This film has a lot of physical comedy that works on a basic level, just like the famous Mr. Bean series. All of these skits made my grandmother chuckle even though she does not know English, which is a good sign. Rowan Atkinson makes the plot come to life.
354 Reviews
More for the Fans of Rowan Atkinson.
hu67529 June 2005
A clumsy daydreamer by the name of Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson), who works for the Secret Spy Agency. When all the British Top Spies are killed, they asked Johnny to take over the case to investigate a mysterious rich evil french man by the name of Pascal Sauvage (John Malkovich). Johnny's only help is from his loyal partner (Ben Miller) and a beautiful, mysterious spy woman (Natalie Imbruglia) could help bring Sauvage to Justice.
Directed by Peter Howitt (Anti-Trust, Laws of Attraction, Sliding Doors) made a entertaining comedy that spoofs the films of James Bond and The Naked Gun Trilogy. Atkinson is a delight and Malkovich is at his silliest role to date (He seems to have a real good time in this movie). The film's plot is surprisingly good but you wish, there is more laughs at times. Atkinson's fans won't be disappointed.
DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer (Also sharp in Pan & Scan transfer) and an good-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extras are Deleted Scenes, Behind the Scenes Featurette and more. Kids will probably enjoy this more than the adults. Written by Neal Purvis (The World is Not Enough), Robert Wade (Die Another Day) and William Davies (Twins). (*** ½/*****).
Directed by Peter Howitt (Anti-Trust, Laws of Attraction, Sliding Doors) made a entertaining comedy that spoofs the films of James Bond and The Naked Gun Trilogy. Atkinson is a delight and Malkovich is at his silliest role to date (He seems to have a real good time in this movie). The film's plot is surprisingly good but you wish, there is more laughs at times. Atkinson's fans won't be disappointed.
DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer (Also sharp in Pan & Scan transfer) and an good-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extras are Deleted Scenes, Behind the Scenes Featurette and more. Kids will probably enjoy this more than the adults. Written by Neal Purvis (The World is Not Enough), Robert Wade (Die Another Day) and William Davies (Twins). (*** ½/*****).
A Very Funny Parody of 007 Movies
claudio_carvalho16 August 2004
Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) is a bureaucratic employee of the British Secret Service, who dreams to be a charming agent. His dreams come true when all the British agents die, due to the lack of security in a funeral where he was the responsible. Johnny English, with the support of his assistant Bough (Ben Miller) and Lorna Campbell (Natalie Imbruglia), fights against the evil Pascal Sauvage (John Malkovitch), a powerful French who wants to be the king of the United Kingdom and transforms England in a great prison for all criminals of the world. This silly story is a very funny parody of 007 movies. Rowan Atkinson is very hilarious, as usual, and it is impossible not laughing with his stupidities. The singer Natalie Imbruglia is very beautiful, the unknown Ben Miller is the efficient assistant of Johnny English, and John Malkovitch, with a ridiculous French accent, complete the funny cast of this comedy. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): `Johnny English'
Title (Brazil): `Johnny English'
Patchy but likable Spy Spoof
BJJManchester26 January 2006
The talented Rowan Atkinson expands his character from a series of TV adverts shown in the UK in the late 1990's onto the big screen.So does the transfer from two-minute sketches adapt successfully into feature-length narrative? The answer surprisingly is quite well,although the film does have flat spots and gags that somewhat misfire.The plot and incidents that take place are an obvious mixture and borrowing from the NAKED GUN and AUSTIN POWERS series of parodies,but what is refreshing is that the character of Johnny English is mostly free of the occasional mugging that was witnessed in the above films,and also Atkinson's MR BEAN creation,which was of course wordless but did sometimes engage in some rather messy slapstick.There is some messy slapstick here,but Atkinson's interpretation is closer to his greatest comic character of Edmund BLACKADDER,with his sometimes cynical and sarcastic tone,though he has traits of bumbling incompetence like Mr.Bean,though not total idiocy which makes English more sympathetic.A lower budget than the AUSTIN POWERS series means there are fewer elaborate set pieces,but some scenes work very well and there are some witty exchanges of dialogue.There's decent support from Natalie Imbruglia,Ben Miller and Tim Pigott-Smith,but John Malkovich is the most amusing as the villain with his cod French accent.It is encouraging to see a comedy which underplays it's scenes these days,rather than performers shouting and screaming in a desperate bid to force laughter out of an audience.That said,some scenes in the film don't always come off,perhaps because they are understated too much,but the best bits are very funny(especially the final scenes)and further sequels with this character would be most welcome.
