Johnny English Reborn
Director: Oliver Parker
Starring: Dominic West, Gillian Anderson, Rosamund Pike, Rowan Atkinson
Details: UK / 101 mins (PG)
Atkinson returns as the titular MI7 Agent, Johnny English; going into hiding after a mission is botched (because of his stupidity), he is called back when Queen and country once again require his services. A hackneyed plot involving special keys, defecting Russians and McNulty from The Wire follows - all of it about as funny as a three-legged puppy being hit by a bus.
In the interest of full disclosure, I'd like to point out that I have never seen the first Johnny English film - thankfully common sense wouldn't allow that to happen when I was but a regular punter. That said, I really don't think plot points carried forward from that film are of any relevance here. The main character is a farcical idiot, who gets himself into whacky shenanigans that he inexplicably gets out of in a comical fashion; what am I missing?
Atkinson was hilarious in Blackadder. A great show, his sardonic putdowns of Baldrick still manage to pillage laughs to this day. But he's slumming it here, and the lazy comedy on show is produced under the guise of "family comedy" - if Pixar can do it and make it funny to anyone out of nappies, then so can anyone.
Dominic West and Gillian Anderson pop up and take things seriously for a bit, then go away. Which is what I wanted to do after five minutes. Awful.
Review by Mike Sheridan
Your Comments
PaulieB
The only problem i have so far judging by the trailer are the old gags taken from other movies (Old woman takes a bashing, turns out to be the bosse's mother etc), but it still looks like a howl, really looking foward to it, always loved the first movie, for anyone who hasn't seen it, get it in HMV for €3, it's a riot.
Posted 30/09/2011 14:19:24
Bryce
I think this is a special kind of humour - you either like it or you don't. I like it and will defo see it!
Posted 03/10/2011 16:04:48
Valhalla
I went to see the film and found it to be very funny. Comedy is a very subjective medium and you need to approach it in the right frame of mind.
Posted 08/10/2011 17:05:10
ted29
The 3 people above are clearly heavy pot smokers. Movie is beyond woeful.
Posted 08/10/2011 17:40:20
Andy Millea
Why do entertainment.ie have a one star piece of rubbish under your "Go see" heading? Have you no self respect?
Posted 11/10/2011 23:36:06
CJ
I went tonight to see Johnny English and thoroughly enjoyed it. I cannot understand the bad reviews given here, it's a thoroughly enjoyable, hugely entertaining bit of escape-ism. I love Rowan Atkinson and myself and my three friends who saw it together all loved it. It's light-hearted fun. Loved the gorgeous car and gizmos too.
Posted 15/10/2011 20:26:36
PaulieB
Just got back from it, and it is without a doubt the funniest film i've seen in a long time. Hilarious movie, i love the original, but this is like 100 of the first. Rowan Atkinson is a joy, even looking at him makes me laugh, he's wonderful. So many brilliant scenes, the broken chair had me in hysterics, the voice changing sweets, the brilliant weelchair chase, the petting of the imaginary cat (Nice p**sy, lovely p**sy), the helicopter scene, the bodybag, the fight with the chinese assassin, the beating of Gillian Anderson's mother etc etc etc etc etc... So many hilarious laughs, and that ending, i won't ruin it for anyone, but DAMN that was FUNNY! Also love the story, it's like it was ripped straight from a Bond movie (Actually was taken from the first Naked Gun movie), people under mind control being used as assassins and countless double-crosses. The action too, really fast and exciting, brilliant special effects and some of the best stunts i've seen in yonks. Loved every second of it, just what i love to see at the cinema, as CJ said, it's pure excape-ism, go for the fun and unleash the inner child. Really hope they make a third one, they've really got something special here.
Posted 17/10/2011 15:38:07
3sa:)
Its just one of those films that ya would watch again and again and still find it funny..:) Rowan Atkinson is a brill actor and so funny...:) Loved it:)
Posted 21/10/2011 10:51:35
thereviewer
The funniest movie of the year 5 out of 5 There was a round of aplause at the end roared with laughter throughout the movie best movie ever :) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 22/10/2011 13:34:01
Nicholas
This is great, I have told from a friend that the movie is great, and if I wished to go my friend and his kids would love to see it. I think I will, looking at the kids being entertained will be a bonus. Hopefully the Mike will see it in that context. People engaging with a visual medium, and being moved emotionally. Having a laugh.
Posted 30/10/2011 09:35:51
John Coleman
Never mind Sheridan, critics also hated The Blues Brothers when it was first shown, but everybody else loved it and gained a cult following. I laughed until I cried during this movie and so did my friend. The broken chair gag was the best, he really pulls it off. This movie is the Pink Panther of the 21st century, the bubbling detective/spy, he is a comic genius on a par with Peter Sellers. The best comedy since Borat.
Posted 03/11/2011 19:57:57
MJC
I went with my newly minted wife, who thought it was awful (as in the opposite to awesome). But I absolutely love it. I think it pandered to the grown up boy in me, even though I am well into middle age by now. I laughed out loud so many times, I just loved the simplicity and stupidity of so many of the gags. And predictability!
Posted 05/11/2011 11:10:03
ted29
Im baffled by the poor taste of most of the people who said this movie was top notch, its one thing to say it brought out the kid in me its another to say it will gain a cult following and its 5/5 stars. Obviously if i stood in front of these people and wiggled my little finger they would howl with laughter due to having the attention span of a gnat. Mike Sheridan was bang on with his review as he usually is. Critics dont tailor their reviews for the brain dead and simple folk out there you see.
Posted 15/11/2011 10:42:48
Whitehaven
Oh my oh my...there are simply not enough adjectives to describe the atrociousness of this film. Beyond redemption on every single level it is simply the most inane and cheap kind of comedy out there. Playing to what can only be described as the chronically under-amused there is actually something quite nasty about this whole thing in the way it does not even try to rise above the mediocrity it so delightfully wallows in. Empty a sack of coal...then count the coal...at the end you will have had an inordinately more entertaining time that had you watched this contemptible drivel.
Posted 17/11/2011 14:37:00
Nicholas
It was gen ius... fantastico.. bwen no.. se most excellento,,, As I thought it is perfect for Kids, and people who like to know the sun will come tomorrow, that there is a still gag,,, which gets a laugh.. The cinema was packed,, this is months after its release date,, those in the know, dont know.
Posted 23/01/2012 20:02:26
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Classic RowanAtkinson! Fantastic!! - Charlie
Was so excited when i heard that Johnny English was back on the big screen. I have very high hopes for this movie as i... MORE15/11/2011 15:25:23
