From Paris with Love Movie Download

5 / 10

Saved by Travolta’s out-there schtick
I went into From Paris with Love hoping for another TAKEN, but it turns out my hopes were too high. This is strictly by-the-numbers entertainment, a join-the-dots type thriller that veers uneasily between humour and hijinks and boasts a plot that was probably written on the back of a napkin. Indeed, apart from the setting and xenophobic aspect of the storyline, this and the Liam Neeson film have little in common – more’s the pity.

The main problem is focus, which is all over the place. There’s an extended introduction to one of the characters which feels like nothing more than padding, then a shoot-the-baddies series of action set-pieces which are linked together very sketchily. I can forgive this type of stuff if the action scenes excel, but unfortunately they’re routine here, a series of noisy, fast-cut shootings and nothing more besides.

The film’s saving grace is the two lead actors. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is the straight man and very good he is too – even though I’m disposed to dislike him after I saw him in I’LL SLEEP WHEN I’M DEAD. Witness his momentary breakdown around halfway through and tell me that isn’t decent acting. Travolta, on the other hand, is given free reign to go over the edge as one of those borderline psycho-types we’re used to seeing him playing (FACE/OFF, anyone?). He seems to be having a ball, and that enjoyment is infectious. Although one or two of the twists are lifted from TAKEN, things do pick up for the highway set-piece climax. Forgettable popcorn cinema this may be, but it’s still more fun than many a recent Seagal flick.Read More