I can't stop laughing...
benjajamim21 November 2005
Allthought I wouldn't rate it as a well thought artistic piece of art in the cultural aspect (such as a Kubrick movie, for example) Johnny Enlighs is probably the funniest movie I've ever seen. If you are in the mood for a good laugh out of a not 100% stupid movie, then, only then, its a must see. I saw it a year ago and I still remember Johnny's face and actions. I must admit that really stupid movies make me sometimes angry, this is not that kind of movie that has no sense at all, it has a clear setting, and a great cast (perfect cast if you're talking about Johnny's selection). Probably better than the Mr. Beans, "Johnny English" is a must see for those who laugh easily. Another very important hint: don't watch it alone. Watch it with someone who makes you laugh. The last hint: if you don't laugh, probably Blockbuster® gave you "Lost Highway" instead of "Johnny English", a pretty uncommon mistake.
Classic comedy!
Dingataca30 November 2007
Silly as hell, but funny as anything! Rowan Atkinson once again shows the world his talents - impeccable comic timing, style, a little bit of cheekiness, and superb acting. This movie is a personal favourite of mine, and I reckon it is perfect to watch anytime you feel low or need some cheering up. The man who brought you Bean (1997), now brings you Johnny English, a parody of James Bond. I loved Bean, and I love this one just as much, if not more. Ignore the pathetic critics that rate this as crap, because it most certainly isn't. It is a piece of comedy that you will not regret seeing - I recommend this to anyone. Heck, even my grandmother liked it! (And that's saying something)
Seriously, if you haven't watched this, you really need to.
Seriously, if you haven't watched this, you really need to.
The best since Inspector Clouseau
kosmasp23 March 2021
Anyone aware of the Pink Panther movies is aware that I am being glib here. Johnny English is not really a good Inspector or whatever he calls himself (more like secret agent ... but very very secret). And while Clouseau actually had some qualities, English seems derived of them.
What I am saying is, don't hold that comparison over my head. I just think they are both funny. It had been a while since I last saw this and I haven't seen the newest output yet (2018). But it was fun being reminded of how funny Rowan Atkinson can be (you may know him as Mr. Bean). There are jokes that I feel are missplaced (like poo jokes, though they did work with my nephew so who am I to judge) - one of the grossest offense being English inappropriately touching women throughout. While it is meant as fun and his overall quirkyness, they can be seen as very wrong too ... I'll leave that up to you ...
What I am saying is, don't hold that comparison over my head. I just think they are both funny. It had been a while since I last saw this and I haven't seen the newest output yet (2018). But it was fun being reminded of how funny Rowan Atkinson can be (you may know him as Mr. Bean). There are jokes that I feel are missplaced (like poo jokes, though they did work with my nephew so who am I to judge) - one of the grossest offense being English inappropriately touching women throughout. While it is meant as fun and his overall quirkyness, they can be seen as very wrong too ... I'll leave that up to you ...
Yet another movie that would have been better off without a trailer
PlanecrazyIkarus11 April 2003
Johnny English starts off a little bit like Bean: For some reason, wildly constructed, Rowan Atkinson ends up in a position that is far beyond his capabilities. Where Bean turns from Museum Guard to Museum curator impersonator, Johnny English turns from male Monneypenny-alike mission planner to James Bond replacement.
Sort of.
In a Bean kind of way, of course. Now that is where comparison with Bean should stop: Johnny English talks, for one thing, and doesn't just gesticulate around like a bit of a moron. And while he still causes a lot of trouble and shines in his incompetence, he manages to be far more charming and far less annoying than Mr Bean is in a 90 minute movie. Expect lots of visual humour, but also the odd moment of funny dialogue (the "making love" dialogue scene is quite hilarious)
The plot is standard Bond fare: A French tycoon is up to no good, stealing crown jewels and trying to become king of.... England, oddly enough. There is a Bond girl, played by Natalie Imbruglia and sharing more similarities with Sophie Yeoh's butt-kicking bond girl than with the more traditional damsel in distress. But unfortunately, there is no equivalent to Q, nor to M and the movie is a bit too much of a one-man show.
