Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

From Paris with Love

also known as “Desde París con amor”
MPA Rating: R-Rating (MPA) for strong bloody violence throughout, drug content, pervasive language and brief sexuality.

Reviewed by: Alexander Malsan
CONTRIBUTOR—first time reviewer

Moral Rating: Very Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Crime Action Suspense Thriller
Length: 1 hr. 32 min.
Year of Release: 2010
USA Release: February 5, 2010 (wide—2,600+ theaters)
Copyright, Lionsgate Filmsclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Lionsgate Films Copyright, Lionsgate Films Copyright, Lionsgate Films Copyright, Lionsgate Films Copyright, Lionsgate Films Copyright, Lionsgate Films Copyright, Lionsgate Films Copyright, Lionsgate Films
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Lionsgate Films

Spies in the Bible

Murder

Death

Final judgment


Mercy

Justice

Justice of God


VIOLENCE—How does viewing violence in movies affect families? Answer


What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer

Fornication

Featuring John Travolta (FBI agent Charlie Wax), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (James Reece / Richard Stevens), Amber Rose Revah (Nichole), Melissa Mars (Wax’s Hooker), Kasia Smutniak (Caroline), Farid Elouardi (Le barbu), Richard Durden (Ambassador Bennington), Chems Dahmani (Rasheed), See all »
Director Pierre Morel—“Taken
Producer Europa Corp., M6 Films, Grive Productions, Apipoulaï, Canal+, TPS Star, M6, Luc Besson, India Osborne
Distributor Distributor: Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. Trademark logo.Lionsgate (Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.)

“Two agents. One city. No merci.”

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).

Editor’s Note: Christian Spotlight does not recommend this disturbing film, due to its heavy and prevasive bloody violence, pervasive foul language, drug use, and immoral sexuality.

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

What does Scripture say?

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).

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


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive

none

Negative
Negative—In order to decide whether or not to go see this movie, I watched the trailer and then looked up the review on Christian Spotlight. Despite the warnings detailed in the review, I decided to go watch it. In hindsight this was a very poor decision: “From Paris with Love” is a deeply disturbing film in many ways, most of these are fairly accurately described in the Christian Spotlight review.

However, I would add that the comical value of this film appeared to me to be basically non-existent from a Christian perspective; the events in the film are in my opinion too disturbing to offer any real amusement and are in fact more likely to disturb because of the attempt to present them in an amusing manner.

It is also worth mentioning that the one case of suicide found in the movie is very graphic and disturbing in nature. Furthermore, I found the killing of two women in the movie particularly disturbing and quite upsetting to watch. Lastly, I should mention that although the bad language is accurately detailed in the Christian Spotlight review, it is used far more frequently than I had expected.

To conclude, although the quality of the filmmaking itself was good, I would strongly recommend not watching “From Paris with Love” to any other Christian.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Jacob Smith, age 21 (UK)