Film Review: Johnny English Strikes Again

"The Country Is In A State Of Complete Chaos And The Universe Sends Me You..."

Winning the award for least anticipated sequel of the year, Johnny English Strikes Again sees the return of Rowan Atkinson's bumbling British secret agent following on from his first appearance on screen in 2003 and its' sequel, Johnny English Reborn in 2011. Directed by Northern Irish big-screen debutante, David Kerr, the third installment of the spy spoof franchise is ninety minutes of pretty much what you would expect from a Johnny English movie, offering PG friendly slapstick comedy within a selection of sketches which are marginally worked around the thinnest of narratives which sees English hooked back into the payroll of MI7 after every single serving secret agent's identity across the globe is revealed by an unknown, tech savvy hacker. Whilst most critics will undeniably head into Strikes Again fully aware of the certainty that the next Citizen Kane won't exactly be waiting for them inside, the real litmus test for Kerr's movie resides in the way in which it manages to work to its' strengths, and whilst Strikes Again fails to offer anything fresh or interesting to the catalogue of spy-spoof comedies, Atkinson's undeniable smirk-inducing talent results in a movie preferably best watched when either drunk or with highly energetic friends. Or even both. 

With a high proportion of the funniest set pieces readily available within the movie's trailer, ranging from a diabolical attempt at utilising cutting edge virtual reality to the complete and utter destruction of a classy, world renowned yacht, Strikes Again does manage to capatalise on Atkinson's hilarious slapstick persona to a somewhat effective degree, and with the film's best gag undeniably an elongated riff on a similar comedic routine seen in Jon S. Baird's 2013 black comedy, Filth, in which English feels the effect of adrenaline enhancing drugs, it's hard to prevent smiles being cracked even when you know the film as whole is absolute tosh. With the enigmatic presence of Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks) chewing the scenery as the opinionated, wine-dependant British Prime Minister, the more the movie remembers it has to at least follow some sort of plot is when it ultimately crumbles to pieces, with Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) and Jake Lacy (Rampage) managing to supply performances both instantly forgettable and agonisingly dull, and whilst it's quite sanctimonious to hate on a film not exactly aiming for anyone other than a child-friendly audience, Strikes Again manages to be neither good nor bad, just ridiculous nonsense. 

Overall Score: 5/10

Film Review: Miss Sloane

"You Crossed The Line When You Stopped Treating People With Respect. You're Smart Enough To Know That. You Just Don't Care..."

When it comes to my favourite actors and actresses of recent times, the iconic and wholly reliable face of Jessica Chastain is always a healthy sight to behold, due in part to her lavish and totally envious good looks (Healthy celebrity crush incoming) but of course mainly down to a wide range of countless superb performances in films such as her outstanding leading role in Zero Dark Thirty, Christopher Nolan's science fiction masterpiece Interstellar and Terrence Malick's slightly baffling, yet undeniably beautiful The Tree of Life, all of which have quickly turned Chastain into one of Hollywood's most productive and bankable leading stars.  With the release of Miss Sloane this week, the latest from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel director John Madden, Chastain once again is given the freedom to flex her incredibly versatile acting muscles, taking a tightly wound grip of leading character Elizabeth Sloane, an esteemed and frighteningly determined US lobbyist, and completely taking control within the confines of a narrative which is as gripping as it is infectiously ludicrous where although the movie's shark-jumping conclusion does threaten to ruin the smartly positioned groundwork which precedes it, is undoubtedly an enjoyable and vigorously entertaining political ride.

With a script from first time writer Jonathan Perera, one which moves along ever so efficiently and robustly and one which inevitably nods its' head to a wide range of modes of political escapism including the likes of House of Cards and The West Wing, the titular character of Elizabeth Sloane is indeed a cold and calculated amalgamation of Kevin Spacey's Frank Underwood and Peter Capaldi's conniving and spidery spin doctor, Malcolm Tucker, in the masterful Armando Iannucci led, The Thick of It, slipping her hands into a rafter of political pies in order to achieve what she desires most. Supported by the likes of Mark Strong, Michael Stuhlbarg and Belle star, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Madden's film travels between elements of tension, comedy and tight-knit drama, occupying a much needed space in the vacuum of below-par movies I have suffered in these last few weeks, and whilst the concluding act in which genetically configured insects and a cop-out resolution does come across way too immature and silly when considering the fundamental subject matter, Miss Sloane is a highly entertaining political drama which reinforces Jessica Chastain as the person you need to take your movie up an entire critical level.

Overall Score: 8/10