This Means War
Rating: 6/10
Cast: Tom Hardy, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Til Schweiger
Director: McG
It's Spy vs Spy in this film - and it's one aimed squarely at the date market as we head into Valentine's week.
FDR (Pine) and Tuck (Hardy) are long term mates and compadres at the CIA - they're the kind of guys who have each other's back when the going gets tough and the bullets are flying.
But Tuck longs for a bit of female company, having split with his wife and family; FDR though is the complete opposite - a self assured womaniser who's never short of the ladies and always happier for a one night stand than anything more long term.
Meanwhile, Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) is working as a consumer tester and also is looking for a little bit of love after the fact her ex's got engaged.
So, when Tuck signs up to a dating service, he ends up on a date
with Lauren and it goes quite well; but when FDR spots her in a
nearby video store, he too picks her up. Suddenly, it's spy vs spy
in the game of love, something which is further complicated by the
fact an undercover mission involving Tuck and FDR left the brother
of a terrorist (Schweiger) dead - and he wants revenge.
The thing is with this film is that it's not based in any kind of
reality (alternative or otherwise) and is just simply a piece
of unashamed blockbuster crowd pleasing entertainment - if you're
prepared to suspend any kind of logical disbelief.
It's good to see Tom Hardy playing something softer than the hard man and both he and Pine have a good rapport as this spy versus spy tale of one up-man ship progresses.
Reese Witherspoon is in audience pandering ditz mode as Lauren, the girl torn between 2 guys; she rolls out that apple pie perky grin to devastating effect here.
Granted the vengeful terrorist storyline is a bit wasted and it's almost as if McG forgot this was actually part of the story, given the randomness with which it pops up from time to time.
McG throws out some over-the-top set pieces with huge explosions and implausible set ups/aftermaths but it's exactly what you'd expect in a film where logic rarely plays a part; on a side note, a few of the action sequences blur by so quickly you can barely keep up.
Sure it's corny, cheesy and totally goofy but This Means War is an unashamedly silly, guilty pleasure of a flick which will work as a treat for date night - but not if you're out for something aimed at taxing the grey matter.
