Movie Review: ‘Johnny English Reborn’ w/ Rowan Atkinson and Gillian Anderson

Comedy can be an exceptionally subjective art form. Some prefer dry humor, others prefer slapstick. From intellectual highbrow to the bluest dick and fart jokes, comedy can run the gamut. British comedy is often held to a very high regard. Which is why movies like Johnny English Reborn exist – to remind us that just because something is British, that doesn’t make it better.

Johnny English Reborn begins several years after the end of Johnny English. Johnny (Rowan Atkinson) has since entered a monastery à la Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and amidst an international crisis is pulled from his “training” to rejoin MI-7. The comparisons to other movies don’t stop with Ace Ventura. The entire story line is practically stolen from Steve Carell’s Get Smart. Sure, slapstick comedies like this don’t have to be wholly original works of art, but they should still bring something new to the table. Johnny English Reborn does absolutely nothing original. From Ace Ventura to Get Smart and Austin Powers, Johnny English Reborn steals all its major jokes and plot points from better movies about bumbling law enforcement officials.

Speaking subjectively, I knew almost nothing about this film prior to seeing it. I knew that the original existed, but had never seen it either. I’ve always appreciated Rowan Atkinson’s silent, physical humor and genuinely wanted to like this movie. As the movie started, I could feel my expectations lessening. Twenty minutes had passed and I hadn’t laughed once. I decided that if the movie made me laugh at all, I would try and keep track…I laughed 5 times.

As stated before, comedy is very subjective. If you saw and liked the first one, you’ll probably like this one. I’ve heard this is an improvement. If you don’t want to see people get kicked in the nuts for 101 minutes, I’d avoid it.

Worth Your Money
-Not Worth Your Money-
Worth Somebody Else’s Money