The first RED movie was one over the top extravaganza of old talent. It was delicious to see the actors you love play it out like nothing matters, just for the fun of it. The story was impossible, but you didn't really care, because it was funny and entertaining as hell.
RED 2 is more serious, with at least two villains (if you discount the Iranians from the embassy, who are OK to kill in droves just because they're Iranians) and some real dramatic scenes. It continues to be silly, but I felt like there needed to be more in order for it to be funny as well.
The new additions to the roster are good, starting with sir Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, but also some of the younger actors like Byung Hun Lee and Mary-Louise Parker. Well, perhaps not Parker. Somehow her character was badly drawn and she was playing it all like she was still in Weeds.
So, my conclusion is that this was a more digestible movie than the first RED, but also less faithful to the spirit of the franchise, as I understood it.
RED 2 is more serious, with at least two villains (if you discount the Iranians from the embassy, who are OK to kill in droves just because they're Iranians) and some real dramatic scenes. It continues to be silly, but I felt like there needed to be more in order for it to be funny as well.
The new additions to the roster are good, starting with sir Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, but also some of the younger actors like Byung Hun Lee and Mary-Louise Parker. Well, perhaps not Parker. Somehow her character was badly drawn and she was playing it all like she was still in Weeds.
So, my conclusion is that this was a more digestible movie than the first RED, but also less faithful to the spirit of the franchise, as I understood it.