How does it fare then? On the laughter front it was quite satisfying, easily outmanoeuvering the once-too-often repeated Austin Powers, putting anything recent by Leslie Nielsen to shame and being an altogether fine Bond spoof. There is lots of slapstick (including the disgusting kind), but the movie manages to be less over the top and closer to Bond than to old National Lampoon / Mel Brooks movies.
Altogether the movie was pleasantly surprising - better than Bean (which isn't too hard, to be honest) and Austin Powers (although it is a different kind of spoof). Still not brilliant, but a good dose of old-fashioned entertainment. Pity the trailer gave away quite a lot of the best bits.
Plus, the bad guy was supposedly French, what more could you ask for?
Sort of.
In a Bean kind of way, of course. Now that is where comparison with Bean should stop: Johnny English talks, for one thing, and doesn't just gesticulate around like a bit of a moron. And while he still causes a lot of trouble and shines in his incompetence, he manages to be far more charming and far less annoying than Mr Bean is in a 90 minute movie. Expect lots of visual humour, but also the odd moment of funny dialogue (the "making love" dialogue scene is quite hilarious)
The plot is standard Bond fare: A French tycoon is up to no good, stealing crown jewels and trying to become king of.... England, oddly enough. There is a Bond girl, played by Natalie Imbruglia and sharing more similarities with Sophie Yeoh's butt-kicking bond girl than with the more traditional damsel in distress. But unfortunately, there is no equivalent to Q, nor to M and the movie is a bit too much of a one-man show.
How does it fare then? On the laughter front it was quite satisfying, easily outmanoeuvering the once-too-often repeated Austin Powers, putting anything recent by Leslie Nielsen to shame and being an altogether fine Bond spoof. There is lots of slapstick (including the disgusting kind), but the movie manages to be less over the top and closer to Bond than to old National Lampoon / Mel Brooks movies.
Altogether the movie was pleasantly surprising - better than Bean (which isn't too hard, to be honest) and Austin Powers (although it is a different kind of spoof). Still not brilliant, but a good dose of old-fashioned entertainment. Pity the trailer gave away quite a lot of the best bits.
Plus, the bad guy was supposedly French, what more could you ask for?
No comedy classic, but quite agreeable nevertheless.
Hey_Sweden4 June 2019
Veteran comedy star Rowan Atkinson is in very fine form here in the title role, a bumbling office functionary with the espionage organization MI7. He becomes the unlikely hero who must take on a wily French villain named Sauvage (John Malkovich). But he won't have to go it alone: he has a sidekick named Bough (Ben Miller) and a sexy mystery woman (singing star Natalie Imbruglia) who keeps turning up. Sauvage and his minions manage to pull off the theft of the Crown Jewels, but naturally they're not going to stop there; Sauvage has a loftier ambition in mind.
"Johnny English" is a fast-paced, engagingly silly James Bond spoof. It's not always that inspired, as it goes for cheap and easy laughs regarding faeces a little too much. That said, it's generally good entertainment for a family audience, with some good sight gags and verbal jokes. It travels far on the winning goofiness of Atkinson, who reacts to his misfortunes with great deadpan humour. But the whole cast is a delight: Malkovich is a hilariously pompous villain, Miller adds his own substantial amount of comedy relief, and Imbruglia is very, very sexy. Particularly priceless is the way Johnny behaves in his own domicile when he thinks nobody is watching. "Does Your Mother Know?"
"Johnny English" is must viewing for any Atkinson fan, who's brought such great characters as Blackadder and Mr. Bean to the public consciousness over the decades. It was based on a series of TV commercials from the 1990s, and the transition from brief TV spots to the feature film format is surprisingly successful. Johnny English is a worthy successor to such dense but dedicated characters as Inspector Clouseau and Frank Drebin (to name just two).
Followed by "Johnny English Reborn" and "Johnny English Strikes Again".
Seven out of 10.
"Johnny English" is a fast-paced, engagingly silly James Bond spoof. It's not always that inspired, as it goes for cheap and easy laughs regarding faeces a little too much. That said, it's generally good entertainment for a family audience, with some good sight gags and verbal jokes. It travels far on the winning goofiness of Atkinson, who reacts to his misfortunes with great deadpan humour. But the whole cast is a delight: Malkovich is a hilariously pompous villain, Miller adds his own substantial amount of comedy relief, and Imbruglia is very, very sexy. Particularly priceless is the way Johnny behaves in his own domicile when he thinks nobody is watching. "Does Your Mother Know?"
