'Johnny English Strikes Again' shows the importance of entertainment

Rowan Atkinson's spy-sequel shows the importance of having light-hearted, entertainment-first films balanced with those factual, grittier and high-quality dramas

'Johnny English Strikes Again' (Universal/Comcast Corp.)

by Jack Linsdell

Rowan Atkinson's return as the infamous and bumbling spy in 'Johnny English Strikes Again', has been playing in international and UK cinemas for a few weeks now, and is nearing its last week before it debuts in America. 

As noted by Box Office Mojo, the spy-spoof has earned an impressive $82.7 million globally so far as of five days ago, meaning it'll probably flirt with $100 million by the end of this upcoming weekend. The first two films ended their run with $160 million in total, so with territories still to play, the three-quel will still become a mini-commercial success. In terms of predicting its North American run, then if it gets anywhere between the $28 million debut of 'Johnny English' and the $8.3 million opening weekend of 'Johnny English Reborn' then that'll be a win and will help push the flick nearer those $160 million grosses of its predesccors. 

I'm a big fan of this series and the films come under what I term a "comfortable pair of slippers", in which I can just put in the DVD and be entertained continuously in a light-hearted spy-spoof with comedy and action. And, when I watched 'Johnny English Strikes Again' (and as noted in my review of it), I was left disappointed with the quality of the film compared to the series' prior flicks although I laughed all the way through. On Thursday, two weeks later, I went back to see it again and I surprisingly enjoyed it much more on the second viewing and actually believe the quality of the film is faultless (as a Johnny English film) until the last act showdown begins in Scotland. And, although I still think it can be personified as a "missed opportunity" for not equalling the prior flicks quality and being a little to mean on the way it was edited (with Olga Kurylenko's whole love arc with English being cut out for example giving it a lack of emotional depth), I feel like I've received closure on it. 

And, on that point, it made me consider how rare a film like 'Johnny English Strikes Again' is in today's industry, in that really one cannot critic it for how "well" it is made (although Atkinson is on fine form, the gags are excellent and Kerr's direction is, at times, well judged) like I did originally but instead note the importance of just going to the cinema to see a film that is outlandish and nonsensical but is deeply entertaining. Indeed, knowing that the film doesn't compete with the overall quality of the first two Atkinson-led flicks meant that my expectations were lowered and I could enjoy it for what it is. And, in todays harsh world and with many experiencing day-to-day stresses and problems, there is something appealing about a group of strangers being untied in a dark screen and laughing collectively at someone making a fool of themselves. The power of entertainment sometimes has to be judged on if the audience has had a good time. And, if they have then the film has reached its ultimate objective. 

Yes, I like to watch well-made films because that is the mentality I have when writing my own screenplays and films. However, and although it is important to see those factual and high-quality dramas, it is occasionally nice to watch a movie for what it is. And, therefore, with Universal/Comcast Corp. and all involved in the film's production actually prioritising audience entertainment over making a Spielberg-standard feature film, is something rare and in this case and privilege. If you haven't seen it yet, make a date with your local cinema. 

'Johnny English Strikes Again' is not a "good" film. However, it is as entertaining as its predesccors and any similar competition out there, and for once that is enough.