User reviews

I almost started off hating this movie before I had seen it; I thought the trailer looked like crap, with horrible comedic dialog and premises, but I took the chance on free screening tickets, figuring I could make fun at worst. The film opens with shooting at the hip action and stays pretty entertaining in comedy and delivery. Witherspoon's character's sister (Chelsea Handler) and their interactions are lots of fun. Chris Pine does a good job being semi-typecast and the movie doesn't take itself too seriously. It's way better than expected and I wouldn't have been upset had I paid full price for it. Like a review I read said, it's a romantic movie that guys won't have to be dragged to. Is it a great movie? No. Is it a fun valentines movie? Yes.

This Means War (2012). Starring Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, and Tom Hardy this fascinating fusion of espionage, action, and comedy brings to the screen a dating two men dilemma in a thriller format. While competent enough, the attempt to offer the audience big action thrills while at the same time balancing the antics of two men fawning for the same woman diffuses the smart focused energy of each of these major movie genres on screen. Another problem that develops is the rather questionable ethical scheming that occurs and who Witherspoon's character eventually attaches herself to. Contrast The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017), The True Memoirs of an International Assassin (2016), Red (2010), Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005), The Matador (2005) or even The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) where these espionage comedies incorporate relational themes as a secondary, accompanying screen time experiences. Perhaps the best cover action thriller with a twist of humor is to be found in Killing Eve (2018).

Hey, this isn't Citizen Kane. But it's funny, the actors are all good, and even though the premise is pretty silly--two secret agent types pursuing the same woman--the writers milked the possibilities about as much as they could without getting mindlessly stupid. The principals don't try to assassinate each other, merely to undermine one another's efforts, and the story works. Also, it doesn't hurt in a Rom-Com that Reese Witherspoon looks gorgeous throughout--as I suppose do Chris Pine and Tom Hardy for those more inclined in that direction--and the supporting cast is equally charming, with Chelsea Handler and Abigail Spencer especially deserving of kudos. What's not to like?

It wasn't as bad as most of the people writing reviews have said. I found it entertaining, to a certain point. After "tuck" has his date, there was no need for the other one to jump right in, it doesn't happen in real life up to a point, I'm guessing. I'm not giving anything away, it's all in the bio. The actors, at least Tom, was way above the silliness, and you can tell he wasn't enjoying this movie as much as his more serious roles. He is too good of an Actor for this movie and his talent is wasted. Chris comes off as this creepy- older- smooth- operator and that just doesn't go away, a normal woman would have picked that up in a heartbeat. I didn't pause or fast forward, which is a plus, but I really wouldn't recommend the movie if you are truly wanting a feel-good Rom-Com. I agree that Reese wasn't her best, or if she is, she's NOT my kind of actor. Again, I have to go with it being just too silly. It would have made a better movie if one of the guys had had to choose, and not the other way around. She wasn't believable, and quite frankly, Tom was too good for this movie.

Okay, critics, what the hell? I saw this movie at 7:30 at Movieland: A Bow Tie Cinema in Richmond, VA. Great theater, props! Anyways. The theater was packed. It was the biggest screen, too, but it was the only showing. If the audience reaction was anything to go on, this movie was hilarious. I certainly thought so. But not only that—it was a good movie!

Summary aside, this movie actually turned out to be one of my favorite romantic comedies and buddy comedies all in one. It was very fast-paced. It had the element of government agents, but also government agents that abuse their job's resources. There are 'bad guys' but it doesn't dominate the movie. The scenes with the bad guys start off with the preconception that they would be long and intense, but were actually only 60 seconds long and just a short break between the comedy and action. The funny parts—yes, they were funny. I was cracking up the entire time, and I don't do that often. Visually it looked amazing; watching on Blu-Ray will be spectacular. I, for one, will buy this on Blu-Ray. My roommate will thank me.

Yes, young people like myself will enjoy this movie, but it's also targeted for late twenties-late thirties people thinking about love and marriage. I saw a lot of older couples at the theaters and they were enjoying it just as much—they were laughing loudest, in fact! I'd give this movie a 9/10. Pure enjoyment.

