Dove Review

As far as special agents go, Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) may not be someone’s first choice. He’s often clumsy, clueless, conspicuous, and oh, yes—currently, he’s not even an agent. He’s a schoolteacher, and one who should be emphasizing academics over espionage instruction to the pupils. Yet, when the secret agency is hacked by a tech villain, they need someone who’s outside of the system to help, someone digitally uninvolved in the issue. They need someone who can save the day in an impending digital disaster. Faster than you can say “spoof sequel,” Johnny English and his secret agent antics are appearing again.

Johnny English Strikes Again may be considered to have much in common with its hero. It’s silly, spends some time occupied with action, some nice locations, and plenty of spy accoutrements. However, it could also be thought of as klutzy, with potentially effective jokes falling like the protagonist. The humor is rarely stirred nor shaken, it’s just poured onto the screen from a carton with a questionable expiration date.

Rowan Atkinson is capable of a very specific kind of comedy, and whether someone enjoys it or not, he certainly has his style and is skilled at delivering it. Yet here, his comedic style and capabilities are not showcased very well, and may have one recollecting previous moments from his career that inspired more than disappointing déjà vu.

While it may be positive that some of the characters, including a potential antagonist, fight the villain, there’s language, violence, plenty of alcohol, a scene with male rear nudity, and crude jokes amidst some of the other content on the conveyer belt of comedy. Johnny English Strikes Again is not Dove-Approved.

The Dove Take

A klutzy special agent is sent into action for the sake of a squandered sequel.

Dove Rating Details

0

Faith

None

2

Integrity

Slapstick violence; fighting, including hitting and punching; guns are seen and shot; dangerous items, such as volatile candy (that a character is about to eat); kids are instructed on various dangerous subjects, such as combat and bomb disposal.

2

Sex

Some of the jokes are suggestive (such as, “save your pillow talk for the cell.”); someone says someone else is “sexy”; Johnny English dances suggestively and unattractively; young students are instructed on how to say, “You look beautiful tonight.”

4

Language

G-3; G’s sake-1; JC-1; D-1; H-2; “up the universe’s a**” ; “b***ocks”; “crickey”-2; name-calling; some suggestive lyrics and song title, including “bad mother”

2

Violence

Slapstick violence; fighting, including hitting and punching; guns are seen and shot; dangerous items, such as volatile candy (that a character is about to eat); kids are instructed on various dangerous subjects, such as combat and bomb disposal.

3

Drugs

Alcohol is discussed, seen, and consumed much throughout various scenes; a character, intending to take a sedative to sleep, accidentally takes a major energy pill; a teacher instructs young students, all holding empty martini glasses; mention of sleeping pills.

2

Nudity

A wardrobe malfunction leaves an agent’s backside uncovered, and he’s seen from the rear and the side, and then the front with his private parts covered by a knight’s helmet; a revealing dress with much cleavage; formfitting and revealing outfits; a naked statue; artwork of a woman in a swimsuit

1