The bumbling secret agent, Mr.Bean….er…I mean Johnny English is back again, this time taking on the challenges of modern technology.
Johnny English: Strikes Again sees Rowan Atkinson return to his foolhardy ways as M17’s not so top spy who somehow manages to save the day. This comes after seven long years since the second film in the franchise, Johnny English: Reborn.
The film is exactly what one would expect watching a Rowan Atkinson film. From start to finish, the entire film is filled with ridiculous antics and hilarity resulting in laugh out loud laughter. Though most of the humour in the film tickled my funny bone, there were some parts in the film that were just cringe-worthy. Rowan Atkinson attempting to be suave and sexy may be funny but only to a certain degree. Let’s just say that he’s not a well aged James Bond.
This third iteration begins when a cyber-attack reveals the identity of all active undercover agents in Britain, which forces English to come out of retirement to find the mastermind hacker. Of course, being a spy from a different age, English is unaccustomed to today’s digital world, going about his investigations without a single bit of technological help. This ‘old school’ spy antics made for a few laughs and was quite interesting to watch, making me realise just how much we realise on technology today.
The plot was predictable, given the nature of the film, which was not necessarily a bad thing. Watching English fumble about was entertaining but no more so than the previous two Johnny English films.
The action was so-so, with more reckless misadventures than anything else, and the spy antics were, well, watchable. Character-wise, each character played an important role in the film, with the legendary Emma Thompson playing the role of highly strung British Prime Minister perfectly. Unlike most other films, character development was not really necessary in this film.
There isn’t really much more to say about Johnny English: Strikes Again apart from the fact that it’s a decent film to kick back and watch when you’re looking for something simple, fun, and mindless to enjoy. If you’re looking to have a few laughs and enjoy Rowan Atkinson’s antics, then give this film a go.