Johnny English Reborn (2011)

“Johnny English Reborn” is a thoroughly entertaining sequel. It delivers all of the inventive gags and witty moments that made the first film so entertaining.

I have a strange history with “Johnny English Reborn.” When I first saw it, I thoroughly disliked the darker tone and higher body count, which makes it feel completely alien when compared to the original. Whilst I love action and spy movies that have stakes and consequences, I was caught off guard by the elements of self-seriousness that are featured in “Johnny English Reborn.” It’s obviously still a comedy, but “Reborn” lacks the easy-going air that makes “Johnny English” so re-watchable.

However, every time I revisit this movie, I appreciate it more and more. The fact that “Reborn” isn’t as happy-go-lucky as its predecessor makes sense in the post “Bourne” spy genre. I really enjoy the stylistic difference between the two films and how the franchise has moved with the times.

Rowan Atkinson is as phenomenal as ever, I really enjoy the fact that Johnny has evolved as a character and has matured (slightly) since the first film. Although the plot is a standard “convoluted McGuffin quest” adventure, the filmmakers and Atkinson did a spectacular job of turning even the simplest of scenes into comedy gold.

Nearly all of the film’s various jokes are hilarious, in particular, a running gag in which Johnny continues to batter elderly women with trays, believing them to be a Super-assassin-cleaner!

An aspect of “Johnny English Reborn” that I dislike is the lack of returning characters from the previous entry, in particular sidekick and highlight Bough. However, Johnny’s new assistant, Tucker, played by Daniel Kaluuya, is a worthy straight-man to English’s madcap antics and absolutely the most note-worthy new addition to the series. His on-screen chemistry with Atkinson was fantastic; I love how this film turned Johnny into a mentor to Tucker; it gave “Reborn” some heartfelt moments that built upon English’s character.

To talk about the villain I have to delve into spoiler territory, bearing in mind that the reveal of the villain isn’t played as a twist (as it is blindingly obvious.) so, with that in mind, SPOILER ALERT for a 7 year old comedy!

I personally really like Dominic West as the villainous Simon Ambrose. It was a clever idea to make the Bond archetype (Aston Martin and all) the antagonist in a Bond spoof. He was engaging, slightly intimidating and a polar opposite of the magnificently over-the-top Pascal Sauvage.

Speaking of James Bond, there is a scene in “Reborn” that takes place in a casino that is so similar to “Skyfall” (which was released a year later) that it can’t be coincidental! Both casinos are set in Macau and even the shot of Johnny getting his chips his replicated in “Skyfall. ” Comparing any movie to “Skyfall” is a compliment of the highest order as that film is my favourite in the Bond series and one of my favourite movies ever!

In my opinion, the strongest aspects of “Johnny English Reborn” (aside from the humour) are the action sequences. From the highly memorable and electrifying wheel chair chase to a surprisingly exciting punch-up in a cable car, this movie really excels at crafting edge-of-your-seat moments that are far better than similar sequences in other spoof comedies.

In conclusion, “Johnny English Reborn” is an immensely enjoyable follow-up that gives fans of Rowan Atkinson and spy movies everything they want and more. I highly recommend it!