Chapter 355: Kill You Then Love You Again

On Christmas morning, a shaft of sunlight fell through the window onto the hotel's bar, where a man sat with a drink in one hand and a book in the other. Under the watchful eyes of military police, a woman entered from outside the hotel, choosing the man, and he chose her.

The coolest couple had come together.

When the dashing John Smith met Jane on a crisp Christmas morning, love immediately dominated the atmosphere, embracing all discomfort and inconsistencies.

The attractive couple caught everyone's attention.

In the West Hollywood cinema, the audience was captivated by the stunning couple on the screen.

Daenerys suddenly spoke to Brian in a low voice, "I like this opening."

"It speaks well, but I wonder how well it dances..."

In a small roadside bar in Bogota, fueled slightly by alcohol, Theron got up, casually tossed her tequila into a burning oil drum, igniting a fierce flame as she began to dance provocatively...

Seeing Matthew embrace her, his hand unintentionally sliding across her chest, Daenerys sighed—these two must truly be in love, or everyone must be blind!

She liked the movie from the start, especially the couple's session with a marriage counselor, where one said they'd been acquainted for a year and a half and the other subtly corrected it to "2 years"—of course, typically, one would turn and quizzically ask, "Dear?" without fail.

She loved their first encounter, and how after a night of passion, Theron woke up to find herself alone, only for Matthew to arrive just in time with breakfast...

"Hi, Stranger!" Theron said, a greeting Matthew undoubtedly deserved.

Brian turned and whispered back, "I like it too."

He loved the rugged Matthew and the delicate yet daring Theron. From just the opening, he felt the movie was tailor-made for him.

Thus, John and Jane became Mr. and Mrs. Smith, two formidable assassins who, after two years of marriage, were unaware of each other's secrets.

Until one day, they coincidentally undertook the same mission, and their employers ordered them to kill each other.

Sitting comfortably, observing a loving couple secretly tasked with killing each other, was chilling indeed.

Watching Mr. and Mrs. Smith outwit and attempt to outdo each other on screen, James McAvoy felt the film resembled James Cameron's "True Lies" in some aspects—the middle-aged housewife dreaming of a thrilling hero life, only to find her husband is a Rambo-like super spy. The excitement and admiration such a revelation brings could rejuvenate a woman.

"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" offered a different tale where, despite sharing a bed, each spouse led a separate life of killing, with the ultimate target being their spouse.

The film didn't delve into ethics or morality but displayed this simple, conflicting life vividly, filled with explosive scenes.

"As for playing cool, Matthew's been doing it for years," Michael Fassbender commented softly, "His acting has improved, making his character very charismatic."

The Matthew he knew was always a wild bull, practically a male symbol in Hollywood!

Fassbender sighed as he watched Matthew and Theron fight on screen, "It's a pity the movie's a bit too popcorn."

"Is being a popcorn flick such a bad thing?" James McAvoy seemed to disagree, "What should we look for in movies, then?"

Before Fassbender could reply, McAvoy answered, "Aside from those whose job is to watch and critique movies or who are involved in other artistic forms, most people are tired after a day's work and don't want to ponder further. The best entertainment for them involves no thinking—just handsome men, beautiful women, action, explosions..."

Fassbender shrugged, "This movie is worth watching for the scenes between Matthew and Theron, but the rest is quite average."

Meanwhile, in a Manhattan cinema, Rex Reed was thoroughly enjoying the film, which was far from artistic but undeniably fun.

The movie was enveloped in a light, romantic atmosphere, though interspersed with fierce fight scenes, perfectly illustrating the saying, "Can't kill you, love you again."

Interestingly, the film also portrayed the couple arguing over trivial matters, adding a humorous touch.

The climax featured the couple demolishing their home in a fight, escalating "domestic violence" to a new level.

Even seasoned marriage counselors would flee from such a scene.

The only issue was the implausibility of two top assassins living together for two years without discovering each other's identities. Where was their alertness?

Yet Rex thought it normal, as love is often blind, which might explain it.

Moreover, he couldn't ignore the allure of the leads. Matthew Horner's every move radiated the charm of a sexy man, likely captivating his female fans.

Theron was incredibly seductive, using her power to both attack and conquer; her beauty was

 not just stunning but intimidating.

Summit Entertainment clearly saw the immense box office potential behind pairing Matthew Horner and Theron. Together, they could generate millions.

As a critic known for his unconventional reviews, Rex had studied the interplay between movies and the market, particularly Hollywood's promotional tactics. The pairing of Horner and Theron was a classic Hollywood move.

What value would this bring to the film? It was uncertain for now.

But for the gossip rags, the recent surge in sales was undoubtedly helped by Matthew Horner and Theron.

"The coolest man and woman indeed belong together!" Rex mused, "Cinema is twenty-four frames of lies per second, and Hollywood and Washington are surely America's biggest manufacturers of falsehoods."

The brilliance of the film was how it incorporated eagerly awaited behind-the-scenes footage into a semblance of "real" romance.

Rex looked around at the more than half-full cinema; many were likely drawn by the film's blend of reality and fiction.

"Hollywood's sly tricksters," he thought, recalling how they had mocked him for kissing a donkey's rear—yet they were far less dignified.

In West Hollywood, Matthew and Theron continued their explosive household brawl on screen.

Brian watched, entranced. The couple's domestic battle was thrilling, with bullets and blades making a far more spectacular show than any marital spat. The slow-motion scenes were both metaphorically rich and romantically charged.

Ultimately, the fierce gunfight between Matthew and Theron turned into equally intense action...

"I can't take it anymore! I love this movie too much! The sexiest man and woman on earth, COOL!"

Brian felt the urge to facepalm, though the shout made sense. Matthew and Theron had delivered an exceptional depiction of domestic warfare. Where ordinary couples might stop at smashing dishes or exchanging blows, Hollywood's coolest man and woman escalated to shotguns, assault rifles, and hand-to-hand combat, turning their home into a battlefield and sustaining injuries in the process.

As they finally faced each other with guns drawn, Theron, overwhelmed by emotion, urged Matthew to shoot.

Matthew, unable to bring himself to harm his wife, put down his gun, declaring, "I can't do it."

A thought struck Brian—would a real-life argument between Matthew and Theron unfold like this?

Thus, after a fierce struggle, the couple reconciled and united against their respective organizations.

The grand finale took place in a home improvement center, summarizing the film's themes of love and family.

As a critic known for his independence, Rex Reed quickly jotted down his thoughts while the impressions were fresh.

"This is a nearly perfect popcorn movie. Forget art—handsome men, beautiful women, passion, action, love, and gunfire. Everything here is designed to stimulate adrenaline. With hot Hollywood stars and a director known for 'The Bourne Identity,' plus the on- and off-screen romance between Matthew Horner and Theron, there's no reason not to enjoy this film. Big stars, big production, and the story's simplicity makes it all the more appealing."

With that, he concluded, "Such a cast and production, the story actually benefits from its simplicity."

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