FROM PARIS WITH LOVE (15, 92 mins) **
Starring John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Kasia Smutniak, Amber Rose Revah, Richard Durden

%movie(5301)

Director Pierre Morel returns to the scene of previous cinematic crimes for this explosive tour of Paris in the company of two American agents on a quest to dismantle a terrorist cell.

Morel’s last film, Taken, at least had the good sense to cast Liam Neeson in the underwritten lead role of a vengeful father.

Here, he’s lumbered with the handsome yet inexpressive Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and John Travolta, an actor who has never been on speaking terms with subtlety and nuance.

Ironically, it is Travolta’s voracious scenery-chewing and wide-eyed ravings which turn out to be the guilty pleasure of From Paris With Love, an otherwise dumb action adventure that clumsily pilfers scenes from the Bourne trilogy.

Government agent James Reese (Meyers) is desperate to impress the powers that be, and gets his chance when he is asked to help Charlie Wax (Travolta) pass through Parisian customs and complete his secret anti-terrorism peace mission.

Unexpectedly partnered with a wild fast-talking, gun-toting lunatic, James struggles to understand what his role in the mission might be as Charlie shoots anyone and everyone in his path.

From Paris With Love is nonsense from lacklustre start to pyrotechnic-laden finish, hinging weakly on the non-existent chemistry between the two male leads.

Buddy movies demand sharp comic timing, and a clearly-defied narrative arc for the characters from distrust and irritation to mutual admiration.

This film has none of these qualities, leaving Travolta to blast each location to smithereens as a spectacularly wooden Rhys Meyers pouts in the background.