Summary

• Red, starring Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman, is a highly entertaining blend of action and comedy, now on Netflix.
• The movie is based on a comic book series, with familiar faces like Helen Mirren and John Malkovich.
• While Red 2 is also available on Netflix, it's not as well-received as the original but still worth a watch.

Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman’s underrated action-comedy movie, Morgan Freeman is most notable for The Shawshank Redemption, though his distinctive voice has featured in multiple genres and numerous movie roles. The two veteran actors only appear in a handful of movies together, despite their long-running careers, but Red is arguably their most underrated movie appearance.

Red was released in 2010 to generally positive reviews and 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. With Bruce Willis as the story's hero and Morgan Freeman in a ing role, the movie is an enjoyable blend of action and comedy. In fact, the movie was so highly favored that they released a sequel three years later, titled Red 2. Although the franchise has since stalled, Red's success speaks to the original film's quality – making it a welcome arrival on Netflix.

Red Is Now On Netflix – Who Is In It & What It’s About

Red Is Loosely Based On A Comic Series

Released on Netflix August 1, Red boasts a cast of well-known actors such as Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and Brian Cox. The action comedy is loosely based on a limited comic book series of the same name, created by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner. Red was published by WildStorm imprint Homage Comics (which are both owned by DC Comics) from 2003 to 2004 and the three-issue miniseries follows retired CIA agent, Paul Moses, as he hunts down the people who ordered his death. However, the Red film expands on this comic, adding new characters and a different ending.

The action-comedy movie, Red, was released by Summit Entertainment in 2010 and follows the action-packed story of former CIA agent, Frank Moses, who has been dubbed “R.E.D.” (retired and extremely dangerous). After being attacked by hit men, Frank decides to break out of his forced retirement and gather his black ops team back together to eliminate a high-tech assassin who is trying to kill him, uncovering a massive conspiracy along the way. Interestingly, Cully Hamner, who co-created the Red series, returned to the comic and released a 40-page prequel called Red: Eyes Only to be read before watching the movie.

Red Is An Underrated Bruce Willis & Morgan Freeman Action Movie

The Action Comedy Is A Highly Entertaining Watch

Red is an underrated action movie because it is overshadowed by other action movies by its cast. Bruce Willis has too many action movies to count, and with the Die Hard franchise resurfacing every Christmas, Red doesn’t get a lot of recognition. Although Willis and Freeman fit perfectly in the film due to their previous roles in other action movies, Helen Mirren is typically known for her dramatic roles. However, Mirren’s appearance in the Fast And Furious franchise also overshadows this film because the franchise is much bigger and more well-known, despite her fantastic performance as Victoria Winslow in Red.

Red’s underrated status makes Netflix the perfect streaming platform to be released on, as the streaming service provides a great way for audiences to rediscover once-forgotten releases.

The main things that make Red a good action-comedy movie are that it is easy to watch, quite entertaining, and an enjoyable blend of action and comedy. Red’s underrated status makes Netflix the perfect streaming platform to be released on, as the streaming service provides a great way for audiences to rediscover once-forgotten releases. With a modest $199 million box office, despite its 72% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Red deserves some additional audience attention.

Red 2 Is Also On Netflix (But Isn’t As Good)

There Is A Less-Liked Red Sequel

Red 2 has also been released on Netflix alongside the 2010 original. Red was a success at the box office, earning nearly $200 million worldwide and scoring 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. Therefore, it is no surprise that the movie earned a sequel. Red 2 has a slightly different cast, although Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker and Helen Mirren all return. The action comedy follows Frank Moses, who has retired once again since the first film, as he decides to break out of retirement, gathering an unlikely team together to track down a nuclear device.

Unfortunately, Red 2 only scored 45% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is considerably less than the first film, despite the sequel earning $148 million at the box office. This was most likely down to Red 2’s recycling story elements from the original 2010 movie, with the result feeling somewhat repetitive. However, Red 2 is not that bad and is worth a watch if you liked the first Red movie.