It’s not as fully invested in the story or the camp as its immediate ancestor, and that troubles Red 2. As action-packed sequels go, it’s got almost enough. There are some nice bits of comedy, too. But none of this feels as fresh as it did the first time, and star Bruce Willis reverts to that brittle-boned guy who just sleepwalks through the paycheck movies. And really, if the star can’t muster up the goods, why should you muster up the cash? Mary-Louise Parker is probably better here than the first time around, and the original Red would have been better with more Helen Mirren, so the sequel has that in its favor. But the story is hokey, the film introduces a lot of unnecessary new characters, Willis is a total bore, and Red 2 just doesn’t fire off any guilty pleasure pheromones.