This Means War (2012)

When I heard about this film I was instantly excited. Read my last post and you will know I think Tom Hardy is yummy; full of British charm, yet an introverted intensity and an adorable smile - again Yummy! Couple that with the the gorgeous Chris Pine, who in my opinion is one of the most charismatic guys to come out of 'Tinseltown' since Will Smith and you've got my attention.

So two gorgeous leads (three including the lovely Reese Witherspoon), and all of them accomplished in their own right - Click link to see Tom Hardy's and Chris Pine's filmography's and if you haven't seen Hardy in Wuthering Heights yet check it out on Youtube Wuthering Heights 2009. For Pine's stand out performance you must see 2009's Star Trek where he plays a sexy young Captain James T. Kirk - but worry not, you needn't be a Trekky to enjoy this movie, it is an action packed blockbuster by all accounts -  but don't be fooled into thinking Pine can only do 'cool' and 'slick'. Pine is not afraid to do ugly, just see him as Darwin Tremor in Smokin' Aces (2006) and you'll see what I mean.

Pine as Darwin Tremor - Smokin' Aces.

But back to This Means War ...

So looking forward to seeing the guys looking sexy as hell I went to see the movie and the opening scenes did not disappoint. We see Pine and Hardy's characters FDR and Tuck perched on a helipad suited and booted for a covert mission at an elegant penthouse cocktail party.

Heeellloooo!

I wasn't expecting too much of this movie as a valentines release, but with the early action it had potential to be more than just a Rom-Com and actually be Rush Hour funny ... but alas this was not to be. There's nothing wrong with the film, unfortunately it seems to have been built on a formula that takes all the successful elements from other Rom-Com, action comedies and shoves them together. Two best friends, who are near opposites, leading to humorous conflicts, check. Two guys falling for the same girl, swear it won't come between them but it does, check. The complicated yet capable woman who can't decide between two very different guys, check - honestly the movie doesn't have anything we've not already seen in the TV show Friends.

Tuck (Hardy) is the sensitive, romantic, family man kinda guy, where FDR (Pine) is the slick, smooth talking, ladies man - think Martin Lawrence and Will Smith in Bad Boys and you'll get the picture. Reese Witherspoon is the romantic failure whose pushy/opinionated friend sets up an online dating profile for her (please note the total lack of originality), even down to Angela Basset being cast as the tough black Captain/boss - the first 20 odd minutes of this movie is a walking cliché!

But then something happened... Tuck (Hardy), on his first date with Lauren (Witherspoon) smiles and his sweet little eyes twinkle and I find myself willing to give the movie another chance to grip me.

The chemistry between Reese and the guys is totally believable and Reese gives a stable performance as Lauren, delivering the mix between a lady lost in her love life yet confident and organised in her professional life. Both Pine and Hardy also deliver stable performances, Pine plays the charismatic and charming spy to perfection and I find it hard to believe he's not a little like this in real life. Hardy is the typical wry, repressed Brit that American TV and film are used to portraying.

But despite decent performances I was too bored to care. If it hadn't been for the pretty faces I might well have taken a little nap.

After around 40 minutes the film had elicited only a few snickers and sniggers from me and a handful of quiet laughs from the rest of the audience. But gladly the "Recon" took the movie to the next level and it finally started to get a little funnier.

The film struggles to get the balance and mix of action and romance and comedy ... towards the end you will have started to forget that these guys are important spy agents involved in a supposedly huge case and as they jump back into the action, almost as an after thought we are again hit with a barrage of clichés which can work but seem cheesy in this movie (like the cliff-hanger in a car nearly dangling over the edge of a fatal drop, the unlikely hero and a shot that almost mirrors Bad Boy's famous movie poster.

Unfortunately this movie gets the thumbs down from me. There are no twists, it's completely predictable, the action scenes don't pack enough of a punch and other than two beautiful men this movie has little to offer. So instead of going to see this I'd advise you chuck in the DVD of Bad Boys, Rush Hour or There's Something About Mary and you'll be getting all the best bits from this movie and more.

When the DVD is released:

GIRLS: Chuck this movie on when hanging with your girlfriends - grab some wine and ooh and ah at the pretty people.

GUYS: Chuck this in for some browny points with the Mrs

In either case you wont be missing much if you talk through it or end up pashing on the sofa.