RED 2 | Eastern North Carolina Now

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How Could Frank know if he was happy? He hadn't 'Killed Anybody in Months.'

    While RED 2 may be your common, garden variety sequel, it is mostly just the blackest of comedies built upon the intractable foundation of a perfect farce, where interpersonal relationships really do matter. At least that is what Marvin Boggs, John Malkovich's character, felt - such a sensitive killer. Frank Moses, Bruce Willis's character, cares deeply about his relationship; he just is not as sensitive as Marvin. Then again, Frank was better at killing people, and Marvin was pretty darn good himself.

    At the center of all this relationship business is Frank's sweetheart, Sarah Ross, played by Mary-Louise Parker, who is really more concerned about helping with the killing part, which in its own way, purposefully aids in extending the relationship. So far, we have established that the central theme in RED 2 is the relationship, more explicitly that between Frank and Sarah, and secondary to that central theme, but very necessary to support that ongoing relationship.

    That's the film, and not much of one unless it happens to be entertaining, which it was to me, and may well be for you. Personally, I enjoy dark comedies, the blacker the better, with huge doses of satirical farce thrown in for good measure. RED 2 met that criteria, and I was never bored; actually quite entertained.
The 'relationship' flexes it emotional muscle during an intellectually intimate moment at COSTCO - Sarah Ross, Mary-Louise Parker (left), with Frank Moses, Bruce Willis (right): Above. The relationship business in an emotional three-way in Paris - Russian agent Katja, Catherine Zeta-Jones (left), Sarah, Mary-Louise Parker (center), Frank, Bruce Willis (right): Below.     Click on images to expand into a gallery.
    And not to put too fine of a point on this whole relationship business, but it was ostensively the crux of Marvin's argument for Frank to join his unified efforts to remain amongst the living when they had their rather impromptu rendezvous at the COSTCO, as illustrated by their conversation here below:

    Frank: "Look, I'm retired, okay? I'm happy. We're happy."

    Marvin: "Frank... Frank, you haven't killed anybody in months!"

    Frank: "That is not a bad thing. Okay? That's a positive thing for a lot of people."


Was Marvin, John Malkovich, dressed in whatever he could after a daring escape, having a public meltdown here, or just overly concerned about Frank's relationship with Sarah? Above. Sarah, Mary-Louise Parker (left), Frank, Bruce Willis (center), Marvin, John Malkovich (right), are prone to leave calamities - large and small - in their wake: Below.     Click bottom image to expand and return to the gallery.
    While this business of intrigue and espionage, and murder may have been Frank Moses's original calling, one can well understand that his immediate calling at this prescient point is just to stay alive, and that took some measure of preparation. So in this farcical film of relationships and flying bullets, Frank took care to hone his craft for all possibilities as evidenced in the comments just below:

    Frank: "Marvin, is that a stick of dynamite in your pocket?"

    Marvin: "Yeah, but I'm saving it for an emergency."

    Frank: "Well, this is kind of an emergency, isn't it?"



    'Bang, bang, shoot, shoot; happiness is a warm gun': Above and below.     Click the image above to expand.

    With bullets flying in abundance, Frank's, Bruce Willis, and Marvin's, John Malkovich, mission to survive and, and get to the root of their assailant's motivations.