So my issue: WTF Critics? You give this movie zero credit. Is it because of the actors? They're all great actors. Plot? Actually pretty good—somewhat predictable in hindsight but I'd still watch the movie again. Director? Supernatural and Nikita both have a fanbase, and aren't that bad with action or drama. If they actually watched the movies they wouldn't have rated it that low; I think they were going off plot summary. Back off, critics! When more people see this movie the ratings will go up! Rotten tomatoes said audience enjoyed it 71% so far, but opening day isn't even over yet. Critics give it 33%? Come on. (From tvcinema.tumblr.com (my blog) )

This Means War (2012)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Best friends and CIA agents FDR (Chris Pine) and Tuck (Tom Hardy) finally hit the dating scene and both end up falling in love with the same girl (Reese Witherspoon). The girl, Lauren, is also just hitting the dating scene and is getting advice from her best friend (Chelsea Handler) who suggests she date two men and then decide which one is the best. Not knowing that her two men know one another, she sets out to see who is the best and the men decide to do war on each other. THIS MEANS WAR is a very, very, very stupid movie. Now, you might say that all romantic comedies need to be somewhat stupid and I think that's true but this film is so insulting to the three stars and their characters that I really wanted to jump through the screen and just scream at them. The three are constantly doing very stupid things that are just so over-the-top and out there that they're not charming but instead they're creepy. The fact that the two men, in the CIA. are using millions of dollars and high tech equipment to spy on each other is just a little weird. Even weirder is a scene where one of the men ends up having sex with the girl and since both have bugged her apartment with cameras their co-workers are back at the office watching them. You really have to wonder what these "agents" are supposed to be doing. Oh yeah, there's a subplot about them going after a bad guy but this entire thing is so unbelievable that you really can't take any of it serious. What's even worse is that all three of the characters, considering their professions, would have to be intelligent people yet they never do anything smart. They do nothing but something an uneducated moron would do and yet we're supposed to believe their characters. The Handler character is just there delivering very bad one-liners and the advice also seems so silly that you wonder why someone like Witherspoon would even bother with this person. I've been a fan of Witherspoon's since around 1991 and I must say that it's getting sad to see her in film's like this. Someone so talented delivering pictures like this and HOW DO YOU KNOW is just sad to see. Yes, she's "good" her but does it really matter when such talent is being wasted? Both Pine and Hardy are good in their bits but they too should be insulted by this screenplay (and happy with the paycheck I'm sure). This was my first time seeing Handler and I can't say I was impressed. THIS MEANS WAR is just a really stupid movie with stupid characters doing stupid things. Am I taking a comedy to serious? I don't think so especially when no one involved bothered to make it good.

I expected more of a spy action comedy but really it's a romantic comedy disguised as that...

I mean it's not as cheesy as a lot of romcoms but a romcom none the less...

The acting is alright, never was a big Chris Pine fan but I guess he does what's required of him which is being a "pretty boy" who always gets the girl...

Tom Hardy is slightly better his character is more likable I suppose, he's sort of the underdog of the two...

Reese Witherspoon is pretty charming throughout the movie and her friend (played by Chelsea Handler) provides some fun moments with her straight forward in your face personality...

There's a little action in the beginning and a action scene to end it all, in between though not so much, although the 2 men do get physical with one each other at some points it's not enough to suffice a action- buff who simply's in it for the action...

It's alright fluffy entertainment

After seeing the previews, I had already been convinced that I wanted to see This Means War - romantic comedy spy movie - right up my alley. My hubby wasn't similarly convinced.

After getting tickets to an advance screening, we both went - and ended up pleasantly surprised. This Means War was funny, really funny - Chelsea Handler was the hidden gem of the movie.

The movie never took itself too seriously, which was refreshing - it had a few heartfelt moments, but nothing too sappy. It stayed on the side of comedy over romance, and wasn't overly predictable.

There's certainly enough action to keep the guys interested, with enough story to keep us gals entertained. And plenty of laughs for everyone.