"Johnny English" is must viewing for any Atkinson fan, who's brought such great characters as Blackadder and Mr. Bean to the public consciousness over the decades. It was based on a series of TV commercials from the 1990s, and the transition from brief TV spots to the feature film format is surprisingly successful. Johnny English is a worthy successor to such dense but dedicated characters as Inspector Clouseau and Frank Drebin (to name just two).
Followed by "Johnny English Reborn" and "Johnny English Strikes Again".
Seven out of 10.
I love this movie!
lukeb-1608230 May 2020
I watched this so much during my childhood, it's a fantastic film.recently got to watch this the other night and it lives up still perfectly!
Decent humour, as well as a decent plot ( only the ending is a bit silly really) with some great quotable lines. I know this film gets alot of hate, but give it a.try and don't engage your brain too much.
Comparable to Mr bean, so if your not a fan of Mr.bean then I'd avoid this personally. (Imagine Mr bean could talk and became an mi7 agent)
7/10
Decent humour, as well as a decent plot ( only the ending is a bit silly really) with some great quotable lines. I know this film gets alot of hate, but give it a.try and don't engage your brain too much.
Comparable to Mr bean, so if your not a fan of Mr.bean then I'd avoid this personally. (Imagine Mr bean could talk and became an mi7 agent)
7/10
Patchy it is, but surprisingly enjoyable
TheLittleSongbird10 October 2009
I will say that Johnny English is patchy, but it is enjoyable, and there are some very funny moments. To anyone who hasn't seen the movie, I will warn you, don't expect too much from the screenplay, it is very simplistic, and the plot is predictable. And the whole film is very, very daft, and I can't count the number of scenes that I deem as extremely silly. I do think the Coronation Scene is hilarious though. There are some nice locations, some good effects, and a number of funny scenes. The acting is not Oscar-worthy, but everyone seems to be enjoying themselves. Natalie Imbruglia looks gorgeous, and does do well. Tim Piggott-Smith and Oliver Ford-Davies have little to do, but they do shine in the few scenes they are in. John Malkovich hams it up to a tee as the villain of the piece Pascal Sauvage, but holding the film together is Rowan Atkinson in a rather unsophisticated but fun role of Johnny English, and he breathes life into a film that could have been embarrassing and forgettable, but his sheer entertainment value makes it worth seeing. All in all, unassuming and definitely not Oscar worthy but not a bad film by all means. 6/10 Bethany Cox
It's damn silly, like it should be!
mjw230516 January 2007
After Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) is put in charge of security at a gathering for all the British secret agents, things go badly wrong and he is suddenly the last of his profession left alive. When the crown jewels are mysteriously stolen, he and his sidekick, Bough (Ben Miller) must investigate. The prime suspects are the French entrepreneur (John Malkovich) and the beautiful Lorna Campbell (Natalie Imbruglia), he must find the guilty party and save the nation's pride.
Rowan Atkinson is simply funny by design, it doesn't seem to matter what role he has to play, or what script he has to deliver; he just always entertains. Malkovich clearly enjoyed his role as the evil villain, and delivered a typically great portrayal; albeit as a very shallow character, and finally Natalie Imbruglia does a great job of looking sexy throughout.
Full of sustained and silly humour, this spy spoof is pretty good entertainment, and should satisfy most Rowan Atkinson fans adequately.
7/10
Rowan Atkinson is simply funny by design, it doesn't seem to matter what role he has to play, or what script he has to deliver; he just always entertains. Malkovich clearly enjoyed his role as the evil villain, and delivered a typically great portrayal; albeit as a very shallow character, and finally Natalie Imbruglia does a great job of looking sexy throughout.
Full of sustained and silly humour, this spy spoof is pretty good entertainment, and should satisfy most Rowan Atkinson fans adequately.
7/10
A Great Mr Bean James Bond Parody
georgedarwell30 May 2022
A funny spy parody that gives decent laughs. If you love Mr Bean you should love Johnny English it's really enjoyable and engaging I would recommend. After watching this you'll want to continue with the rest of the trilogy too.
It's certainly not a great movie, but to say it's vastly superior to the Austin Powers series is to pay it too small a compliment.
