Often times Hollywood throws together movies they think will be successful strictly based on a formula and the stars attached. While most people criticize the generic nature of these films (often rightfully so), sometime I do enjoy the end product. Some examples of formula films I have enjoyed would be Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Knight & Day. Ones that didn’t work are The Bounty Hunter, Killers and The Ugly Truth. There are many more in both camps, but those are the ones that are top of mind. The latest one is This Means War which takes Chris Pine from Star Trek and Unstoppable and Tom Hardy from Warrior and the upcoming Dark Knight Rises and makes them fight for the affections of Reese Witherspoon who hasn’t had a hit in a while but audiences still love.
Tuck (Tom Hardy) and FDR (Chris Pine) are best friends and two of the best agents the CIA has to offer. Tuck is divorced and looking for love and FDR is a playboy. When Tuck reluctantly goes on a date set up on a dating website, he meets Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) and instantly falls for her. After their date, Lauren bumps into FDR and is intrigued by him as well. On advice from a friend, Lauren decides to date both guys for a while to see who would be a better match for her. But when Tuck and FDR find out they are dating the same woman, they use all the surveillance and skills they have access to at the CIA to monitor each other’s dates and sabotage each other’s efforts to win over Lauren.
When This Means War started, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t end up liking it. The situations were just too extreme and unbelievable. FDR takes Lauren to a circus after hours on a date and they swing on the trapeze together, FDR actually catching Lauren as they do their aerial foreplay. Just ridiculous. But as the movie progressed, the charms of Pine and Hardy overtook the silliness of the film and allowed me to enjoy it quite a bit. Keep in mind, there is not an ounce of seriousness or sincerity in the entire film, but it is fun with some entertaining set pieces. The real reason to see This Means War is to watch Pine and Hardy having a lot of fun acting like idiots. They both have so much charisma and charm; it is really hard not to like them, even in a movie this ludicrous.
The BluRay from Fox is exactly what you would expect from a Hollywood popcorn movie. Which is to say pretty damn nice. Though not quite as flawless as other recent big budget movies, the picture is still very good. There is a heavier than normal grain, but it does not mean it doesn’t still look great. Blacks are deep and colors are bold, with close up detail being pretty impressive. A very light, very silly action comedy, This Means War won’t blow you away by any means, but thanks to the on screen presence of Chris Pine and Tom Hardy, there is fun to be had with it. Recommended.
