Johnny English, written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade

Johnny English, written by Neal Purvis and Robert Wade

“He knows no fear, he knows no danger, and he knows nothing”

Some may find the poster of this film enticing, but most likely; cinephiles would just decide to miss a motion picture that proposes such a character, not in the least intriguing, challenging or tantalizing.

Indeed, there are some interesting, even amusing aspects and scenes in this comedy, but overall, it has less to offer than the series Mr. Bean – not the films, which are not so satisfying – made for television by Rowan Atkinson, who is Johnny English for this feature.

Surprisingly maybe, this first Johnny English was considered such an achievement – in fact, most probably it had a good box office – which two other sequels have followed, with Johnny English Reborn and then the same English Strikes Again.

One pleasant surprise is the presence of Natalie Imbruglia – a celebrity who has had a major music hit – who is charming, fresh, exuding a positive feeling, but who is alas not lucky to have a better script in a more relevant film.

John Malkovich is one of the titans, sacred monsters of cinema, who takes on some parts that surely fund his more daring, art worthy, elevated projects, for being Pascal Sauvage, the Greedy Frenchman can offer some moments of mirth, but not much more.

Some may even feel sadden to watch the hero from Dangerous Liaisons, Being John Malkovich, The Killing Fields, Empire of the Sun and other worthy motion pictures reduced to the playing the role of a forgettable villain.

Pascal Sauvage has some grandiose – intended to be humorous – plans regarding…the British Monarchy, seeing as he traces in his genealogy a line to the royal family and thinks he can occupy…the throne.

His machinations have to be stopped by Johnny English

Only we know he knows nothing from the poster of the film and his first few interactions.

He is looking at the curtains, checking to see if there is something wrong and as he does so, he looks elsewhere and starts frisking an unsuspecting guest, in a lavish dress.

With Pascal Sauvage, the host, organizer and sponsor  of a special soiree near him, the hero insults the greedy, loathsome French man in front of Lorna Campbell aka Beautiful Natalie Imbruglia.

The jokes are the ones we expect and know from other comedies, with the spy catching his coat in the doors, falling when least expected, and maybe a scene that was special:

Johnny English makes a mistake when assuming a burial is actually a farce – it is real, only he does not know it – and jumps on the coffin, dancing a little, asking why they put nails on the thing…

He then moves to a grieving woman in the audience, looks at the tears, touches them and asks:

Are they real? Oh my God!

They paid you extra for that didn’t they?

He then moves to the pastor, other members of the audience with the bemused, surprised attitude of a man who knows this is all a show, and the ineptitude, carelessness that have made this agent so infamous.

He is the opposite of James Bond after all.

His partner arrives at the scene, calling Johnny English Gunther or something similar and pretending he is a lunatic.

Slowly he takes the gun – by the way, throughout the aforementioned spectacle, the Special Agent kept gesticulating with his pistol – and tries to sooth the mental patient, while making gestures to the audience.

They depart as medical help and victim of delusions, leaving behind a baffled, agonizing public.

This may have been the highlight, the climax of a comedy that is not special, even if the talent involved is remarkable.