This Means War is the oldest tale: two men fight for the attention of a beautiful woman. However, this time, the two men in question happen to be the new Captain Kirk and the new Bane from Batman and they're vying for the affections of that chick from Legally Blonde. Unfortunately, neither man use phasers, photon torpedoes or terrorist plots to sack an entire city, but they do make for an interesting pair of combatants - namely because they're both best friends who happen to work for the CIA (incidentally, everyone in the CIA looks like a supermodel - you probably didn't know that).

This means that there are gadgets and underhand techniques aplenty in their mission to generally do each other down and stab each other in the back.

This all takes place in a strange world filled with primary colours where everything looks like the inside of a Barbie doll's house (plus in this world a girl who looks like Reece Witherspoon can't actually get a date). There are some brief battles and even a minor car chase to keep the action junkies in their zone, but, primarily, this is a love (triangle) story and, if I'm honest, it's not a bad one.

This Means War is stupid, predictable, dumb, but strangely quite endearing and I found myself even laughing out loud in some places.

I think the film could be described as a 'date movie' as it's a good one to watch with a lady. And, if I ever stop sitting on the sofa watching DVDs and take a girl out, I may just show her this film.

And, just as a side note, why do both leading men look like they're wearing lipstick? Is it just me who thought that?

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If you wanted to make a movie that was successful at the box office, you could plug the story lines of the top 25 movies for the last 10 years into a computer and have it generate a plot. It would probably come up with a new genre called the 'romantic action comedy'. It would probably come up with, 'This Means War'. I spent most of the movie trying to figure out who it was targeted for. First, no adult with a few functioning neurons will find the plot compelling. I doubt if women would find the romance unforgettable. I, therefore, concluded that the movie was targeted towards 15 year old boys out on their first dates. Yes, there are the obligatory action scenes with the required number of explosions and car chases, but this is mainly to wake up the 13-year-olds who fell asleep during the 'romantic' scenes. The comedy, and I am stretching the dictionary definition of that word here, comes mainly from the sexual remarks of Chelsea Handler and are directed at the same sleepy 13-year-olds.

It's too bad. I like Reese Witherspoon and, prior to this movie, I had concluded that she was never in a bad movie. Isn't she being offered any better roles than this? It is one of the few movies where you feel sorry for the guy who gets the girl. Actually, by that point in the movie, you really don't care. Yet, the sad truth, the very sad truth is that the movie will probably be a box office hit, a fact that will generate more movies in this genre and keep computer programmers employed for years to come.

Cartoony romp has a slick surface but not much underneath. What it does have are three charming actors who work hard to buoy it with their personality and charisma. Tom Hardy and Chris Pine work well together, actually their chemistry with each other is much stronger than either share with their female co-star. Reese is ditsy and sweet but whoever was in charge of her hair should be ashamed, it looks distractingly like straw. The director's roots in music videos are painfully obvious and he does nothing to smooth out the many kinks in the borderline creepy plot. Wasted in nothing parts are Til Schweiger a good actor stuck in a standard villain part that must have been larger in the original script and Angela Bassett, a great actress in a stick figure part that is so far beneath her abilities it's a crying shame. Rosemary Harris is thankfully on hand briefly to brighten a few scenes. Silly and painless you'll forget it as soon as it's over. All involved have made better films and will again.

This Means WAR - CATCH IT (B+) This Means War was better than I had expected. McG's movies are always full of wild action and humor and even this time he doesn't disappointed with slightly fresh cast.

Reese Witherspoon has done tons of comedies so far but this is the first time she showed her sexy side, which we have never seen in previous movies.

The best part of the movie was indeed the bromance between Tom Hardy & Chris Pine, both of them have done a great job in providing great amount of fun & action. the fresh casting with Reese Witherspoon made this movie really enjoyable. So, the trio was awesome but its Chelsea handler's funny one liner which made the whole cinema chuckles. she was tremendous with her jokes as always.

Overall, a complete throttle ride with no dull moment and full on F.U.N.

Two secret agents who are best friends fall for the same woman.

Read some bad reviews so I wasn't expecting much but it's actually quite funny and a pleasant diversion. There are not too many laugh out loud moments - there could have been more but it's generally cute and amusing throughout. The way they go after Reese is quite amusing and fun to watch the story unfold.

