‘Strikes Again’, ode to low-tech charm

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Mercury’s spontaneity challenged ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ star

There’s nothing really new or fresh or bold in “Johnny English Strikes Again”, the third installment of Rowan Atkinson’s bumbling-spy saga/James Bond spoof.

And for some of us, maybe that’s not such a terrible thing. Sometimes you don’t want the hip new cocktail. Sometimes you just want the same beer at the same temperature at the same time in the same comfy chair. (Especially these days, perhaps, but we digress.)

So when Atkinson’s Johnny, on the run in a Scottish castle, winds up in a room of decorative suits of armor, you start chuckling preemptively. Because of course you know he’s going to hide in one of those suits, and of course you know he’s going to have a massively difficult time staying upright, and, well … it’ll be funny. Not innovative or thought-provoking, and certainly not snarky or biting. Just funny.

If that’s not enough, we also have Emma Thompson as the British prime minister. Thompson as anything at all would be a plus, but watching her channel her inner Maggie Thatcher – and mix in a little Theresa May – may have you immediately bemoaning the fact she only got to play a prime minister’s SISTER in “Love Actually”. What a waste!

In any case, we begin a week before the PM is to host a crucial G12 summit in Scotland. Things are not going well. A major security breach at MI17 exposes the identity of every British secret agent. To replace them, they call in aging former agents. Enter Johnny, who’s been spending his days teaching schoolkids the essentials of Bondian spycraft (seduction via martini, for example).

He’s a fish out of water. In a high-tech world, he’s lower than low-tech; he’s no-tech. He rejects even a smartphone. All he wants is a gun, and a dusty old Aston Martin to drive. He’s joined in this venture by his erstwhile partner from the first movie in 2003, loyal sidekick Bough (a pleasant Ben Miller.)

But, you ask, who’s the villain? Well, that would be technology itself, in the form of a (truly annoying) Silicon Valley billionaire smartypants – you know the type – named Jason Volta (Jake Lacy, in a one-dimensional role). Jason has completely charmed the tech-challenged prime minister, who is unaware of his sinister hidden goals.

But he can’t track an enemy who has no digital footprint. At least that’s Johnny’s theory. He’s untraceable, but he also can’t make a phone call. His low-tech strategy extends to everything: He has a mixtape on a cassette! His spy gadget works with a floppy disc! It’s unclear if kids in the audience will know what these things are.

But they likely will crack up when Johnny tests out a virtual reality headset and ends up wandering into streets and stores and attacking people randomly. They’ll also laugh, as will most anyone, when Johnny takes an energy pill instead of a sleeping pill and hits the dance floor for an entire night, posing and preening as only Atkinson, still agile at 63, can.

Moments

Sure, the scene is telegraphed about an hour ahead of time. But that doesn’t mean it’s not entertaining. At these moments, director David Kerr does the logical thing, which is to just get out of the way and let Atkinson perform.

The finale comes at that Scottish castle at Loch Ness, where smarmy Jason makes his intentions known – they’re rather confusing, actually, but they definitely involve the internet – and it’s up to no-tech Johnny to save the day.

You may forget the barely serviceable plot on the way out of the theater. But you’ll likely remember when Atkinson gets a cocktail umbrella stuck in his nose, while trying to woo gorgeous – and dramatically named – Ophelia (Olga Kurylenko), an enemy agent. Or when he’s trying to defy gravity in that darned suit of armor.

It’s not complicated. But there are worse things in life than 88 minutes of uncomplicated chuckling.

“Johnny English Strikes Again”, a Focus Features release, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America “for some action violence, rude humor, language and brief nudity.” Running time: 88 minutes. Two stars out of four.

Also:

LONDON: When television actor Rami Malek took on the role of colorful rock star Freddie Mercury in the film “Bohemian Rhapsody”, he found the biggest challenge was capturing the Queen lead singer’s commanding presence on stage.

Malek, the Emmy-winning star of TV drama “Mr. Robot”, portrays Mercury from his early days with Queen in the 1970s, through its rise to worldwide fame with anthems such as “We Will Rock You”, to a rousing performance at the Live Aid benefit concert in July 1985 at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Mercury was known for an electric stage persona that connected with audiences.

“Every time Freddie was on stage, and in his normal civilian life, he just did everything spontaneously,” Malek said on Tuesday at the film’s world premiere in London. “Trying to capture spontaneity is quite an arduous task.”

Malek worked with a movement coach to convey Mercury’s strutting stage presence and also contributed to the soundtrack.

Filmmakers used a combination of Mercury’s real voice, Malek’s voice and another singer against the band’s original recordings to showcase the band’s vast catalog of hits.

The film also documents Mercury’s personal battles, including his struggle with his sexuality and drug and alcohol use. Mercury in 1991 was one of the first British celebrities to die from AIDS, at age 45.

Surviving Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor endorsed the film. Both praised Malek’s performance as well as the actors who played them on screen and who showcased how the band collaborated on its groundbreaking sound. (Agencies)

By Jocelyn Noveck

This news has been read 7973 times!