Castelar at the Movies: Johnny English Reborn

   I will admit this is one of the wackiest sequels in the annals of movie history. The fictitious character of Johnny English is the opposite of James Bond in every way.  He is clumsy, unsophisticated and he doesn’t have the rugged charm of 007, but this secret agent is without a doubt a hoot to watch since this character is hilariously funny in every scene that he is in.  Honestly, Rowan Atkinson is perfect for this role as his mannerisms and comedic timing are simply impeccable which makes the film more enjoyable to watch. In the beginning of this sequel, we find Johnny English in Tibet because one disastrous mission made him lose his confidence in himself to remain as an MI7 agent. This particular mistake which has scarred Johnny’s psyche was both tragic and embarrassing. In essence Johnny is trying to seek enlightenment as penance for his earlier mistakes and he realizes that his road towards redemption will be an arduous one.

   Eventually, English returns to MI7 to thwart an evil plot by a mysterious organization known as Vortex. This time around his new boss is Pamela Thornton who is adequately portrayed by Gillian Anderson. Anderson portrays this authority figure as a person who always has a serious demeanor while being very strict with her agents. Johnny sees that his new superior doesn’t fully trust him as he is forced to team up with another agent during this new mission. Daniel Kaluuya portrays Johnny’s new partner named Agent Tucker who instantly realizes that working with Johnny is going to be a wild ride full of errors, danger and mayhem. These two men are very different, but they both learn to rely on each other when their lives are at risk. Furthermore, both Johnny and Tucker realize that the Vortex organization is constantly one step ahead of them and that this devious organization will eliminate anyone who gets in their way. 

     In order for Johnny to defeat this evil threat, he must come face to face with the memories which he has repressed inside his mind. These memories contain the necessary clues that will help him in his latest mission. Luckily, Johnny is able to access these repressed memories which have scarred him for life with the help of Kate Summers, MI7’s behavioral psychologist. Rosamund Pike portrays this character as an intelligent and determined woman who helps Johnny to deal with his inner demons while giving him the necessary confidence to defeat his enemies. In the end, Johnny’s unorthodox tactics and unpredictable behavior create some memorable moments throughout the film as most of the jokes in this comedy work terrifically. Even though Johnny English is too gullible and naïve, he is still one of the most hilarious characters I’ve seen on the Silver Screen.

Castelar