Review - From Paris with Love

Finally, here is my opportunity to review a movie I’ve seen!  The choice for my first review was a relatively easy one to make – the latest offering written by a personal favourite of mine, Luc Besson (Leon, Taxi, Fifth Element) – From Paris with Love.

Two agents, one city, no merci

The film starts with some amazing cinematographic shots of Paris, almost black and white, all at a little more than a car’s pace.  We meet our hero, James Reece, ably played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Bend it Like Beckham, The Tudors), working as an aide to the American ambassador in Paris – following a secretive phone call, we see that Reece has another role as a low-level operative for the CIA.  Reece is clearly desperate to become a ‘proper’ agent and he is finally offered the chance to work with one of America’s best and our anti-hero, Charlie Wax (John Travolta) - a trigger-happy, wisecracking, loose cannon who's been sent to Paris to stop a terrorist attack. 

Twists and turns galore lead you happily through what is really a very simple but satisfying plot.  This is a role that is perfect for Travolta – if you liked his performances in Pulp Fiction and Face/Off, then you will love him in this.  The director, Pierre Morel (Taken), has turned Travolta into the action hero he was meant to be.  Rhys Meyers also performs well, especially as a hapless character, bewildered into stunned silence for much of the film but that just beefs up the action sequences even more.  He comes into his own in the second half of the movie and the pair make a good double act.

The action is fast paced and bloody but is interspersed with some funny moments – the spiral staircase is a particular favourite of mine together with the recycled catchphrase “Wax on, Wax off”.

There is a plot twist that I didn’t see coming – I’m not sure if that’s because I was so caught up in the action or perhaps I’m just a bit slow with these things – and the car stunts are amazing – exactly what you would expect from a film linked to Besson.  Kasia Smutniak (Barbarossa) co-stars as Reece’s clothes designer girlfriend.

In short, I loved this film.  It gave me everything that I want from an action movie and, with the added humour, I can’t wait until it’s available on DVD.  For that reason, I’m going to give it 4 Eiffels out of 5.