John Travolta’s Extremely Graphic, IR-Rated Action Thriller Is His Best Since Pulp Fiction
Written by Robert Scucci | Published
John Travolta is an interesting example because, like Nicolas Cage, he fits into all his roles, for better or for worse. World War II he is the perfect punisher, as well It’s complete, Gotti, Old dogsagain Wild boars. Don’t even get me started A fanatic because I don’t have three days. However, when he is in his form, he never ceases to amaze me. His concerts at Pulp Fiction again Face off they are legendary, even in 2010 From Paris with Love he deserves to be celebrated with the same level of respect as the known ancients.
From Paris with Love’s A 37 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes might make you think otherwise, but I think the critics missed the point this time. The movie borders on parody, and Travolta fires on all cylinders as an action hero who falls somewhere between John Wick and Sterling Archer. She’s supremely confident, says everything with a wink and a nod, and pumps every scene full of lead before sizing up the room.
Or so you think. As the second and third acts unfold, it becomes clear that his Charlie Wax character is always several steps ahead of his enemies, and every move he makes plays out like a 4D chess game. He simply chooses to act on instinct before letting everyone else get him, leading to hilarious moments that only a straight-faced, balding, goatee John Travolta could pull off.
This Movie Makes No Sense
I didn’t know what I was getting into when I shot From Paris with Love on Prime Video. To be honest, I was expecting a late-season flop with poorly executed one-liners and your usual loose but poorly executed fireworks. Instead, what we get is more of a comedy of errors where our hero James Reese (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is tasked with tagging along on a trip to Paris with Charlie Wax, a high-ranking NOC field agent who follows no one’s rules but his own. The type that shoots first and asks questions later, but always manages to improvise his way out of a jam, even when pointed at with 100 guns.
Charlie works on a case involving the Triad drug ring, its connections to Pakistani terrorists, and plans to attack the American Embassy. Meanwhile, James has cold feet because taking the equipment means time away from his girlfriend Caroline (Kasia Smutniak), which may affect their relationship. All caution is thrown to the wind once the stakes are clear, and from then on, it’s complete madness.
John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers run with a vase full of cocaine From Paris with Love. They happily eat Royales and cheese after causing a lot of random damage wherever they go. They run into agents who are sleeping, but it’s okay because Charlie Wax is able to detonate a bazooka in a moving car. They operate legally and seem to have unlimited permission, so they raid any building they feel like it, not hesitating to kill everyone in their path. Every time, John Travolta is always smiling or completely dead, and he runs into danger as a complete bad guy because he is a man in a machine. Oh yeah, and James Reese was first called to work with Charlie Wax because he’s sticking to tradition, arguing about the strong drinks he needs to bring to Paris.
A Silly Action Thriller That Succeeds
I can see why people would be disappointed From Paris with Love if they were expecting a regular, straightforward thriller. In many ways, it still beats those beats. What sets it apart is its subtle humor and its ability to take expectations and turn them on their head. This film, as far as I can tell, is meant to be fun, funny, over the top, and completely uncompromising. The action sequences are well choreographed, and the weird chemistry between Travolta and Meyers sells it all.
If anything, that’s probably what rubbed the critics the wrong way. It has all the trappings of a more violent John Wick before John Wick was a thing, but it doesn’t have the right to be as funny as it is. If you can adjust the expectations before entering From Paris with Loveyou will have a great time with it. It’s totally therapeutic if you try to enjoy it for what it’s trying to accomplish.
As of this writing, From Paris with Love is streaming on Prime Video.
