BOTTOM LINE: The action is well crafted and exciting to watch, but “From Paris With Love” is a miss thanks to a silly first half that is made up somewhat by a far more solid second half.

THE GOOD: Director Pierre Morel proved his action chops more than adequately in his hit film “Taken”, and in many respects, he delivers yet again with some fast and frenetic action in this action tale of two government agents taking out a group of terrorists one at a time before they can commit their diabolical plot. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays James Reece, a would-be agent who is trying to work his way up to more substantial work. He gets his wish when he has to pick up Charlie Wax (John Travolta), a seemingly loose cannon who proves to be unstoppable whenever terrorists appear on the scene. Travolta is clearly having fun with his character, with Wax having numerous funny lines while simultaneously engaging in some sensational action sequences while Meyers for the most part can only look on in amazement. The second half of the film brings some much needed tension to the piece, as the enemy turns out to be too close to home for Reece, but he finds it within him to do what needs to be done. “From Paris With Love” is a solid action film, that really delivers in the second half.

THE BAD: Whether intentionally or not, the film seems quite deliberately set up to start in one genre and end in another. The first half of the film is where the proceedings suffer the most. Travolta over-acts his way through most of it, and the film seems more like a spoof buddy comedy rather than something to take seriously. That would be okay if it kept going that way , but when the film changes mid-way through and becomes about stopping suicide bombers, the film becomes much darker and more serious which does not gel with how the film started. For my take, I thought they should have stuck with the more serious option as the second half of the film does grab and hold you quite well; it’s a shame that the first half was so silly.