John Travolta ruins a lovely trip to ‘Paris’

‘From Paris with Love’
Director: Pierre Morel
Cast: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers
Rating: R
Grade: ➊➋➌➍➎

John Travolta is to “From Paris with Love” what Jar Jar Binks is to the “Star Wars” prequels: If only that one annoying character would get shot or vaporized, perhaps the marginally enjoyable flick would be saved. Too bad that in the case of “Paris,” Travolta is more than a lame CGI effect.

His hulking rebel CIA agent, Charlie Wax (is it us or did he quadruple his size since his Tony Manero days?), is a ghost of every leading tough guy. You know — seemingly makes dangerous choices, which always prove to be the most sensible ones in the end. His performance is gratingly overacted, from the time he first appears to the moment he whips out a “Royale with Cheese” in a nauseating nod to the last time he was actually likable on film — 16 years ago in “Pulp Fiction.”

The suave Jonathan Rhys Meyers, with a convincing American accent, makes an odd foil to Travolta when they are sent on a counterterrorism mission in Paris. The story itself is a fast-moving adventure whenever Travolta’s hammy one-liners don’t get in the way. That’s to the credit of director Pierre Morel, who fared much better with 2008’s “Taken,” in which he had the good sense to hire Liam Neeson instead of another Jar Jar.