Reviewed by Victor Rebikoff.
Director: Oliver Parker, Universal Pictures, PG 101 Minutes.
In this entertaining British spy action comedy renowned comedian Rowan Atkinson (‘Mr Bean’) reprises his role as the bumbling agent Johnny English in Oliver Parker’s well-directed sequel to the 2003 movie, Johnny English.
In his latest exploit English is seen training with Tibetan monks following a botched mission in an African country when he was suddenly recalled by British intelligence for a special assignment to stop the assassination of the Chinese President.
Apart from displaying his usual dose of British antics with the monks English wastes no time in creating even more madcap mayhem with MI7 head Pamela Thornton aka Pegasus (perfectly played by ‘X-Files’ TV star Gillian Anderson).
Initially English accidentally causes Thornton’s cat to fall from her office window and later attacks her mother at a children’s’ party, believing the woman dressed as a clown to be a hired assassin.
After making amends, and joined by partner Tucker (Daniel Kaluuya – ‘Sicario’), English is determined to stop the assassination by first tracking down the secret assassins’ organisation and then locating the three keys leading to the weapon being used in the plot.
With just a few days left before the heads of state conference English must use all the skills at his disposal to thwart the assassination and contend with the deceiving agent Simon Ambrose (Dominic West – ‘Centurion’), besides revealing the mole within MI7.
Apart from the splendid opening titles sequence similar to the Bond movies and many hilarious scenes, Parker has made his movie slightly intricate by adding a set of keys into the plot.
In making his comical spy movie Parker has cast former Bond girl Rosamund Pike (‘Die Another Day’) as Kate Sumner, the MI7 psychologist who also plays the part of English’s love interest.
Atkinson also excels in his role as the blundering British agent and is supported by the enjoyable performances of Kaluuya (playing his partner Tucker), Pike and Ambrose.
Furthermore many will find ‘Johnny English Reborn’ to be a lot of fun especially if one is a Rowan Atkinson fan.
Johnny English Reborn is to be televised on 9GO on Saturday 27 March at 9.15pm.
Vic’s Verdict: 3 ½ Stars
