Johnny English

Rowan Atkinson, the British actor best known for starring as Mr. Bean, must have never received the memo informing him that the spy spoof genre has already been filled. In fact, it's overflowing. Regardless, we get Johnny English-- a recycled, over-done formula that offers nothing we haven't seen already, and plenty we would rather not see at all.

The entire British Secret Service is killed off, leaving Johnny English (Atkinson) as the only agent left to keep watch at the unveiling of the newly restored Crown Jewels. Needless to say they are stolen, and he is assigned to get them back. John Malkovich plays the thief, Pascal Sauvage, a Frenchman who has his sights set not just on the jewels, but the English throne. Covering the Bond girl/love interest portion of the formula is double agent Lorna Campbell, played by Aussie pop singer Natalie Imbruglia.

Very apt in his "physical comedy," Atkinson succeeds in providing a few good laughs. Unfortunately, these laughs have nothing to do with the plot of the movie. I enjoyed watching him dance around the bathroom in his underwear lip-syncing to ABBA, but isn't that something Mr Bean would do? Certainly James Bond would never find himself crawling through a sewer system, emerging covered in poo, but alas Johnny English has no shame.

Malkovich, in an effort perhaps to spoof a French accent, has proven in the past, he has what it takes to play a good villain. Here, he plays a one-dimensional stereotype written without much panache or substance. Still, he does what he can, I suppose, with a role that requires him to sit around and wait for the dimwit agent to outwit him.

Johnny English is a more subtle, low-key addition to the spy spoof genre. It has charm in a category of parodies, full of gross-out jokes and tasteless humor. Atkinson, by no means has an American hit on his hands, but the Brit's sure do love him. Mike Myers probably isn't breaking a sweat, but Austin Powers called and he wants his mojo back.