David McK (3361 KP) rated Johnny English Strikes Again (2018) in Movies
Dec 14, 2019 (Updated Nov 20, 2020)
This time, he is pulled out of retirement after a cyber attack reveals the identities of all of England's active spies, with Johnny (and his sidekick Bough, again played by Ben Miller) thus a 'low tech' solution to a high tech problem.
Rowan Atkinson does his usual rubber-faced buffoonery throughout, with a bit of glamour provided by Olga Kurylenka in a film that, while inoffensive enough, never really seems to 'catch fire'.
Manners & Mutiny (Finishing School #4)
10.0
Rate It
Book
If one must flirt...flirt with danger. Lessons in the art of espionage aboard Mademoiselle...
werewolves vampires victorian spies
Simple Genius (King & Maxwell #3)
8.0
Rate It
Book
Near Washington, D.C., there are two clandestine institutions: the world’s most unusual laboratory...
Lee (2222 KP) rated Spies in Disguise (2019) in Movies
Jan 1, 2020
But before we get to his voicing of Walter in Spies in Disguise, we meet much younger Walter, 14 years earlier, building gadgets and being branded a weirdo at school. His police officer mum comforts Walter, telling him that weird is good and the world needs weirdos. And that one day, the invention he’s just tested on his unsuspecting mum - a grenade which explodes into glitter and projects cute kittens - might just come in handy...
Will Smith on the other hand, hasn’t had quite as great a year as Tom Holland. Ridiculed for his blue genie in the run up to the release of Aladdin, he actually wasn’t too bad when the movie came out. But then came the disaster that was Gemini Man. Hopefully though, the upcoming sequel ‘Bad Boys for Life’ will be a return to form for Smith, but for now, starring as the voice of Lance Sterling, the worlds greatest spy, has certainly landed him a winner. A suave, charming, one man operation, we’re shown just how cool and impressive Sterling is as he single-handedly and effortlessly takes out dozens of bad guys using combat skills and a variety of spy gadgets. But Lance is suddenly caught off guard when, instead of releasing a more traditional explosive to take out some goons, he releases a glitter-kitty explosion.
Returning to headquarters a hero, we discover that Walter is now working in the gadgets department, where new tricks and toys for spies are designed and tested. Lance is not impressed with Walter messing up his operation and the pair don’t exactly hit it off on the right foot. But when Lance is wrongly accused of committing a crime, he must go on the run and reluctantly team up with Walter to get the bad guy and clear his name. And how is he going to do that without being seen and caught? Well, just so happens that Walter has invented a way of turning humans into pigeons!
There’s nothing particularly new about the main plot of Spies in Disguise, aside from the pigeon aspect of it all of course. But it’s the fast paced action and humour that really sets this apart from the crowd and quite often reminded me of The Incredibles - great characters and great ideas all mixed together with some impressive visuals and slick action. Both Tom Holland and Will Smith are perfect in their roles and, aside from a bit of a mid-movie dip, Spies in Disguise actually proved to be hugely entertaining.
Strangers on a Bridge: The Case of Colonel Abel
Book
The gripping first-hand account of the events that inspired the major film Bridge of Spies,...
Day of the Assassins
Book
Tanks, spies and assassinations - history just got interesting! When teenager Jack Christie stumbles...
XXX (2002)
7.0
Rate It
Movie Watch
Vin Diesel stars as former extreme sports athlete Xander "XXX" Cage, notorious for his death-defying...
Papers Please
8.3
Rate It
Video Game Watch
The communist state of Arstotzka has ended a 6-year war with neighboring Kolechia and reclaimed its...
Upright Women Wanted
8.0
Rate It
Book
(From the publisher) Esther is a stowaway. She’s hidden herself away in the Librarian’s book...