Netflix is constantly adding to its endlessly entertaining and colorful catalog of films, with some of the entertainment industry’s biggest titles landing on the streaming giant. Oftentimes, underrated films find massive success and a resurgence in popularity when they become available on the platform, and the massively overlooked 2010 action comedy Red is no exception.
The Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman-led spectacle follows a group of retired CIA agents who must go on the run after being picked off one by one, leading to a side-splitting series of chaos and carnage for the savvy former assassins. Though many veteran stars featured in the exhilarating flick have decorated acting resumes, Red is a rip-roaring good time that deserves another look by both fans of the impressive cast and the action comedy genre itself. Let’s take a closer look at Red and discover just why it deserves all the love it’s been getting nearly 14 years later.
What Is Red About, and Who Stars in It?
The star-studded 2010 action-comedy extravaganza Red is based on the comic book miniseries of the same name and features an eclectic cast of Hollywood greats led by Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and John Malkovich. In the wildly entertaining flick, Willis stars as former CIA black ops agent Frank Moses, who struggles to acclimate to a normal life in the suburbs after retiring from his dangerous career. He ultimately falls in love with call center employee Sarah Ross (Mary Louise-Parker) over the phone.
Frank’s slow-paced new reality is turned upside down when an assassination squad attempts to kill him in his suburban home, causing the highly trained hitman to masterfully take out his assailants one by one. He is forced to go on the run and reassemble his lethal old team to take on the malicious force hunting them down, whisking Sarah on an epic adventure as he tracks down his retired pals. Frank successfully locates his fellow RED (Retired Extremely Dangerous) companions after discovering a hit list with all their names on it.
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Freeman stars as Frank’s wise and seasoned CIA mentor, Joe Matheson, who happily joins his protégé on the run after growing bored in his retirement home. The tough-as-nails pair also finds the paranoid and eccentric Marvin Boggs (Malkovich) and trigger-happy retired MI6 agent Victoria Winslow (Mirren). Together, the amusing mismatched team must rely on their expert training skills to figure out who and why someone wants them all dead, taking down bad guys and evading ruthless government forces on their ultimate quest to break into CIA headquarters.
Red Was a Critical & Commercial Knockout
Bringing together some of the silver screen’s most admired and exciting veteran performers helped set up Red for some epic success, and having the acting legends kick butt and take names while delivering side-splitting commentary made the experience that much better for fans. Red made its stellar debut at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, dazzling moviegoers with its exhilarating action sequences, delightful humor, and top-tier performances by its illustrious ensemble cast. The comedy opened second alongside Jackass 3-D during its premiere weekend, earning a solid $22.5 million and going on to rake in nearly $200 million worldwide during its theatrical run.
Both fans and critics agreed that Red was a rip-roaring good time that allowed its fantastic actors to shine and dominate their respective roles, with Freeman delivering his signature charisma and Willis proving the comedic action genre was his bread and butter. Audiences were thoroughly impressed by the fun flick, awarding Red a solid A- CinemaScore and appreciating that it took the traditional action movie formula and turned it on its head by focusing on a group of aging assassins instead of young hotshots.
Red went on to garner numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy and both Saturn and Satellite Award nominations. Due to the film’s positive reception and box office performance, the buzzed-about sequel, Red 2, was released in 2013.
Red’s Massive Success Spawns a Sequel
Following Red‘s fantastic critical and commercial success and after surpassing the studio’s expectations, a sequel to the action comedy was officially announced to be in the works, with Red 2 hitting theaters on July 9, 2013. The core ensemble cast returned for the follow-up, joined by familiar faces like Katherine Zeta-Jones, Byung Hun Lee, and Anthony Hopkins, with the gang this time reuniting to go on a globe-trotting adventure in search of a dangerous and highly-coveted portable nuclear device hidden in Russia.
Though it ultimately failed to live up to its predecessor’s previous achievements, Red 2 nonetheless brought in a respectable $148.1 million at the box office and once again earned praise for its fun, over-the-top action, and playful performances while also nabbing a People’s Choice Award nomination for Best Thriller Movie. A third film in the sensational series was initially announced to be in development shortly after the sequel’s release, but after Bruce Willis announced his retirement in 2022 due to health issues, a final potential installment was ultimately scrapped by the studio.
Audiences Are Falling in Love All Over Again
Though fans of the entertaining and quirky film will likely never see a third entry, they can still relive all the delightful action sequences, humor, and zany performances by streaming both Red and its sequel on Netflix. The underrated comedy is, unfortunately, an overlooked addition in not only Freeman’s illustrious catalog but also Willis’, as both men pursued vastly different career paths (Willis, an action star, Freeman, a jack-of-all-trades performer). Yet, they worked brilliantly with one another in Red.
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One of the greatest aspects about the action comedy is how much fun it seems like the ensemble cast is having with one another, whether it’s the wonderfully paranoid Malkovich believing everyone is a threat (and rightfully so), Mirren dressed to the nines and showcasing her exceptional marksman skills, or Willis hilariously bantering with his lady love Parker on-screen. They never take themselves (or the screenplay) too seriously, and each actor delivers a committed and engaging portrayal that leaves audiences rooting for the RED former assassins to come out triumphantly in the end.
After becoming available on Netflix on August 1, Red quickly landed in the streaming giant’s Top 10 Movies list and currently remains one of the most-watched titles on the platform. 14 years after its original debut, the action comedy is a perfect choice to turn on and unwind with, and it is sure to deliver plenty of laughter and amusement during its 111-minute runtime. Fans of the hit shows The Boys and Succession will also enjoy checking out Red, as both Karl Urban (Billy Butcher) and Brian Cox (Logan Roy) serve up memorable performances as a relentless CIA agent and Russian former FSB member, respectively. Red truly has a little bit of something for everyone and deserves all the love it’s getting right now on Netflix. Stream Red on Netflix.
