Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich and Anthony Hopkins Star in "Red 2" - A Worthy Follow-Up to the Original

OK, so they are not really retired, but they are still extremely dangerous. Frank Moses (Bruce Willis), Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich) and Victoria (Helen Mirren) are back for more dangerous missions, witty banter and plenty of action. Based on the comic book limited series that inspired the original film, Red 2 centers on retired black ops agent Frank Moses, who reunites members of his old team, including Marvin Boggs, with an assist by former customer service representative Sarah Ross (Mary Louise Parker), also returning, as Frank's love interest, who wants to help him on his latest mission.

As usual, life is not boring for Frank, who is being chased by Interpol, as well as his frenemy, Victoria (Helen Mirren), and an assassin, Han (Lee Byong-hun). In addition, he finds himself in the middle of a mission that involves a Cold War nuclear device which may have been smuggled into Russia and could be active. Frank is tasked with locating the person who was involved with the project, Edward Bradley (Anthony Hopkins), who has been confined to a psychiatric hospital for many years, to learn the exact location of the potential threat. But as they say, the inmates are running the asylum. Frank soon learns that all too well as he underestimates the still vital Bradley, who manages to lock Frank inside his own hospital room.

There is a lot going on in Red 2 and the rapid pace, along with the witty dialogue, makes the run time speed by quickly. This is one of those films that I wish had an even longer run time, so I could continue to enjoy the performances by the stellar cast. The rapport between the principal players is always smart and often hilarious and they are ably supported by Catherine Zeta-Jones, as Miranda Wood, Frank's former flame who exercises unexpected control over him, while making Sarah very jealous. In addition, the always terrific Brian Cox returns as Ivan Simanov, who gets to picnic and smooch with the still lovely and vital Mirren, thus becoming the envy of viewers.

Jon and Erich Hoeber once again serve as screenwriters and, along with the many returning cast members, add a strong degree of continuity to the proceedings. Of course, the performances are terrific and the actors look like they are having a lot of fun. I also enjoyed the way the end of a scene would freeze and then be made to look like a page from a comic book. Red 2 is a terrific option for summertime viewing and features action, comedy, romance and intrigue in an effort geared towards adults. If it is anything like its predecessor, it will be a box office hit and deservedly so.

DVD Recommendation: "Side Effects" - Starring Jude Law and Rooney Mara

Viewers will never know what to expect from director Steven Soderbergh's latest film, Side Effects. Indeed, the versatile director changes things up constantly throughout the film and it keeps the audience off balance, but in a positive way. For instance, even though Jude Law receives top billing, his character, Dr. Jonathan Banks, seems more like a supporting character throughout the first part of the film, while Rooney Mara and Channing Tatum, as married couple Emily and Martin Taylor, are front and center. However, as the story plays out, Dr. Banks is pushed into the center of an intriguing plot that threatens to ruin him and his career, but he plans to fight back.

The initial story centers around Martin Taylor, who is seen being released from prison after serving time for insider trading. His wife, Emily, appears strong, supporting and loving, but then purposely crashes her car into a wall in a parking garage. As a result, she is declared a suicide risk and is assigned to the care of Dr. Banks, who prescribes a series of anti-depressant medications. When they seemingly fail to work, Banks contacts Emily's former therapist, Dr. Victoria Siebert (Catherine Zeta-Jones), for advice. She suggests a new drug, Ablixa, that appears to help Emily, although she experiences bouts of sleepwalking. When Martin arrives home while Emily is apparently sleepwalking, she stabs him several times, leading to his death. The repercussions of that event are felt by Dr. Banks, whose professional and personal life are turned upside down by his alleged mishandling of the case, for the balance of the film.

Frankly, I had no idea where Side Effects was headed until around the final act. Viewers may think they have things figured out, but then another surprise is introduced into the story. In the meantime, the inmates are clearly running the asylum and the sane, and perhaps honest, characters are made to look crazy. That is the genius of the screenplay by Scott Z. Burns, which is reminiscent of a classic Alfred Hitchcock film, but without a blonde lead character.  Emily and Dr. Siebert are brunettes, but Dr. Banks' wife, Deidre (Vinessa Shaw), has the distinction of being a buxom blonde, even though she is a supporting player in the endless drama that is filled with more twists than you can imagine.

Soderbergh's terrific cast deliver strong performances, especially the underrated Jude Law, who receives material worthy of his talents. Rooney Mara is also quite good, as the complicated Emily, as is Catherine Zeta-Jones, as the calculating Dr. Siebert. I am at a loss to explain why Side Effects was not at least a modest box office hit. It is one of the best films I have seen so far this year and boasts a terrific cast who are all given a chance to shine, courtesy of Steven Soderbergh, and rise to the occasion. Side Effects is a superb film.