The movie is, at times, funny enough to make you cry, and, when it's not, it moves nicely as a parody.
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
Once in a long while, it even comes tantalizingly close to that rarest of modern film commodities -- ribald wit.
63
USA TodayClaudia Puig
USA TodayClaudia Puig
The jokes often are corny or labored, and the story is predictable. However, Atkinson raises the movie to the level of good fun by the force of his outrageous persona and skill at physical comedy.
60
Film ThreatRick Kisonak
Film ThreatRick Kisonak
Rowan Atkinson's spy spoof is wildly uneven and yet, at times, nothing less than wildly entertaining.
50
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
Johnny English never builds any momentum, and Atkinson simply isn't a good enough actor to mine continued laughs from repetitive material.
50
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
By playing the boob so brilliantly, Atkinson allows us the catharsis of recognizing our own incompetencies and lack of poise.
50
Miami HeraldConnie Ogle
Miami HeraldConnie Ogle
Despite its contemporary-sounding anti-French cracks, could easily have been made 20 years ago.
50
Film Threat
Film Threat
All in all, Johnny English isn’t a bad effort. Rowan Atkinson is much more of a comedian than Mike Myers is, but unfortunately Myers had the spy spoof down pat.
50
PremiereAaron Hillis
PremiereAaron Hillis
Favorably, Atkinson’s family-friendly, rubber-limbed professionalism can revitalize even the most vapid of material, which this certainly is. Anyone who has seen an episode of Black Adder can tell you that he’s leaps and bounds funnier than this sitcom-grade bauble.