JOHNNY ENGLISH
UK, 2003, 95 minutes, Colour.
Rowan Atkinson, John Malkovich, Natalie Imbruglia, Ben Miller, Oliver Ford Davies.
Directed by Peter Howitt.
All a bit silly, really, but undemandingly entertaining. When you have John Malkovich as an effete French businessman restoring Britain's crown jewels only to rob them, force the queen to abdicate and have himself crowned king of England, it is, to say the least, a bit far-fetched. And when you have Rowan Atkinson as the only spy left alive (and it was he whose security measures failed to keep all the other agents alive) who can thwart Malkovich, then it is even more far-fetched.
So, this is a comedy vehicle for Rowan Atkinson and, as is inevitable, a variation on Mr Bean. Here, he is incompetence personified but always ready with a plausible reason and excuse for his inefficiencies and stupidities. Ben Miller is his poor assistant who has to save the day, whether it be when Johnny English has mistaken a genuine funeral for the gang concealing the jewels or parachuting into the wrong adjacent building for a raid. Natalie Imbruglia, Australian accent and all, turns up as a glamorous super spy who must have taken something dangerous for her to fall in love with Johnny.
It's a 007 spoof, even for poor Oliver Ford Davies suffering public indignity as the Archbishop of Canterbury. For those with a high tolerance of stupidity, it is an enjoyable time-passer.
1. A Rowan Atkinson comedy? Variation on his Mr Bean persona? Very British, incompetent, aping James Bond, battling with the French?
2. The quality of the spoof, expectations, from the James Bond genre, the stunts, the flying car etc?
3. The London settings, the Tower of London, the streets, the cemetery, MI6? The contrast with France? The castles, Westminster Abbey? The special effects? The introductory song?
4. Rowan Atkinson as Johnny English, his initial dreams, 001, the funeral, the explosion, the pen and the attack on the secretary, the death of the agents, the jewels and the insult? Laura Campbell, Bob and his faithful service? The mock-fight? The verbal comedy, the hole, dropping down the hole, the bullets, the chase and Bob saving him? The funeral and the mess? The Bean-mockery at the funeral, dancing on the coffin? Gunther, the rescue? The flat being bugged, his being videoed? The car park shooting, the sushi and his tie getting caught, the parachute and the computer, the hospital, the old man?
5. The relaxant, the reception, dancing, his being sacked, sex and the gentleman, the toilet? The PA meeting, the capture, Bob again to the rescue? The ceremony in Westminster Abbey, the archbishop's bottom, the video and his being made to look a fool? The culmination of the coronation?
6. The character of Bob, the public service, devoted to Johnny English, helping him out in all his problems, the cemetery, parachuting into the wrong building, climbing up the sewer, the end?
7. John Malkovich hamming it up as Pasquale Sauvage, his appearance, effete, his accent, being the host, Johnny English insulting him? With the jewels, the plan with the Archbishop of Canterbury? The TV declaration about his claim to the throne? At the reception? Going to the chateau, the criminal meeting and his wanting to auction the jewels? The prisoners' plan? The build-up to the coronation?
8. Lorna Campbell, the bike, the sushi, Interpol, dancing with Johnny English, rescuing him? The declaration of love? Going into action, the capture, fighting the henchman, the abbey? The final romance - credible?
9. The fake archbishop, the tattoo, his bottom? The real archbishop and the humiliation?
10. Pasquale Sauvage's henchman, the truth serum, the muscle relaxant, the exact truth?
11. The abduction of the queen, the corgi? Her resignation, Pasquale Sauvage taking over?
12. The build-up to the coronation, Sauvage's behaviour, Johnny English's challenge, Lorna, the expose? The police and the telling-off?
13. The irony of Johnny English as a character, making mistakes, nonchalance, explanations for everything - and, ironically, being crowned King of England, resigning, letting justice be done and order be restored?
