Old-timer CIA agents (Retired: Extremely Dangerous division) find themselves on the run from younger colleagues in “Red,” the action-comedy based on a lesser-known DC Comics series.

Bruce Willis leads the group of retirees, which include Morgan Freeman, Brian Cox, and most memorably, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich.

That premise, however, is deceptive, as much of the first half focuses on a budding romance between Willis’ hard-boiled agent and a quirky customer-service rep played by Mary-Louise Parker. Their banter is cute for about 15 minutes, but Willis walks through the entire film likes he’s on Lunesta (It seems like even Bruce is getting tired of his aging action hero persona these days).

Mirren and Malkovich add humor to the second half, and Karl Urban and Richard Dreyfuss aren’t bad as the R.E.D. adversaries. The plot, though, is ho-hum, and Freeman is wasted in a supporting role. In short, “Red” needs an engaging story to go along with its fun premise. And somebody please wake Bruce from his decade-long nap.

Grade: C+