This Means War
2012 · Directed by McG
Original language: English
- action
- comedy
- romance
The story
Two top CIA operatives wage an epic battle against one another after they discover they are dating the same woman.
What it’s like
Bright, glossy digital photography with saturated California sunshine, sleek suburban interiors, and polished Los Angeles locations that look like a travel brochure, all shot in fast, bouncy coverage with lots of whip pans, zooms, and tidy two-shots that keep the spy gadgetry and the dating scenes in the same breezy rhythm. The score is a bustling pop-and-rock soundtrack layered over slapstick cues, with action beats built on explosions, car chases, and a rooftop-style brawl that never quite lands as dangerous. The vibe is cheerful, slightly frenetic, and overlit, the kind of easy weekend comedy you can half-watch while folding laundry or unwinding after a long week. Pacing is quick and sitcom-tight, with the emotional arc centered on two friends who slowly realize their rivalry is really about wanting to be chosen, and a woman who has to figure out what she wants from both of them. Violence is frequent but cartoonish: gunfire, fistfights, and a few big explosions, with no gore and little real menace. Sexual content is mild and mostly flirtatious, and the romance stays PG-13 and playful. It suits viewers who want a bright, undemanding romantic comedy with a dash of action and no real darkness.
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