - A Royale with Cheese  
| I must say, I'm pleasantly surprised. I had written From Paris with Love off as just another run of the mill dumb action flick like Taken, which was coincidentally directed by the same guy that directed From Paris with Love, Pierre Morel. What I got was a somewhat smart and sophisticated (at least it felt that way) action flick. The trailer does the film absolutely no justice, but the teaser poster, the one with the Eiffel Tower as a gun (the one of the side <--), is superb and easily draws your attention. Since Taken clearly resonated with audiences as they fully embraced it at the theatres, I really hope From Paris with Love can find the same audience... it is a much better film.
From Paris with Love follows a young U.S Ambassador's aide in France, James Reece (Johnathon Rhys Meyers). He is moonlighting as a low-level CIA operative doing small easy tasks. He longs to become an actual spy and get in on some real action. His wish is granted in the form of Charlie Wax (John Travolta), a "special" agent sent to Paris to stop a terrorist attack. Brace yourself as Charlie takes James on a wild ride through Paris, full with gun fights, car chases, double crossing and explosions.
The film was fast and action packed. You basically get what you are expecting, but its done in a much better way then normal. The plot isn't as convoluted as many similar movies like Edge of Darkness or Body of Lies. It's clean and simple and goes down smooth. The action is so well done. Many shootouts scenes that aren't so chaotic that you can't tell what is happening. A super intense (and very well shot) car chase scene culminating with a bazooka being fired = awesome! John Travolta kicking some major ass. People pointing guns and actually firing them! So many things add up to make this one of the best action flicks I've seen in a long time.
Speaking of Travolta kicking ass, he totally plays this role up, but it sort of asks for it. You just have to roll with it. Sometimes this works for actors, but most of the time it fails miserably. This is not the case this time. The whole movie is absurd and over the top so I believe that Travolta plays it perfectly. Johnathon Rhys Meyers also does a great job in his role. The film was also surprisingly funny. I was laughing so much, mostly at Travolta's expense.
Action movies needs to have a great score to really get you juiced up during those intense moments. The score in From Paris with Love, by David Buckey, is electrifying and perfectly sets the tone in this movie. At first it starts out with an uneasy feeling, then as the action intensifies, so does the music. It pumps you up so much.
Despite all this "royale", the movie doesn't come without its "cheese." As with most movies like this, the good guys always has perfect aim while the bad guys have the worst shot ever and are stupider then stupid. Like who does that...? No one in their right mind would do what some of them do. The dialog was cheesy at times (that, or it wasn't delivered very well). The "twist" was obvious from the start but it was still well played. You basically know where the film is headed but it takes a different path getting there; one you don't necessarily expect.
I can easily see there being a sequel to From Paris with Love if it does well enough at the Box Office. Meyers and Travolta make a great team with some great chemistry and I would love to see them together again. Take a bite out of the "royale with cheese" and enjoy it for what it is. You don't have to think too much so it should digest well.
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