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Derek Malcolm's rating
Too much action, not enough wit
By
Derek Malcolm
21 Aug 2008
Steve Carell is a comedian who relies on a dead straight face to cause laughter. There's some to be had in his latest effort, in which he appears as a Control agent trying to thwart a plot for world domination by a wicked crime syndicate.
Whatever happens to him, and quite a lot does, he maintains an expression where only a hint of surprise peeps out of those small, cold eyes.
He is aided in this slightly disorganised romp by Anne Hathaway as his fetching partner, Dwayne Johnson (otherwise known as The rock), as his agent idol, the always watchable Alan Arkin as his helpless boss and Terence Stamp as a smoothie chief villain.
The romp is directed by Peter Segal, who relies on action rather than wit and tumbles rather than good lines.
It is a surprise, in fact, that the characters are based on those created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry.
Carell has said that the film is 80 per cent comedy, 20 per cent action, 15 per cent heart, 35 per cent romance, 10 per cent adventure and probably less than one per cent horror.
If you can work that one out, you'll probably like it better than I did.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (1)
I am surprised you were so generous! This movie was, to put it in my daughter's words, "Yuck." These are very good actors working with a lousy script.
- Mbr, USA, 21/08/2008 16:11
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