Spleen21 April 2003
It's not just that the jokes are funnier (there's one explicit poo joke, which is one too many, but still: it's just the one) or that Rowan Atkinson is a far better performer than Mike Myers, or anything comparatively trivial like that. No. The real difference is that "Johnny English" has its heart in the right place. Part of this difference is the fact that it has a heart at all.
English, unlike Powers, is not just a blank space in which the screenwriters can insert gags. He's a character. And there's more to the character than just clumsiness and pomposity. English is endearing because he's manifestly no fool. We know more than he knows, we see the banana skin immediately in front of his feet which he invariably fails to see, and in a way it's his fault he fails to see it himself, but his failure to see it is always something other than a failure of intelligence. He's easy enough to humiliate but, for some reason, hard to hoodwink. It's refreshing, too, that we're allowed to feel for him - when, for instance, he's dismissed from the case. We see Johnny English being devastated, not Rowan Atkinson trying to be funny.
Sure, it's not what it could have been. It's funny without being brilliantly so, and the satire (what there is of it) is on the blunt side. But these merely negative failings aren't enough to kill a film. Its biggest problem may be bad timing. When the script was being written, the anti-French sentiment must have seemed quaint and amusing, harmless because unreal; nobody could have predicted, surely, the sickening wave of hatred (the fact that it was all planned by the likes of Rupert Murdoch does not, alas, make the hatred any less real) that was shortly to sweep over the English-speaking world. Any joke about the French now has a sour taste at best.
English, unlike Powers, is not just a blank space in which the screenwriters can insert gags. He's a character. And there's more to the character than just clumsiness and pomposity. English is endearing because he's manifestly no fool. We know more than he knows, we see the banana skin immediately in front of his feet which he invariably fails to see, and in a way it's his fault he fails to see it himself, but his failure to see it is always something other than a failure of intelligence. He's easy enough to humiliate but, for some reason, hard to hoodwink. It's refreshing, too, that we're allowed to feel for him - when, for instance, he's dismissed from the case. We see Johnny English being devastated, not Rowan Atkinson trying to be funny.
Sure, it's not what it could have been. It's funny without being brilliantly so, and the satire (what there is of it) is on the blunt side. But these merely negative failings aren't enough to kill a film. Its biggest problem may be bad timing. When the script was being written, the anti-French sentiment must have seemed quaint and amusing, harmless because unreal; nobody could have predicted, surely, the sickening wave of hatred (the fact that it was all planned by the likes of Rupert Murdoch does not, alas, make the hatred any less real) that was shortly to sweep over the English-speaking world. Any joke about the French now has a sour taste at best.
Nothing but Mr.Bean with lines..
filmfreak-52 September 2003
Hmm....what can be said about this film? I was amused many places, but the plotlines were so predictable you could tell all the things meant to be funny was about to happen, way before the climax of the amusement took place...sad, very sad....Johnny English is a strange character - he has his moments where he seems a little intelligent and he has a big talent for coming up with excuses, but apart from that, he is immensely stupid - stupid to a point where the fun stops. I know Rowan Atkinson spoke out that English was completely new character of his, but it is NOT - take Mr. Bean, add speaking lines and you've more or less got Johnny English. If he HAD to repeat his old characters, I would much rather see an agent of the Edmund Blackadder caliber! THERE would be something to have fun with!
I'd say that this is NOT one of Atkinson's better moments, and I actually think the picture is stolen by his agent male partner, of the flick - the rookie (I forget his name). He is toned down a lot but he is the one that made me laugh at several places, amongst others the lines "Are you coming over here in a minute, sir?". Won't spoil anything, but if you've seen the movie you know what I refer to.
But, if you're an Atkinson fan, like myself, go and see it. It's not horrible, but it's not fabolous either! Around average, nothing more, nothing less..
I'd say that this is NOT one of Atkinson's better moments, and I actually think the picture is stolen by his agent male partner, of the flick - the rookie (I forget his name). He is toned down a lot but he is the one that made me laugh at several places, amongst others the lines "Are you coming over here in a minute, sir?". Won't spoil anything, but if you've seen the movie you know what I refer to.
But, if you're an Atkinson fan, like myself, go and see it. It's not horrible, but it's not fabolous either! Around average, nothing more, nothing less..
Johnny English is a dumb, fun, feel-good comedy that perfectly celebrates its spy theme while simultaneously having a good laugh.
