Pointless return of a bumbling spy
“Johnny English Strikes Again,” but really, we’d rather he not.
Can’t Rowan Atkinson’s bumbling parody of James Bond just leave well enough alone? This limp, lifeless, one-joke action comedy sequel, directed by David Kerr, comes seven years after 2011’s “Johnny English Reborn” and 15 years after the 2003 “Johnny English.” It manages to overstay its welcome, even at a scant 88 minutes, mostly because writer William Davies didn’t bother to include anything other than “Johnny English is bad at spying.”
Perhaps it’s too tall an order for such a piffle of a comedy, but “Johnny English Strikes Again” is at odds with itself when it comes to its messaging.
It cheerfully sends up the misogyny and old-school ways of the Bond franchise: the guns, gadgets and gas-guzzling Aston Martins, but ultimately, it’s British tradition and culture that wins the day, as Johnny lumbers about in a creaky old suit of armor, spearing smartphones with swords in some sort of attempt at paying tribute to the good ol’ days.
Does “Johnny English Strikes Again” want to be a cri de coeur for the bygone culture and way of life or does it want to poke fun at the stuffy, old-fashioned Bond tropes, to let the air out of those antiquated beliefs?
One thing for certain, seeking clarity and insight from this fart joke of a movie is truly a fool’s errand.
“Johnny English Strikes Again.” Rated: PG, for some action violence, rude humor, language and brief nudity. Running time: 1 hour, 28 minutes. Playing: In general release.