Lots to laugh about

AMERICAN comedies are great fun and I love them dearly but there’s something astoundingly amusing about British humour that simply cannot be bettered or replicated.

Now I know you’re thinking that because I’m British I’m going to be biased here … and you’re right, I am – but that doesn’t detract from the truth of the matter. 

In my opinion, British comedy is more visceral and intricate than any other kind of comedy and that’s precisely why this spoof movie manages to stay fresh despite some stale gags.

There have been several fantastic spy parodies in recent years … Austin Powers, Pink Panther and the Naked Gun saga but none of them hold a candle to Johnny English. Why? Because none of those movies star Rowan Atkinson.

Famed around the world for his iconic character – Mr Bean – Atkinson has broken cultural and language barriers and united the planet in laughter. If that’s not enough reason to love him …what is? 

This movie is the sequel to the moderately successful 2003 comedy named after the titular character. Atkinson reprises his role as the bumbling British spy Johnny English and sets off on his latest adventure to save the world.

This instalment sees Johnny far away from his native Blighty, in Tibet to be exact, training with the Buddhist monks as penance for an earlier mission that ‘went wrong’ resulting in him being fired.

When he’s approached by spy chief Pamela Thornton ( Gillian Anderson) to take up a top secret mission it comes as a welcome relief for him since he’s been spending his days dragging boulders uphill.

Eager for the opportunity to get back in the game, and his trademark Tux, he accepts the mission to track down an international group of assassins who are plotting to kill the Chinese prime minister.

English gets in contact with fellow British spy Simon Ambrose (West) and CIA counterpart Titus Fisher to help with the mission. Since no Bond spoof would be complete without a bit of eye candy, enter special agent Kate Summer (played by Pike – who ironically played a Bond girl in 2002’s Die Another Day).

In a scene reminiscent of every James Bond movie ever made, English is given a load of new toys because, let’s face it, what good is a secret agent without some cool gadgets at his disposal?

There are gags galore in his incompetent search to track down the bad guys and one scene involving an office chair had me in stitches.

This film has something for everyone and the action sequences are surprisingly well shot and entertaining.
 
Maybe it’s because I am a huge Mr Bean fan or maybe it’s because I loved Black Adder, whatever the reason, in my opinion, Rowan Atkinson is infallible. The film could have consisted of him staring at the camera and blinking for two hours and it still would have been genius!

Atkinson has the ability to induce paralytic fits of laughter with nothing more than a raise of an eyebrow. His humour is very physical and most of the better gags in the film are achieved through his exaggerated expressions and reactions.

He handles the role with the same endearing ineptitude his most famous character is known for. In fact, Johnny English is essentially Mr Bean with a gun and slightly more dialogue … what’s not to like about that?
There are times when the straight-faced supporting cast look as though they’re about to burst trying not to laugh along with the audience. Anderson, in particular, looked like she was fighting back the giggles several times.

Pike, however, was great in her role and managed to set up some of the funnier gags with Atkinson. The ‘beauty and the geek’ scenario worked wonders for the pair who share an obvious chemistry.

This film is funny, thrilling and family-friendly – for me that ticks all the right boxes for a great movie. Unless you have had your funny bone removed, it’s impossible not to love it.

Showing in Cineco, Seef II and Saar Cineplex