Paragon2409 December 2022
Johnny English never fails to make me laugh. I have watched this movie so many times, and every time I laugh like it's the first time I have seen it. Rowan Atkinson takes his typical goofball character and thrusts him into the serious world of sophistication and espionage, making his ridiculous antics much more hilarious because of the highly dissimilar juxtaposition. Despite bumbling his way through the film, English's confidence never wanes as he dives into danger again and again, needing the help of his assistant and femme fatale ally to save him from certain doom. Unfortunately, the sequels fail to live up to the excellence of the first installment, never getting the right balance of goofiness and fun. But the original Johnny English film brings it all together, from the stunts to the laughs to the characters. Johnny English might not be a master spy, but he is a master entertainer.
Lightweight Bond Spoof
ccthemovieman-112 July 2006
This James Bond spoof, headed by British comedian Rowan Atkinson, was okay....a fair amount of laughs but not enough to add this film to my collection. Atkinson reminded me a bit of Benny Hill, a more famous English comedian who also doesn't speak much but lets his actions and facial expressions garner his laughs. Both are likable guys.
John Malkovich plays a Frechman here and his accent is pretty good. He seems to be always playing strange roles.
There really isn't a whole lot to say about this film. Except for a very funny toilet scenes, much of it isn't that memorable. Just a lightweight hour-and-a-half of entertainment.
John Malkovich plays a Frechman here and his accent is pretty good. He seems to be always playing strange roles.
There really isn't a whole lot to say about this film. Except for a very funny toilet scenes, much of it isn't that memorable. Just a lightweight hour-and-a-half of entertainment.
Very painful - I laughed so much!
DarrylEvans226 April 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Well, I think my One Line Summary says it all really. Johnny English is one of the best British Modern Comedies to be made in a long time. While not very original, the movie takes the material that made Mr. Bean and James Bond so good, and combined them into a 90 minute comedy that never once fails to impress.
But what made this film so successful? Firstly, one has to admire Rowan Atkinson's talent. He keeps this movie together and stops it from becoming tiring and tedious. He is probably one of the best actors in the United Kingdom. I applaud his performance. I did enjoy the performances of the rest of the other cast too. It was nice to see different actors and actresses play lead roles rather than casting the same faces over and over. Secondly, the set pieces were superb. * SPOILERS * The truck chase was very original, the scene in the Hospital and the Crowning Ceremony had me in stitches! I must also mention the musical score. While I am not a huge fan of Robbie Williams, his theme song "A Man For All Seasons" did suit the movie very well. The rest of the score, composed by Edward Shearmur, was very exciting. It was nice to see a contrast in tempos. For example, the truck chase action score was very upbeat and exciting, while the love theme was a beautiful swing in Waltz time. I look forward to hearing some more of his work in the near future.
So, how about a sequel? As much as I would like to see one, I think it is better all round that one is not made. If more are produced, I can see the Johnny English character slowly fading from our minds as a character who was once very funny and enjoyable to watch. Please don't go down the same road as Austin Powers!
As a last note, I recommend you do see this movie. Fans of Rowan Atkinson and James Bond will go mental for it, as will all comedy lovers!
And remember, the name is English - Johnny English. A Bloody Mary please, not too spicy!
But what made this film so successful? Firstly, one has to admire Rowan Atkinson's talent. He keeps this movie together and stops it from becoming tiring and tedious. He is probably one of the best actors in the United Kingdom. I applaud his performance. I did enjoy the performances of the rest of the other cast too. It was nice to see different actors and actresses play lead roles rather than casting the same faces over and over. Secondly, the set pieces were superb. * SPOILERS * The truck chase was very original, the scene in the Hospital and the Crowning Ceremony had me in stitches! I must also mention the musical score. While I am not a huge fan of Robbie Williams, his theme song "A Man For All Seasons" did suit the movie very well. The rest of the score, composed by Edward Shearmur, was very exciting. It was nice to see a contrast in tempos. For example, the truck chase action score was very upbeat and exciting, while the love theme was a beautiful swing in Waltz time. I look forward to hearing some more of his work in the near future.
So, how about a sequel? As much as I would like to see one, I think it is better all round that one is not made. If more are produced, I can see the Johnny English character slowly fading from our minds as a character who was once very funny and enjoyable to watch. Please don't go down the same road as Austin Powers!
As a last note, I recommend you do see this movie. Fans of Rowan Atkinson and James Bond will go mental for it, as will all comedy lovers!
