Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Good concept, poorly executed.

Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Fabulous film - Travolta is outstanding as is Rhys Myers! Loads of twists and turns, car chases and explosions.Every now and then you need a film that is just excitement and entertainment without the need to think too much and this fits the bill perfectly. Added to that it has been very well executed unlike many films of this genre with a great performance by John Travolta playing it completely over the top and stealing the film. Some reviewers have compared it to the 'Die hard' series but I thought it was more like 'Transporter'. This isn't the sort of film for viewers who like to find some depth of meaning but is perfect for a boy's night in when the football's finished, enjoy.

From Paris With Love (2010): Dir: Pierre Morel / Cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers, John Travolta, Kasia Smutniak, Richard Durden, Amber Rose Revah: Amusing action comedy with an ear for dialogue. Title is a parody of the 007 action film From Russia With Love, but it also mocks the romantic images of Paris through its violence. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays an aide to the U.S. Ambassador in France but longs to become an agent. He gets his wish when he is paired with John Travolta to stop a terrorist attack. Film starts off great until action and violence become too constant. The ending works thanks to director Pierre Morel who capitalizes on dialogue and action as a mixture. He previously directed the similar action thriller Taken. Meyers is superb as someone going from a low risk position to becoming a target. Travolta steals the film with humorous dialogue and a blunt but intelligent knack for the job. What works here is whether or not Meyers can trust Travolta and his reactions to his methods. Kasia Smutniak plays Meyers' French girlfriend who factors in. She is a key player without being reduced to a romantic prop. Richard Durden as the Ambassador is unfortunately flat in what is cliché and a weak element in the film. Other roles aren't exactly flying off the screen either leaving the leads to elevate the film higher than perhaps it deserves. The action, stunts and production are top notch despite the fact that the screenplay isn't quite as intelligent as it could be. Action fans will likely accept this film with love while others may vacation elsewhere to broader entertainment. Score: 6 ½ / 10

From producer/writer Luc Besson comes another action movie with American leads set in Paris, and while it is largely competent from a technical standpoint, there are some jarring tonal shifts which may not sit right with everyone. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays James Reese, the personal assistant of the American diplomat in Paris. He's excellent at his job, but he longs for a more exciting life as a spy. Enter Charlie Wax (John Travolta), who is everything the straight-laced Reese isn't: first and foremost an actual secret agent, and in general a rather aggressive personality. The two of them team up to finish a job, and prove to Reese's boss that he can cut it as a "member of the club."From the first few frames, it was clear that this would be a well-shot movie (from Pierre Morel, who also directed TAKEN), but upon hearing Jonathan Rhys Meyers open his mouth I lost a lot of hope that it would be a well-acted one. He was uninspiring and uncharismatic in the worst way possible. Thankfully, John Travolta showed up to chew the scenery and add some life into what was essentially a bargain-basement spy thriller with great production values. Even though it seemed like he was in a completely different movie, his presence lightened the mood a little bit, even if he didn't really have much chemistry with Meyers. If there's one saving grace about this film, other than having technically proficient action and good cinematography, it was Travolta.Pausing a moment to discuss the plot, I thought that it was rather formulaic and rote in its approach to this rather overdone genre. I get that the title is a sort-of nod to James Bond, but this can't hold a candle to that franchise. Not only that, but the plot didn't make much sense either, and character motivation was either muddled or non-existent, particularly with a third act twist which reveals who the true villain is. Even though this is an over-the-top action movie with elements that are a bit removed from reality, the least they could have done was to try and make it somewhat coherent.However, despite all of the shortcomings there are enough elements in the film to give it a loose recommendation. John Travolta is truly awesome in his role as the fast-talking secret agent with an itchy trigger finger and a warped sense of humor. There are also a number of well-executed action and fight sequences which don't hold back in terms of what they show (as opposed to something like TAKEN). Pierre Morel is a master behind the camera, and it shows. Also, since this movie is set in Paris and stars John Travolta, they go for an easy (but still funny) Pulp Fiction joke. Overall, fans of mindless action should find a lot to enjoy here, while everyone else would be better served watching a Bond film or checking out one of Luc Besson's other, better productions.

Yeah this was pretty terrible, I fell asleep watching it and then couldn't be bothered to go back and finish it because I' d seen it all before and just didn't care. A semi entertaining move dubbed as "an explosive thriller" that follows a desk-bound CIA agent (Jonathan Rhys Myers), who is suddenly given a big-time assignment by the agency and must team up with lone wolf (John Travolta) to stop a terrorist bombing.Filled with non-stop (but unremarkable) action scenes Travolta is Mr. tough cool guy and I hated his character -granted he does a decent enough job but I kept thinking Jason Statham would have been great in this role. And while I'm a fan of JRM this is probably the worst acting job I have seen from him, a wishy-washy character with a bad American accent. I honestly didn't "get" that he was an intelligence officer either until I read the synopsis, his position was never really explained. 7/1/14