Johnny English Reborn

Got tickets to see Johnny English Reborn at Midvalley (where apparently several other screenings are going on in the same night), thanks to Nuffnang. I don't recall watching the first one in the cinema, so it means that I probably saw a little bit of it on TV at some point.

Rowan Atkinson returns to the role of the accidental secret agent who doesn’t know fear or danger in the comedy spy-thriller Johnny English Reborn.  In his latest adventure, the most unlikely intelligence officer in Her Majesty’s Secret Service must stop a group of international assassins before they eliminate a world leader and cause global chaos.

In the years since MI7’s top spy vanished off the grid, he has been honing his unique skills in a remote region of Asia.  But when his agency superiors learn of an attempt against the Chinese premier’s life, they must hunt down the highly unorthodox agent.  Now that the world needs him once again, Johnny English is back in action. 

With one shot at redemption, he must employ the latest in hi-tech gadgets to unravel a web of conspiracy that runs throughout the KGB, CIA and even MI-7.  With mere days until a heads of state conference, one man must use every trick in his playbook to protect us all.  For Johnny English, disaster may be an option, but failure never is.

What I actually thought of Johnny English Reborn after the jump!

I'll tell you some reasons for watching it:

• Blackadder alum Tim McInnerny as Patch Quartermain, the Quarter Master.
• Penang-born Pik-Sen Lim from Mind Your Language is in this one. I won't tell you in what capacity; you just have to see it for yourself. There's your bit of Malaysia for you.
• Despite my cringing at some of the stupid Bean-like physical and visual gags, it was still pretty funny in some parts.
• I have no idea what those guys were wearing when their junk was getting kicked like a football, but I want to know.
• Love the man's pimped up Rolls Royce.
• The chase scene in Hong Kong is pretty damn funny. While I was impressed by the other guy's parkour skills, the deadpan English taking the easier route of catching up just killed me.

My only niggle with Johnny English the character is that I really hate the Mr Bean character, even if it's arguably Rowan Atkinson's best known character and reruns of the TV series will go on ad nauseum, ad infinitum. So a bumbling, speaking Bean-type spy character is not exactly my idea of funny. But that is just me.

I think it might help if you caught up on the first movie before watching this one - now I sort of know how people who have not read Harry Potter feel when they watch the movies and don't understand the inner workings of the series. I said SORT OF.

That said, watch it if you liked the first Johnny English movie and a Bean fan.