Bad Movie Thursday

Viewing Date: 4/23/20

Starring: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Kasia Mutniak

Plot: James Reece is an ambitious aide to the U.S. Ambassador in Paris, doing little jobs for the CIA and hoping to get into black ops. On the night he and his girlfriend, Caroline, become engaged, he’s told to pick up Charlie Wax at Orly. Charlie is an unorthodox government employee – large, bald and bearded, foul-mouthed and eccentric. Charlie immediately takes James on a wild ride of murder and mayhem, through ethnic enclaves. As bodies pile up, the purpose remains opaque to James. Caroline, unhappy that James has been out of touch for a day, tells him to bring Charlie for dinner. Charlie can be charming – where will it lead? Does the chess-playing James have what it takes? (via IMDB)

Rules

• French landmarks
• “Wax”
• Chess references
• Someone does blow / drugs

Quotes

• “James!”  “I’m sorry I spilled the sauce.”  “The blood sauce?”
• “Do I look like I play board games?”
• “I’ve got a message for him (whomever you work for)”
• “Wax-on, Wax-off.”
• “Let’s Par-tay!”
• Welcome to Paris, baby.”

Viewer Quotes

• “Travolta….  What have you become?”

What We Learned

• Airport security x-ray machines can’t see guns in aluminum cans.
• Travolta can tell where the coke is by watching the eyes of the person he interrogates.
• Wax always gets it done.
• Travolta needs a little blow as a pick-me-up.

Final Take

This was an enjoyable action movie!  Predictable plot, with Travolta’s character being the ultimate invincible rebel special agent that is always three steps ahead (which is laughable on its own).  There is also the love-interest that you know is a double-crossing villain from the moment you meet her.  Did I mention Travolta’s over the top acting complete with drug use and Pulp Fiction references?  But lots of hilarious action and killing, nudity and drugs- a particularly fun sequence has Reese toting around a giant vase throughout a gun battle (later we learn it’s full of cocaine).  No one is falling asleep during this one.