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And it is with such understatement that Atkinson proves he is a comic master. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feared an hour and a half of Mr Bean-isms. But Atkinson also does cool very well and when confronted with the misfortune a character like English inevitably attracts, it is the defiant “stiff upper lip” and almost refusing to admit anything is wrong at all that proves to be quite amusing. A simple gag with a broken chair rising up and down in a serious meeting was hardly going to be original. Yet the movement was so slow and the comedy impeccably controlled and sustained that the moment for me was as good as any of Peter Sellers as Clouseau. Throw in an unlikely Oriental always attacking him from out of the blue and it was very comparable. Indeed, Clouseau also came to fruition in a sequel!
Bond is our biggest movie export and the franchise is renowned for its big budgets and dangerous stunts. Any spoof worth its weight should match this and it does. I was impressed by the chase sequences and the view of a helicopter getting stuck in a traffic jam! And a great array of imaginative gadgets and effects. And unlike the latest Bond episodes, the love interest in the movie was understated, which was a point winner. Also understated was it’s comparisons to other contemporary movies which, as films like Hot Shots show, can age it quite quickly.
What? You want a quote from me? OK…here goes!
“Quite good sequel. Don’t be put off by the original!” – FilmFridays!
How terribly understated. One might almost say….English!
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