That spinning car stunt is stupendous, even if computers are responsible for most of it. It not only made the movie worth it, it made getting up that day worth it.
The first hour of this concoction is really good. In that standard linear narrative way, plot is first and most important, but the plot works because it illuminates character, and because the characters being illuminated are fun. At this point the importance of the actor also enters in. Bruce Willis and Sarah Jessica Parker are very good together, playing as old as they are, comfortable with themselves, providing a low-impact, pleasant romantic interest. They’re actually reading their lines and hitting their marks, but they’re doing it very genially. Plus, someone has to balance Malkovich. Mirren/Cox contribute too, maybe because they’re doing the same, middle-aged plus. There’s some good mayhem (the lady assassin is eliminated), and some kind of substantial antagonism. The Dr. McCoy/Eomer character is a tossed-off B-movie version of Clint Eastwood in In the Line of Fire, or even of Robert McNamara. A really superficial take on Robert McNamara, anyway. Still, an interesting character. Seeming to do wrong. Given the circumstances, and the system, it might not be so straightforward.
MorganFreeman has to do an annoying noble thing. Maybe it’s at this point that the movie starts to feel noisy and long. On the other hand, it only cost me $1.50.