Starring: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Director: Pierre Morel (Taken)
Running Time: 1 hr 35 min
Release Date: Feb. 5, 2010
Budget: $52 million
Critics’ Thumbs Up: 36%
“…pure comic book/ popcorn action.” James Berardinelli, ReelViews
“…you won’t find a load of garbage any smellier…” Rex Reed, New York Observer
All too reminiscent of his recent turn in The Taking of Pelham 123, Travolta is back again as a bald, goateed baddie in this violent, ridiculous action thriller. Falling flat as an intended buddy cop movie, From Paris with Love teams Charlie Wax (Travolta), a trigger-happy American spy, with James Reese (Rhys Meyers), an ambitious American governmental aide, as they work to foil a terrorist plot in France. While Travolta is amusing initially because of his vivaciousness, his over-the-top character quickly becomes annoying, especially with one-liners like “Wax on, wax off.” That could be forgivable though if Paris had an engaging plot. Instead, the storyline is predictable and as flaky as a croissant.
