Upamanyu Biswas
A 2010 Robert Schwentke directorial, ‘Red’ is an action comedy movie that depicts a former CIA black ops agent, Frank Moses, confronting the fallout from a mission from his past as he becomes the target of an assassination plot by his former employers. While avoiding capture, Frank teams up with his old team, which consists of his old friend, Marvin Boggs, mentor Joe Matheson, and MI6 agent, Vicky Winslow. Amidst a catalog of pursuers chasing them, Frank, Marvin, and Vicky prove to be more than their match as the secret agents showcase their experience and skillset while their captors reconsider their efforts at every junction, wondering what makes the three of them tick!
Frank Moses Has Roots in a Graphic Novel
Frank Moses, the protagonist of ‘Red,’ is a fictional character conceived by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner, whose eponymous 2003 DC Comics graphic novel became the basis for the film’s genesis. There are slight deviations in Frank’s portrayal in the film compared to his comic book counterpart. In Ellis and Hamner’s work, Frank’s real name is Paul Moses, a retired CIA agent who regularly talks with his handler, Sally, with whom he has a personal but platonic relationship. However, according to the film’s narrative, Frank is in touch with a pension officer, Sarah, for whom he harbors romantic feelings while they converse through their telephone calls. These changes were made by Jon and Erich Hoeber, who penned the film’s screenplay.
While discussing the characteristics of Frank, Bruce Willis, who plays the protagonist, said, “He has a lot of issues. He has problems. He never really had a girlfriend because he was afraid that someone would kill his girlfriend, so now it’s the first time in years that he’s going with the girlfriend concept. So that’s interesting. It’s somewhat comedic.“ These elements of levity were introduced in the film’s narrative, which differs in approach to the source material. The ex-CIA agent is a fictional character inspired by his graphic novel, which defines him as an all-action hero with very little to lose. However, while he may have emotions rooted in reality, he does not exist in real life.
Marvin Boggs is Not a Real Agent
The cinematic adaptation of ‘Red‘ differs from its graphic novel source material in more than just one way. A major change is in Frank/Paul Moses’ quest to hunt down those looking to kill him for his previous sins. In the comic, Paul embarks on a lonely mission to fulfill a vendetta against the CIA for sending a hit squad on him. However, the film depicts Frank teaming up with a slew of secret agents like himself who have been targeted by the intelligence agency. Thus, his former friend, Marvin Boggs, who plays a pivotal part in Frank’s overarching mission of survival, is a fictional character created solely for the movie by Jon and Erich Hoeber while drafting the script.
John Malkovich, who plays Marvin, described the character as a bit of a loose cannon and somewhat out-of-sorts, adding to the humorous interactions between him and Frank. He said, “The character as – all four of us, Bruce [Frank] and Helen Mirren [Vicky], Morgan Freeman [Joe] is a retired CIA assassin and mine’s a kind of survivalist type that lives in a swamp and is a little bit wacked and it’s really been fun. He’s a little bit wacked out, but often correct about his peers, and his statements often prove accurate.“ The character does not have any basis from the source material and adds to the ensemble nature of the plot. While his conversations with Frank and the other team members can often be out of kilter with the rest of the world, he is confined to the realms of fiction.
The Fictional Origins of Vicky Winslow
Just like the rest of Frank Moses’ team members in ‘Red,‘ the British assassin, Vicky Winslow, is a fictional addition in the film’s screenplay who does not exist in the source material created by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner. As an adept marksman, Vicky’s skills become invaluable to Frank’s mission as she provides ample cover and firepower when things get rough. The character is a vicious yet loyal soldier who admits that in the past, she chose her country over pursuing a romantic fling with a lover by shooting him in the chest three times. While her exploits may be greatly exaggerated, they add to the comedy and humor between the team members. Despite boasting impressive attributes, like the other fictional elements and characters driving the narrative, she is not real.
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