STORMBREAKER/ ALEX RIDER STORMBREAKER

UK, 2006, 93 minutes, Colour.
Alex Pettyfer, Mickey Rourke, Alicia Silverstone, Bill Nighy, Sophie, Okonedo, Damian Lewis, Missi Pyle, Stephen Fry, Sarah Bolger, Andy Serkis, Ashley Walters, Ewan Mc Gregor, Robbie Coltrane, Jimmy Carr.
Directed by Geoffrey Sax.

Secret agent, Alex Rider.

While many adults have been absorbed by Ian Fleming’s novels and the James Bond films for almost half a century, younger readers in more recent times have been following Harry Potter and Alex Rider. While J. K. Rowling has a worldwide ready and waiting audience for the movies, Anthony Horowitz, the author of the Alex Rider adventures, is best-known in the UK. So, the release of Stormbreaker has more of an impact for teenage audiences than on adults. The older adult reviewers tended not to like the film, not appreciating the sensibilities of the young

What to expect? Understandably, the film’s marketeers are sick of hearing of the James Bond parallel and prefer that Alex Rider be seen as a hero in his own right. But, given the plot and the espionage action, the comparisons are inevitable. Was James Bond like this when he was 14?

At this age and stage of his life, Alex is a presentable and sturdy schoolboy. As embodied by Alex Pettyfer, he is a handsome, blonde and curly haired young British potential hero, to be imitated by the boys and something of a heartthrob for the girls. But the film doesn’t have time for that kind of emotional or sappy goings on.

The film also has a PG rating which means that the action is suitable for its audience. Violence is more suggested than actual, although Alex is not bad at some basic but effective martial arts. At first he uses his wits and a fast-paced chase through London on a bicycle. But, then, his quiet uncle (Ewan Mc Gregor) dies and he discovers that this uncle was a secret agent and had really been grooming Alex since he was little to follow in his footsteps.

When Bill Nighy (looking rather severe and pinched – maybe the effect of having that octopus on his chin throughout Pirates of the Caribbean) and Sophie Okenedo explain the truth and try to recruit him for a dangerous mission, then he is offered an entertaining (rather than deadly) arsenal of weapons by a genial Q type (Stephen Fry).

Special agents have to have a mission. A young agent has to have a mission that makes sense to teenagers. Enter Mickey Rourke (looking rather embalmed) as the villain of the piece. He is a wealthy American who went to public school in England and was bullied and mocked – which gives him his motivation for revenge. He is donating a new computer, The Stormbreaker, to every school and inviting the Prime Minister to a public ceremony to launch the online power all over the country. But he has something more sinister in mind…

So Alex Rider infiltrates the headquarters in Cornwall, discovers the secrets, combats various villains (Andy Serkis, Damian Lewis and Missi Pyle as a latter-day Nazi-type assistant). Will he save the day – of course! But how will he do it? This leads to some over the top escapades and some split-second timing. The Prime Minister is played by Robbie Coltrane who gives a speech praising ‘Education, Education…’, then forgets his line and has to sneak a peek at his notes, …Education’.

Just when you think it is all over, it isn’t and there are some more chases through central London and deadly confrontations. And skin of the teeth cliff-hangers.

There are several more books in the Alex Rider series. One hopes that the intended audience will give this film a welcome and that the producers will be encouraged to continue.

In fact, they did not.

1. The popular novels about Alex Rider? The author adapting for the screen, changing plot aspects? A brief adventure?

2. An adventure for younger audiences, boys identifying with Alex? Girls identified with him, with Sabina? Not so much an adventure for adults? Adult enjoying the range of characters and the quality cast?

3. The settings, school, homes, MI5, training camps, the villain’s lair in Cornwall, the launching of the Stormbreaker program? Action and stunts? Musical score?

4. The credibility of the plot, in the James Bond tradition, espionage and action tradition? For a 14-year-old boy?

5. Alex, his age, appearance, family background, living with uncle Ian, with the housekeeper, is attachment to her? At school? His uncle being away? His ordinary life?

6. Uncle Ian, murdered by the assassin? The intervention of Mr Blunt? The commission,? Mrs Jones and their control? The personalities? Comic and serious touches?

7. Alex, the information that he was being trained by his uncle, his disbelief? The visa threats forcing him to go to training? The SAS and the training program, the other students, Alex and his skills, growing reputation?

8. Darrius Sayle, Mickey Rourke, his appearance, face, surgery? Archvillain? The background of his story, studying in England, bullied, the American? His laboratory, his plans? Stormbreaker? The computer, into every school? His intention to destroy the students?

9. Alex, undercover, his mission, his role as competition winner? Seeing Stormbreaker? In action? The presence of Mr Grin, of Nadia Vole?

10. Nadia, the touch of the Nazi, at the dinner, searching Alex’s belongings, his phone, the lead to Chelsea? Nadia and her fight with Jack, superior strength but losing?

11. Alex witnessing the midnight delivery?

12. Alex trying to escape, the capture? Discovering what the aim of Stormbreaker was, small box capsules, in every school, the destruction of all the students? Taking Stormbreaker to the conference?

13. Alex and his capture, in the tent, the man-o’-war? The cream, his being fully equipped by Smithers?

14. The escape, breaking the tank, the man-o’-war and touching Nadia? The injection for Mr Grin? Piloting the helicopter? Alex parachuting into the meeting, the last moment, the Prime Minister ready to push the button, Alex using the rifle, destroying the machine, saving everyone?

15. Alex and Sabina, the pursuit of Sayle, dismantling his equipment, hanging from the buildings? The arrival of his uncle’s assassin, killing Sayle – but he and Alex still remaining enemies?