Johnny English Reborn (2011)

User Review

• 

  Barneyonmovies

  7 / 10

  WHAT I LIKED: Few were crying out for a sequel to the the rather lackluster and unfunny 'Johnny English,' but as far as I'm concerned this premise still had potential, and frankly the second ends up doing a far better job with it - though not necessarily in the way you'd expect. Yes rather than being a true parody or a great comedy, this sequel mainly light-heartedly hits home within the boundaries of the genre it's supposedly spoofing, as unlike in its predecessor you genuinely find yourself caring for English and the mission he finds himself on. This is largely because more time and care is taken to develop humility and sympathy for his character, but also because the execution of the mission itself is much more engaging with a snappier direction and generally improved production value which is added to hugely by a cracking Bond-level soundtrack. As a result, it's all less of a silly spoof and more of an engaging action movie, and when you couple that with some great moments of slapstick humour where Rowan Atkinson is given far more chances to show off his unique comedic ability, what you get is a much more successful family film that you could do a lot worse than to while away a couple of hours.
  WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: It's still not as funny as it could have been, and losing the last few minutes certainly wouldn't have hurt it...
  VERDICT: 'Johnny English Reborn,' is a far superior sequel that finally gets you to care about the movie's mission and Rowan Atkinson's central character, and that makes it all a far more engaging and enjoyable experience overall.

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