Johnny English Reborn
Review by David Woodward
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Johnny English Reborn
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Someone needs to tell Rowan Atkinson that playing James Bond-type
music over (sometimes humorous) action sequences is no longer enough to
fool audiences that they are watching a good comedy!
Johnny
English Reborn is a self-penned attempt by Rowan Atkinson to resurrect
his movie character of Johnny English, a former British Intelligence
Service agent (effectively Mr Bean in a tuxedo) called back from
disgrace to thwart a plot to kill a Chinese politician.
Eight
years is a long time between an original film and its
sequel. Unfortunately, during the intervening years since 2003,
there have only
been two new "classic" James Bond films (Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace) and so there is little left that is new to parody that hasn't already been covered by Austin Powers or MacGruber.
Apparently,
Pierce Brosnan was originally rumoured to have had a support role in
Johnny English Reborn and you can only wonder what sort of send-up
Brosnan would have given his Bond role if he had appeared.
The
gap in years between the two Johnny English films has not done a lot
for Atkinson. Although the same could have been said about Harrison
Ford in the last Indiana Jones sequel, Atkinson is really starting to
show his age (56 years).
His only film appearance of note since 2003 was in another sequel, this time as Mr Bean in Mr Bean's Holiday, and so it could be argued that he is starting to rest on his laurels.
Unfortunately, there are not a lot of new directions he can go, unless he wants to re-boot the Blackadder franchise!
Johnny
English Reborn is very much a "formula" movie (although the same had
been said of its predecessor) containing all the key elements that
Atkinson has used so well over the years.
Some of these elements work, particularly his visual comedy, but most do not.
The
sequence when Johnny English receives his weaponry from a "Q-type" was
funny, and effective use is made of well-known locations in London and
the Alps.
Bondian sequences such as ski-ing down the slopes and
several fight sequences were well done and raised a laugh, but
Atkinson's attempts at romance fell a little flat.
It is worth
noting that Atkinson's love interest in Johnny English Reborn is played
by Rosamund Pike (herself a former Bond Girl from Die Another Day) who
makes a big impression. Gillian Anderson plays the "M-type" head of
British Intelligence but she is no Judi Dench!
Despite all this,
the film did get a good reaction from the audience as a whole and
probably will go on to do some reasonable business at the school
holiday box office. 3 out
of 5
Johnny English Reborn
Australian release: 22nd September,
2011
Official
Site: Johnny English Reborn
Cast: Rowan Atkinson, Gillian Anderson, Dominic West, Rosamund Pike, Daniel Kaluuya.
Director: Oliver Parker
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