Central Intelligence - directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Amy Ryan, Danielle Nicolet, Jason Bateman, Aaron Paul, Ryan Hansen, Tim Griffin, Timothy John Smith, Sione Kelepi, Dylan Boyack, Thomas Kretschmann, Megan Park, Melissa McCarthy
Screenplay: Ike Baronholtz, David Stassen & Rawson Marshall Thurber
You've seen the trailer for this one - Dwayne Johnson mo-capped onto a flabby kids body as he sings and dances with reckless abandon in the school showers before being tossed naked out in front of the entire school by pranking bullies.
If you were like me the scene amused you more for its Weta executed effects greatness than anything else but still- there was the hope that the movie itself would be genuinely, consistently funny.
I felt somewhat reassured when the director was revealed as Rawson Marshall Thurber.
He did a great job on "Dodgeball" and "We're the Millers" and this film looked to be going for something like the vibe of those films mixed with a little of the very good, similarly plotted Will Ferrell / Mark Wahlberg flick "The Other Guys".
(Note that Dwayne Johnson had a very funny cameo in that movie)
Sadly "Central Intelligence" isn't as good as any of the other films that I have mentioned but it still provides good solid entertainment thanks to the enthusiasm and chemistry of its leads.
It's a pretty tired plot whereby the once bullied Robert (Dwayne Johnson) becomes a buff super spy named Bob Stone and Calvin (Hart) his only friend in school changes from super popular to middle American accountant fed up with his life.
The plot that brings the two back together twenty years after the unfortunate prank is far fetched and paper thin to say the least but then we aren't here for sharp plotting and intrigue.
This is purely and simply a comedy.
It has action but it is so insipid as to barely qualify as such.
Very few people are killed despite a ridiculous number of discharged firearms.
From very early on this announces itself as a PG-13 kind of flick.
Even the profanity is dialled right down and most of the humour is derived from Dwayne Johnson playing a big softie.
He constantly wears a fanny-pack, loves the movie "Sixteen Candles" and says that he always thought he would turn into 'a Molly Ringwald'.
Also he is a hugger and for much of the movie his worship of his high school friend crosses the line into stalker-obsession territory.
Good job then that Dwayne Johnson can get away with it by virtue of his squeaky clean, likeable persona.
It is funny to see the big man tormenting the diminutive Hart with affection.
The duo are clearly enjoying the hell out of themselves here.
Stay for the end credits where a bunch of out-takes provide ample evidence.
You may find that these extra scenes are the funniest moments in the movie but there are some decent laughs scattered throughout the film proper.
Mostly the humour comes from dialogue.
Apart from Johnson's frequent out of character effeminate outbursts there are quite random moments of goofiness.
At one point Johnson tells Hart that he is 'like a black Will Smith' which made me laugh more than I can explain.
Aaron Paul also gets a nice "Breaking Bad" in-joke line and there is a very nice cameo late in the piece from Melissa McCarthy who I would love to see working with Johnson again - maybe a "Spy 2" could find a place for him?
None of this should imply however that there are ever quite enough laughs or any really big ones.
Also it takes a fair while to get going after that opening flashback sequence.
There is a pretty funny waitress character played by Megan Park whose blatant flirting with Johnson is a hoot.
It could have done with a harder edge though and felt like it had been toned down to me.
In fact this movie would have done well to take a leaf out of McCarthy's "Spy" book and gone for an R-Rating.
The extra punch in the dialogue and the action would have served this film well.
I never shook the feeling that I was watching a very light piece of entertainment.
The plot doesn't help by being incredibly predictable.
You should see every development coming a mile away, every twist and a lot of the punchlines too.
Jason Bateman appears about halfway through and pretty much steals the movie as he is want to do.
He is perfect for this kind of film and I wished he had been used more.
Better off in terms of screen minutes is Amy Ryan whose CIA character definitely feels like she belongs in a harder edged movie.
I love Amy Ryan and it would have been a lot of fun to see her cut loose in this role.
She gets plenty of screentime thanks to an inflated almost two hour runtime which needed to be a little shorter.
There is a subplot about Hart's marriage that is half baked and just made me want to re-watch "True Lies".
All in all "Central Intelligence" is what a friend of mine refers to as 'A pleasant little time waster'.
I doubt many will remember it for too long after they leave the cinema but I would also imagine that should it come on tv at some point in the future the same viewer would probably not turn the set off.
It trots along at a decent pace with enough goofiness and humour to just about occupy the 108 minutes.
I would love to see a 95 minute R-Rated cut though - less fat and more meat.
The movies biggest failing seems to be a lack of faith in itself - ironic for a movie that looks at issues of self image and confidence.
It smacks a little of studio interference - maybe this was going to be a harder edged flick and Universal and/or New Line decided to go for a broader crowd?
Regardless- if you liked the trailer "Central Intelligence" should prove a perfectly fine comedy flick that is the ticket price.
RATING: 70 / 100
CONCLUSION: About as many laughs as I expected but fewer than I had hoped this is a decent comedy that really should have been R rated and free to be what it really wants (and needs) to be- over the top, outrageous fun.