And remember, the name is English - Johnny English. A Bloody Mary please, not too spicy!
Mr. Bean is Better than Mr. Powers
dromasca11 May 2003
Whoever goes to such a movie must know what he or she pays the ticket for - and this is how such a film should be judged. Rowan Atkinson got famous - in Europe at least - for Mr. Bean's character. Here he plays a secret agent saving the British dynasty, but he is still the same Mr. Bean - sometimes the prototype of a complete idiot, evil and candid at the same time, Laurel and Hardy in the same tuxedo. If something can go wrong around him, it will, and if it does not he will make it happen.
Comparing the film with the other latest Bond parody, the Austin Powers series is required, and you know what? I liked this one better. Without the great money of 'Powers', 'Johnny English' succeeded better in extracting healthy laughs and making me feel that I did not completely mis-spent the 88 minutes and the ...no, I will not tell you what a ticket in the theater costs over here! John Malkovitch seems to enjoy every moment on the screen, and Natalia Imbruglia makes us wait for the next in the series. Which I am sure will come, and I hope it will not be falling much below the original, as the Powers second and third did.
7/10 on my personal scale.
Comparing the film with the other latest Bond parody, the Austin Powers series is required, and you know what? I liked this one better. Without the great money of 'Powers', 'Johnny English' succeeded better in extracting healthy laughs and making me feel that I did not completely mis-spent the 88 minutes and the ...no, I will not tell you what a ticket in the theater costs over here! John Malkovitch seems to enjoy every moment on the screen, and Natalia Imbruglia makes us wait for the next in the series. Which I am sure will come, and I hope it will not be falling much below the original, as the Powers second and third did.
7/10 on my personal scale.
Downright hilarious
BadWebDiver23 April 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Honestly, I haven't had so much belly-laughing in a cinema for AGES. This is really, really, truly funny. A comic spy spoof **par excellence**. Rowan Atkinson does mock suavity to absolute perfection. The script is so tight; and it's absolutely great to see John Malkovich do a light-hearted fun story for once, just to show he's a truly all-round top class actor.
(Spoiler warning!)
My only slight criticism was the ultimate climactic moment, which stretched internal credibility a little bit too far I thought - though it was still fun, and fitted the style of the story I suppose. Otherwise the story was absolutely tight, spot-on with every gag perfectly placed and timed. Most notable was the threat to the Queen, and the radio overplays. And the ABBA tributes were great too (they are my fav band, so I suppose I'm a touch biased there).
I think Natalie Imbruglia should thank her lucky stars she managed to have such a great film to make her debut on. This is very rare; I can only think of Edward Furlong and Edward Norton as the only other actors to manage it. Anyone who likes great fun storytelling should definitely check this out. It's made my Top 100 list, right behind the Austin Powers movies.
(Spoiler warning!)
My only slight criticism was the ultimate climactic moment, which stretched internal credibility a little bit too far I thought - though it was still fun, and fitted the style of the story I suppose. Otherwise the story was absolutely tight, spot-on with every gag perfectly placed and timed. Most notable was the threat to the Queen, and the radio overplays. And the ABBA tributes were great too (they are my fav band, so I suppose I'm a touch biased there).
I think Natalie Imbruglia should thank her lucky stars she managed to have such a great film to make her debut on. This is very rare; I can only think of Edward Furlong and Edward Norton as the only other actors to manage it. Anyone who likes great fun storytelling should definitely check this out. It's made my Top 100 list, right behind the Austin Powers movies.
A great spy spoof movie
slyofwar24 April 2020
English by name, English by nature
leekandham16 April 2003
Johnny English
It's unavoidable that people will try to judge this film by making comparisons to Atkinson's other characters and all the James Bond spoofs out there. But so great the success of Mr Bean and the BBC TV series Blackadder to name but a few, it was always going to be judged that way.
Johnny English, as commented before, was the character of a series of credit card adverts in the mid-90s. However, to transpose a character that appeared in 30 second sketches into a movie isn't easy, given people already has a perception of him. And that's the real problem of Johnny English.
The start of the film is a little uneasy - we're looking for gags, but they don't come often enough, but that rectifies itself from about half way. But sadly, the originality that we saw in the adverts is lost in most of the movie. Ok, there were moments of brilliance - the car chase scene was original and hilarious - but many of the gags, especially the finale, were simply remakes of those from Naked Gun.
