Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2359 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-08-11
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 84 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
There have been films based on books, video games, theme park rides and even songs, but Johnny English must be the first one based on an advert. Taking its inspiration from the Barclaycard commercials, which starred Rowan Atkinson as a hapless MI6 agent, this full-length film is a cross between a James Bond spoof and Mr Bean. Johnny (a pen-pusher who dreams of a life in her majesty's secret service) is given the mission to protect the crown jewels after a bomb kills all of MI6's existing spies. Unfortunately they are stolen from right under his nose by evil industrialist, Pascal Sauvage (a ridiculously accented John Malkovich) who is intent on seizing the British throne and turning the UK into the biggest prison colony in the world. Thus follows comic set-piece after set-piece, including a hilarious car chase and the obligatory breaking-into-the-evil-genius's-lair sequence, in which English, ably assisted by his much more intelligent subordinate Bough (a brilliantly patient Ben Miller), tries to recover the jewels, stop Sauvage's nefarious scheme, prove to his superiors that he is not completely insane and get the girl, here an Interpol agent played by Natalie Imbruglia.

It's a one-joke movie: he's the worst secret agent in the world. Situations and script are more than a trifle cliched, too, and John Malkovich's performance is cringeworthy. But Atkinson's talent for creating a frustrating but ultimately endearing character is firmly set in the British tradition of rooting for the underdog. The result is an entertaining and endearing spoof with some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments and sparks of originality that more than outnumber the groans. --Kristen Bowditch

Special Features

• Making of... documentary
  
• Self-defence techniques
  
• Character profiles
  
• Observation tests

DVD-ROM extras:

• Downloads
  
• Spy Challenge
  
• Spy Profiler
  
• Indentikit

DVD Technical Information:

• Running Time: 84 minutes
  
• Region Code: 2
  
• Full Frame
  
• Soundtrack Language: Dolby Digital 5.1: English
  
• Subtitles: English

Synopsis
When the British government fears that a plan is afoot to steal the royal family's beloved crown jewels from their secure home in the Tower of London, secret agent Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) is assigned to the case. Unfortunately, English isn't the British Secret Service's first choice for the job; he's just the only secret agent that is still alive. Even though English dreams of being a suave, debonair agent and has only the best intentions, the hapless Brit continually makes matters worse as he tries to save his country from falling into the clutches of French prison mogul Pascal Sauvage, played by John Malkovich. Among other things, English misuses secret agent gadgets, inadvertently leaks his plans to the bad guys, takes the most inopportune route into Sauvage's castle, and generally makes silly mistakes--and somehow gets away with it. Physical comedian Atkinson, best known as Mr. Bean, shines in this film, which was directed by Peter Howitt (SLIDING DOORS). JOHNNY ENGLISH also features British comedian Ben Miller as Bough, English's mild-mannered, but surprisingly effective sidekick from the agency. Australian singer and actress Natalie Imbruglia makes her feature film debut as Special Agent Lorna Campbell.

Customer Reviews

Pretty Impressive Considering
Considering that the premise for this film is based on a series of Barclaycard commercials, combined with the fact that I felt that these James Bond spy-like spoofs had been done to death (in the form of Austin Powers), and also the fact that everyone kept telling me that I wasn't missing anything from Johnny English, meant that when I finally got around to watching the film, I didn't hold out much hope. However all things considered, I was pretty impressed with what I got.

Rowan Atkinson plays the main character of Johnny English, a somewhat incompetent and half-witted clerk and secret agent for MI7. When an event causes the death of every single secret agent apart from Johnny, it's up to him to serve his queen and country by protecting the crown jewels. However despite his best efforts, they are stolen by Pascal Sauvage, a French man who has his eyes and the British throne, and also has a twisted desire into turning the entire United Kingdom in to a giant floating prison.

Needless to say, I was hooked from the moment I started to laugh at the opening sequence. The film is very comical throughout, very silly in places but more importantly it's also genuinely funny. While some of the jokes are old school to say the least, and not exactly original, they are still pretty funny when delivered in the way they are. Add some brilliant scenes, such as the car chase, some action, some romance, and not to forget the scene where Johnny English pretends to fight a made up burglar (with orange hair, and an eye patch among other things) makes for a very funny film.

The plot and script while not exactly Shakespeare were constant and well structured. Even the ending of Johnny English was pretty much picture perfect and entertaining.

Rowan Atkinson as usual is perfect in his role, and delivers a hilarious but natural and seamless performance. His sidekick played by Ben Millar is also pretty good. However I did feel that Natalie Imbruglia performance was a bit disappointing, and she is perhaps under used to some extent.

Johnny English isn't by any means perfect. It is a bit too predictable at times and even weak in places, along the lines of maybe just too unrealistic, but considering the film's genre it's forgivable, especially when it results in such a funny way. The humor and it's context may put some off, and some won't like Rowan Atkinsons style, as a result I'm sure that this film won't please everybody. The special features included on the DVD, are not exactly the most interesting, they include "The Making Of Johnny English" and "Character Profiles." which were pretty disappointing.

But overall a very fun comedy, that delivers several brilliant laugh out loud moments, and also a few scenes of toilet humour. While not being too outrageous, it still makes you laugh.

Johnny English is no where near as bad as what I expected. While it's not the greatest nor the most intelligent film of recent times, it's one that's entertaining none the less. If your looking for something to sit down and watch, a film that will make you laugh without demanding much use of your Brain, then Johnny English is an ideal choice.

Nowhere near as bad as everyone is making out!
My son wanted to rent this last weekend, and I was not keen. I'd read the press reviews stating how limp is was, and I looked on the reviews here and thought that the rather mixed response would probably tally with my own view that, Rowan Atkinson, whilst funny on the small screen (with the exception of Thin Blue Line and Mr. Bean, which I find funny but too excruciating after a while) does not translate well to the big screen as a main character.

How wrong I was.

We rented it and, begrudgingly, I watched it. In moments I was thoroughly enjoying it. It is a pure example of classic British Farce, and the jokes, visual and aural, are enough to keep you laughing out loud, a rare event for me!

Certainly, if one is looking for a modern day commentary of government policy, the futility of life in western society, or even subtle comedy that you can smugly chuckle at in the safe knowledge that the plebians around you are too uneducated to understand, go to an arts cinema, but if you wish to be entertained and have your mood lightened by some classic silliness, then buy this movie.

We did. The day after renting it.

A great film for adults and kids alike
Some critics say that, in this film, Rowan Atkinson is too much like Mr Bean. I say that that's fine, because it makes for some really funny scenes! Tim Miller as Bough is perfect, and Malkovich's French accent as cringeworthy as he intended!
I have to say that I think the film deserves its PG rating, though, because of scenes including a gross-out one where Atkinson climbs up a sewage pipe and the toilet above is flushed (although my 8 year old sister found this hilarious), one with a man's bare bottom, and one where the two leads are talking about "making love" (though kids won't really understand the line "[you want to do] things involving plastic toys and soft cheese?"!) and liberal repetition of the word "a**e". Other than these, this is the best film in a long time that can be enjoyed by adults and kids.