There isn't a whole lot of chemistry between Reese and the leads but it doesn't matter the whole thing is quite farcical not some drama romance comedy combination. Reese is good for this kind of light hearted role - it's her forte. I don't like her in her heavier roles. She looks quite cute still though not beautiful. The male leads are adequate but not ideal. Tom Hardy isn't good looking enough or charming enough. Chris Pine looks like a caricature of himself - has something happened to him? Chelsea Handler as a wisecracking good friend of Reese is okay but not as funny as I'd expect her to be.

There were some scathing reviews that should be discounted. For what it is it's quite pleasant and fun. Just don't expect that much and you'll be okay.

I saw trailers for this in the cinema and considered going to see it. Thankfully I didn't waste £8 paying for a ticket. The premise for this seemed great- OK reminiscent of True Lies- but there seemed to be potential for comedy and drama. Potential that is sadly never realised. Tom Hardy and Chris Pine are both charming leads (Pine needs to stop doing that chewing with his mouth open thing)Reese Witherspoon is possibly a little old for this kind of role- or at least this kind of role with Hardy and Pine- but she plays the role well enough. The problem is that there is no plot to speak of, very little action and precious few laughs. The film is beautifully lit but the editing is horrible. It reminds the viewer of Quantum of Solace with its action sequences that could be memorable except the viewer can't see what is happening. It doesn't look a cheap film and the cast and premise could have made for something memorable but how could the end result be so unsatisfying. Vapid, bland, predictable and empty its like overdosing on cake icing because there is no cake underneath. All the way through I couldn't help wonder how so much could have gone wrong until as the end credits rolled I saw it was directed by McG . Nothing more to be said.

You may have seen trailers for this terrible-looking romantic comedy about two CIA agents who fight over the same girl. My friend and I attended an advance screening with the expectation that I would hate the movie.

We loved it.

The movie was a delight from start to finish. It was gorgeous, for one thing, and I am not just talking about the actors, although they're gorgeous, too. The cinematography is splendid.

Furthermore, the characters were actually multi-dimensional, including Lauren Scott (Reese Witherspoon), the woman in question. Far from being a trophy, she was smart, competent, and talented, and she had her own issues to work out and her own lessons to learn about love. Although the movie was undeniably more about the men than it was about her, I didn't feel like she was just there to motivate them, which is always a danger in this type of romantic comedy.

The theme of the movie was communicated through her as well as through the men—which brings me to my next point: the movie actually had themes and character development. I typically expect only to be entertained by a comedy, not to be impressed in any intellectual way, but in addition to being nonstop hilarious and occasionally moving, this one was all over proper writing technique.

My friend and I ended up being completely in love with it, and we cannot wait for the official release so that we can share it with all of our other friends and see it again ourselves.

This Means War frustrates me. It has three excellent leads who all give great performances and pretty solid action and stunts, but the story failed this movie altogether. This Means War establishes Hardy and Pine as two inseparable friends that are even closer than family but spend the rest of the film easily dividing and pitting them against each other over a girl they just met. It makes Witherspoon's character feel like she is really hurting these guys' lives, but it's all played as not that big of a deal. And when she ultimately chooses one of them over the other, the guys forgive each other like nothing happened and then jump to characters talking about marriage. I'm old-fashioned regarding loyalty and romance, so this movie irritated my pet peeve. It's not as bad as my rating might imply, but I'm irked.

Saw an advance showing for Valentine's Day. This had everyone laughing with enthusiasm all throughout! I don't normally enjoy Rom/Com/Action flicks because they usually use too many corny cliché's poorly. This uses them, but they pulled it off!! You know what's gonna happen next, but it's done with such hilarity that you just don't mind at all! It's freaking hilarious! Mix True Lies with any movie that pits 2 friends against each other vying for one gal and you got this movie.

Acting is believable and relaxed. No one is drop dead gorgeous or playing on looks alone, but they certainly are easy on the eyes and lots of body language consistent with the mood and action. Lots of great interactions.

If you want your date to laugh but still be in the mood for romance, this is the movie to take them to! Well done to the last scene!