A good spy thriller is always greatly appreciated. Whether involving the ultra-serious world inhabited by Jason Bourne or Jack Ryan or the iconic caricature of “Bond, James Bond,” nothing rips us from our mundane lives and plants us in a world we shall never know quite like the espionage thriller.
The genre’s current hot ticket director Pierre Morel steps behind the lens once again to deliver the follow-up to last year’s “Taken.” This time he is banking on John Travolta to deliver the goods in “From Paris with Love.”
James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) excels in his work as personal assistant to Ambassador Bennington (Richard Durden) and to his fianc�e Caroline (Kasia Smutniak), but he longs to move up in his other more covert assignments. Reece has handled small assignments for the CIA but wants to move further into the field. He gets his chance when the definition of “be careful what you wish for” arrives in Paris in the form of CIA operative Charlie Wax (John Travolta). Travolta pulls out all the stops as Wax, and as he devours the screen, he alone makes the film worth whatever sum one is forced to plunk down at the ticket window. The pace is quick, the action is intense, and the film flows in a well-constructed manner that brings the viewer along for quite a ride.
Reece is tasked with driving Wax around Paris. After a quick stop for Chinese food, Reece becomes aware of the duos true assignment. They are to eliminate all members of a drug ring responsible for product that eventually harmed a relation of the Secretary of Defense. Wax takes to his task like a cat to nip with his partner trying to follow in his wake. There are several very sweet scenes of carnage thanks to Travolta. Those dance moves seem to translate most readily to hand-to-hand combat sequences. The pairing of Travolta and Meyers works at times but is never in danger of conjuring up images of Gibson and Glover.
As the film progresses toward a more contemporary and serious plot, it adds a hint of spice but becomes a little too far-fetched. However, at it’s heart, it is still just a good old-fashioned buddy action thriller, as Reece is forced to face some facts that turn his world upside down as he and his new partner try to complete their mission without dying in the process.
Travolta is the real deal. The man oozes charm and charisma and is able to work comfortably as the heavy or the hero. And occasionally you get to see him be both. This is one of those instances, and it is worth every penny. Meyers is a strong supporter with a bright future. The good-looking lad is sure to be heard from more often. Finally, Director Morel is making a name for himself with the fast-paced, real-time spy thriller, but his films lack the depth necessary to be taken into serious consideration for dramatic/thriller audiences.
That said, “From Paris with Love” is fun. Pure and simple fun that allows you to just shut off your mind and let the ride begin. Travolta shows us that he still has it.
Rating: W W W
