Frank Moses (Bruce Willis), ex-CIA black-ops agent, is in love. He flirts with the clerk that handles lost retirement checks on the other end of the phone while tearing up the checks he receives. He reads the books she reads and even bought plane tickets to come visit her. Frank’s quiet life is shattered as a black-ops squad suddenly descends upon his home. Now, he must keep the object of his affections safe while gathering old allies to find out why he is being targeted.
The story moves at a very fast pace as Frank is chased across the country while trying to stay one step ahead of the agents trying to kill him. Travels from one city to another are noted with close-ups of postcards. The dialogue is sharp and full of wit, and delivers humor on top of explosive action throughout the entire film. Action sequences are over the top, but not too unbelievable.
The original story was published by Homage Comics as a three-issue comic of the same name by writer Warren Ellis and illustrator Cully Hamner. Much has changed for the movie adaption and many new characters were added. The most noticeable change might be that the movie included a lot more humor than the comics.
Although the plot is not necessarily new to the genre, it brings great fun in the form of intense action and witty humor throughout the whole movie. The powerful cast and the characters they portray is worth the movie ticket price by itself.