Screenplay: Ike Baronholtz, David Stassen & Rawson Marshall Thurber
Music Score by: Ludwig Goransson & Theodore Shapiro
Cinematography: Barry Peterson
Edited by: Brian Scott Olds & Michael L. Sale
Running Time: 108 minutes
Language: English
Rated: M - mild violence and profanity and a CGI flabby butt
Cinematography: Barry Peterson
Edited by: Brian Scott Olds & Michael L. Sale
Running Time: 108 minutes
Language: English
Rated: M - mild violence and profanity and a CGI flabby butt
You've seen the trailer for this one - Dwayne Johnson mo-capped onto a flabby kids body as he sings and dances with reckless abandon in the school showers before being tossed naked out in front of the entire school by pranking bullies.
If you were like me the scene amused you more for its Weta executed effects greatness than anything else but still- there was the hope that the movie itself would be genuinely, consistently funny.
I felt somewhat reassured when the director was revealed as Rawson Marshall Thurber.
He did a great job on "Dodgeball" and "We're the Millers" and this film looked to be going for something like the vibe of those films mixed with a little of the very good, similarly plotted Will Ferrell / Mark Wahlberg flick "The Other Guys".
(Note that Dwayne Johnson had a very funny cameo in that movie)
Sadly "Central Intelligence" isn't as good as any of the other films that I have mentioned but it still provides good solid entertainment thanks to the enthusiasm and chemistry of its leads.
It's a pretty tired plot whereby the once bullied Robert (Dwayne Johnson) becomes a buff super spy named Bob Stone and Calvin (Hart) his only friend in school changes from super popular to middle American accountant fed up with his life.
The plot that brings the two back together twenty years after the unfortunate prank is far fetched and paper thin to say the least but then we aren't here for sharp plotting and intrigue.
This is purely and simply a comedy.
It has action but it is so insipid as to barely qualify as such.
Very few people are killed despite a ridiculous number of discharged firearms.
From very early on this announces itself as a PG-13 kind of flick.
Even the profanity is dialled right down and most of the humour is derived from Dwayne Johnson playing a big softie.
He constantly wears a fanny-pack, loves the movie "Sixteen Candles" and says that he always thought he would turn into 'a Molly Ringwald'.
Also he is a hugger and for much of the movie his worship of his high school friend crosses the line into stalker-obsession territory.
 |
| Much of the comedy is drawn from the chalk and cheese nature of Johnson and Hart's size differences and professions |
It is funny to see the big man tormenting the diminutive Hart with affection.
The duo are clearly enjoying the hell out of themselves here.
Stay for the end credits where a bunch of out-takes provide ample evidence.
You may find that these extra scenes are the funniest moments in the movie but there are some decent laughs scattered throughout the film proper.
Mostly the humour comes from dialogue.
Apart from Johnson's frequent out of character effeminate outbursts there are quite random moments of goofiness.
At one point Johnson tells Hart that he is 'like a black Will Smith' which made me laugh more than I can explain.
Aaron Paul also gets a nice "Breaking Bad" in-joke line and there is a very nice cameo late in the piece from Melissa McCarthy who I would love to see working with Johnson again - maybe a "Spy 2" could find a place for him?
 |
| Supporting cast includes Aaron Paul, the great Amy Ryan and Danielle Nicolet |
Also it takes a fair while to get going after that opening flashback sequence.
There is a pretty funny waitress character played by Megan Park whose blatant flirting with Johnson is a hoot.
It could have done with a harder edge though and felt like it had been toned down to me.
In fact this movie would have done well to take a leaf out of McCarthy's "Spy" book and gone for an R-Rating.
The extra punch in the dialogue and the action would have served this film well.
I never shook the feeling that I was watching a very light piece of entertainment.
The plot doesn't help by being incredibly predictable.
You should see every development coming a mile away, every twist and a lot of the punchlines too.
Jason Bateman appears about halfway through and pretty much steals the movie as he is want to do.
He is perfect for this kind of film and I wished he had been used more.
Better off in terms of screen minutes is Amy Ryan whose CIA character definitely feels like she belongs in a harder edged movie.
I love Amy Ryan and it would have been a lot of fun to see her cut loose in this role.
She gets plenty of screentime thanks to an inflated almost two hour runtime which needed to be a little shorter.
There is a subplot about Hart's marriage that is half baked and just made me want to re-watch "True Lies".
 |
| (left and centre) WETA Digital provided mo-cap and visual effects and (right) Kevin Hart provides the screams |
I doubt many will remember it for too long after they leave the cinema but I would also imagine that should it come on tv at some point in the future the same viewer would probably not turn the set off.
It trots along at a decent pace with enough goofiness and humour to just about occupy the 108 minutes.
I would love to see a 95 minute R-Rated cut though - less fat and more meat.
The movies biggest failing seems to be a lack of faith in itself - ironic for a movie that looks at issues of self image and confidence.
It smacks a little of studio interference - maybe this was going to be a harder edged flick and Universal and/or New Line decided to go for a broader crowd?
Regardless- if you liked the trailer "Central Intelligence" should prove a perfectly fine comedy flick that is the ticket price.
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