Johnny English
Spy Another Day: Mr. Bean's Rowan Atkinson stars as Johnny English, another clueless spy, with only slightly more mojo than Austin Powers.
Rowan Atkinson, the British actor best known for
starring as Mr. Bean, must have never received the memo informing him
that the spy spoof genre has already been filled. In fact, it's
overflowing. Regardless, we get Johnny English-- a recycled,
over-done formula that offers nothing we haven't seen already, and plenty
we would rather not see at all.
The entire British Secret Service is killed off, leaving Johnny English
(Atkinson) as the only agent left to keep watch at the unveiling of the
newly restored Crown Jewels. Needless to say they are stolen, and he is
assigned to get them back. John Malkovich plays the thief, Pascal Sauvage,
a Frenchman who has his sights set not just on the jewels, but the English
throne. Covering the Bond girl/love interest portion of the formula is
double agent Lorna Campbell, played by Aussie pop singer Natalie
Imbruglia.
Very apt in his "physical comedy," Atkinson succeeds in providing a few
good laughs. Unfortunately, these laughs have nothing to do with the plot
of the movie. I enjoyed watching him dance around the bathroom in his
underwear lip-syncing to ABBA, but isn't that something Mr Bean would do?
Certainly James Bond would never find himself crawling through a sewer
system, emerging covered in poo, but alas Johnny English has no shame.
Malkovich, in an effort perhaps to spoof a French accent, has proven in
the past, he has what it takes to play a good villain. Here, he plays a
one-dimensional stereotype written without much panache or substance.
Still, he does what he can, I suppose, with a role that requires him to
sit around and wait for the dimwit agent to outwit him.
Johnny English is a more subtle, low-key addition to the spy spoof
genre. It has charm in a category of parodies, full of gross-out jokes and
tasteless humor. Atkinson, by no means has
an American hit on his hands, but the Brit's sure do love him. Mike Myers
probably isn't breaking a sweat, but Austin Powers called and he wants his
mojo back.
Written by: Laurie Kisner
Reviewers Rating: 6.5
Reader's Rating: 7.61
Reader's Votes: 13
Added: 25-Jul-2003
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