From Paris with Love

James Reece (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) spends his days as a personal assistant for an United States Ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France. He’s tired of performing the same tasks every single day and wishes to, someday, fulfill his dream of becoming an Embassy field agent. He receives the chance at his dream job when he is told by his boss to pick up a top notch, strange field agent named Charlie Wax (John Travolta). The two agents are sent off on a mission to take down a group of Pakistani criminals bent on disrupting the World Delegation Summit being hosted in Paris. As the plot gets thicker, the tension gets larger as do the suspicions…

I remember growing up watching John Travolta in his role as Danny Zuko in the movie “Grease.” He’s come a long way since then, and I was very impressed with his ability to play agent Charlie Wax. Jonathan Rhys Meyers also plays a very impressive role as the timid, yet, when need be, agent willing to accomplish the mission that his boss has given him. The cinematography is just right for this type of movie genre. There is an equal, yet effective, balance between undercover spy work and action, along with some incredible stunts.

Objectionable Content

Though the movie is great in many areas, there is a lot that is very objectionable.

Language: Most of the objectionable language in this film comes from Wax, which includes: f***, mother-f****r, s**t, bull-s**t, h**l, b***h, s**t-hole, a**, G*d. Other objectionable language includes s**k, c**k-f****r, hooker, p***k, and p**p.

Sexuality: There is various sexual talk and remarks, including two Embassy officials who mention “banging” a secretary. There is a scene where Reece’s girlfriend Caroline (Kasia Smutniak) is seen undressing in front of him (the camera is angled from behind her back, so not much is seen). There are a couple scenes of brief passionate kissing. There is a sequence involving pimp and prostitues involving crude remarks and sounds, and a scene where Wax walks out of a bathroom, with a hooker, zipping his pants up. Lastly, there is a fight scene that takes place in a warehouse full of naked mannequins (both sexes, but no genitals).

Violence: No action movie would complete without some scenes of violence. There is an immense amount of violent scenes, bloody beatings and fatal shootings and explosions throughout the entire film. There is a suicide and a brief scene at the beginning of the film where Wax interrogates someone and leaves a gun barrel burn on the suspect’s forehead. There is a brief scene involving people being stabbed by knives, a scene where men are shot and can be seen falling down the middle of a spiraling staircase to their death, scenes of violent driving, and, lastly, there are two major car explosions.

Drug use: There is a scene where Charlie Wax (Jonathan Travolta) and Reeece (Jonathan Rhys Myers) are seen on their way to the top of the Eifel tower, and they sniff some cocaine.

Spiritual Issues

***SPOILER***Though this movie did not have many redeeming moral issues, there is a brief scene at the end where Reece is confronted with the bomber inside the building where the summit is taking place. As he faces the bomber, he speaks to her and tries to convince her that she doesn’t want to hurt anyone. As he is doing this he is showing compassion.

As Reece shows compassion and forgiveness towards the alleged bomber, Jesus shows us compassion when he sin against him. Our God is a loving and just God and, when we have sinned against him, is willing to forgive us of our sins, if we come to him with true repentance.
***END SPOILER***

“Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you” (Acts 13:38, New International Version).

“If we confess with our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1st John 1:9, New International Version).

Violence: Extreme / Profanity: Extreme / Sex/Nudity: Heavy

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.