I am biased, though. Rowan Atkinson is one of Britain's funniest comedy actors, and his creations are simply brilliant. His stand-up video is hilarious, Mr Bean has become a worldwide success and his recent parody of the Martin Bashir / Michael Jackson interview for Comic Relief, a charity telethon in the UK, epitomised his comedy genius.
But the script and the plot lets down the whole concept of the film. There simply wasn't enough of a buzz throughout the film to make you feel satisfied when leaving the cinema. I was looking for a little bit of hidden intelligence in the character of Johnny English, but sadly it never appeared and there was just too much slapstick in it.
But in a way, the cast salvaged the movie. Natalie Imbruglia is great in the movie, although I'm slightly surprised that other people are surprised she was so good - in the UK she's more well-known as a singer, but her days in Neighbours as Beth before that did show she can act very well.
Mind you, I can't say the same for John Malkovitch. You'd get a better French accent on a end of a baguette than from him.
Ultimately, though, this is a film that has the laughs, and though there is a slight disappointment that you don't get everything you want, it is a very funny film. One to recommend to Hollywood, in case you think all Brits are like Hugh Grant or Pierce Brosnan...
It's unavoidable that people will try to judge this film by making comparisons to Atkinson's other characters and all the James Bond spoofs out there. But so great the success of Mr Bean and the BBC TV series Blackadder to name but a few, it was always going to be judged that way.
Johnny English, as commented before, was the character of a series of credit card adverts in the mid-90s. However, to transpose a character that appeared in 30 second sketches into a movie isn't easy, given people already has a perception of him. And that's the real problem of Johnny English.
The start of the film is a little uneasy - we're looking for gags, but they don't come often enough, but that rectifies itself from about half way. But sadly, the originality that we saw in the adverts is lost in most of the movie. Ok, there were moments of brilliance - the car chase scene was original and hilarious - but many of the gags, especially the finale, were simply remakes of those from Naked Gun.
I am biased, though. Rowan Atkinson is one of Britain's funniest comedy actors, and his creations are simply brilliant. His stand-up video is hilarious, Mr Bean has become a worldwide success and his recent parody of the Martin Bashir / Michael Jackson interview for Comic Relief, a charity telethon in the UK, epitomised his comedy genius.
But the script and the plot lets down the whole concept of the film. There simply wasn't enough of a buzz throughout the film to make you feel satisfied when leaving the cinema. I was looking for a little bit of hidden intelligence in the character of Johnny English, but sadly it never appeared and there was just too much slapstick in it.
But in a way, the cast salvaged the movie. Natalie Imbruglia is great in the movie, although I'm slightly surprised that other people are surprised she was so good - in the UK she's more well-known as a singer, but her days in Neighbours as Beth before that did show she can act very well.
Mind you, I can't say the same for John Malkovitch. You'd get a better French accent on a end of a baguette than from him.
Ultimately, though, this is a film that has the laughs, and though there is a slight disappointment that you don't get everything you want, it is a very funny film. One to recommend to Hollywood, in case you think all Brits are like Hugh Grant or Pierce Brosnan...
Longest and hardest laugh of my life
pjs-4853421 May 2018
Why on earth is this film rated so low?
Its an excellent comedy in its on right, in its own style. More for a younger audience, yes, but that shouldn't affect an objective rating.
My rating is based on the first time I saw it in the cinema, aged 14.
A silly film, yes, but not a significant step down in depth/quality on blackadder, for instance- as some claim.
Criticisms in the bad reviews are silly, irrelevant and non objective.
Its an excellent comedy in its on right, in its own style. More for a younger audience, yes, but that shouldn't affect an objective rating.
My rating is based on the first time I saw it in the cinema, aged 14.
A silly film, yes, but not a significant step down in depth/quality on blackadder, for instance- as some claim.
Criticisms in the bad reviews are silly, irrelevant and non objective.
surprisingly funny
michaelchenma30 August 2003
I wasn't a big fan of Rowan Atkinson and didn't have a lot of expectation out of this film, but it really cracked me up. First of all, you need to understand "Johnny English" is not a British version of "Austin Power". I found "A.P" ridiculous in general and didn't always appreciate their jokes. But Johnny English is one of those better made spy topic comedian films.
The best approach of watching this movie is to see it without a lot of expectation and I assure you that you will have a good time.
The best approach of watching this movie is to see it without a lot of expectation and I assure you that you will have a good time.
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