Movie Review: Johnny English: Reborn

It's been a while since an entry. It's an even longer while since a review. But somehow I feel obligated to write a review for this movie, since our country had the privilege to see the movie well over a month before the US audience.

Heck, we get to see it 3 weeks before it's even released on its home turf!
(P/s: Malaysian release date of the movie is 15th Sep 2011, just like Singapore)

Here be the review of Johnny English: Reborn.

Look at that funny face that leave people in stitches. In this movie; literally.

Before I begin, let me start with a bit of history. This movie is a sequel to the original Johnny English that is about a clumsy and hopeless secret agent of the British Intelligence named MI7. The original movie was released way back in 2003. The movie was very mediocre and received an average score of 5.8 on IMDb.

The main draw of the movie then and even now is the Rowan Atkinson, or better known throughout the world as the incompetent Mr. Bean. In the real world he's a highly educated professor who has a great understanding of people. He is also a motorhead to certain extent, which explains the presence of a sweet Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe with a V16. The only kind in the world. On related news, he was also involved in a motor accident recently with a freaking McLaren F1. Oh it's just a small little car that only is one of the most exotic car...... in the world (read in Jeremy Clarkson's style).

This is very hard to watch... At least he survives. So he can buy another one.

On to the actual movie review. After his failure of maintaining the security of the Prime Minister of Mozambique that was assassinated earlier when it was under his eyes, his knighthood was revoked together with his status as a secret agent. After a rehabilitation with the Chinese monk in the Himalayas, he was reassigned as a secret agent for another critical job. The second movie follows the (mis)adventure of secret agent Johnny English through his mission to foil the plan to assassinate the Prime Minister of China.

I thought they were supposed to be bald

The usual incompetency of the character is present and it's back in full force. He is now paired with an assistant named Agent Tucker played by Daniel Kaluuya. Personally I think he played his part brilliantly and is a very suitable pair to be with Johnny English. Through further investigation, English found out that the plot of the murder was backed by a criminal organization called Vortex.

o_o

The rest of the movie is riddled with the usual elements of an action flick. You have the on-foot chase scene, vehicle chase scene, dramatic fight scene, so on and so forth. Of course sprinkled with comedy throughout of the speech and slapstick variation.


Now, the first way to look at the movie is to compare it to the first movie, naturally. Personally, I think it is a huge step up from it. The movie seemed to be far better directed with significant increase in production quality as compared to the 2003 prequel. The plot, although still not very believable, is stronger and more acceptable against the predecessor. The action scenes are better, the dialogues are better, the cinematography is better; an overall improvement.

Check out my kicks! Literally and figuratively!

That being said, the first movie didn't set a high bar itself. It's the kind of movie that does not take itself seriously. What can we expect anyway? Although imperfect, it has a good amount of both action and comedy for you to keep on watching until the end of the movie.

There was a running gag of a killer cleaning lady that was funny the first couple of times but gets tiring and too unrealistic that pulls me back from the movie a bit. It might be entertaining for the little kids though.

I think the movie is being safe. It does not take any risk from any angle and provides the audience with more of the same Johnny English. Not an entirely bad thing to begin with. It's a good movie to watch and have a laugh or two but it's forgettable and doesn't have much to it. Except if you're a motorhead then the V16 Phantom Coupe is sure going to make you wipe your mouth afterwards. I take it for what it is, but it is NOT a perfect god-send movie that some people might take it as.

Well, not much to be said for a movie that does not bring much new to the plate to begin with. By no means however, that it is a bad movie.

Good laugh. Especially with good friends. Go see it. I give it a 7/10.

Image source: IMDb.com