*WARNING SPOILERS*
A review of Central Intelligence
As soon as the film began I was hooked into the title sequence that showed code and hacking abilities which would later become a prominent part of the narrative. To be honest, I wasn't thinking this film was going to be much, maybe a couple of laughs here and there but I couldn't have been more wrong. I rarely laugh out loud in cinemas because I don't like to annoy those around me but the jokes that were coming from the characters were perfectly times and truly witty.
Central Intelligence sees two high school "friends" reunite after 20 years to solve an international conspiracy. Dwayne Johnson played Unicorn loving, butt kicking CIA agent Bob Stone, while Kevin Hart took on the role of an innocent Accountant (Calvin Joyner) who felt like a disappointment. After Joyner accepts Stone's Facebook invitation the accountant turned CIA accomplice gets mixed up with a plot to sell dangerous information to the highest bidder. I have always loved Kevin Hart's comedy and he definitely didn't disappoint in this film. If he wasn't verbally making a joke he was displaying comedic expressions through his face and body. Timing is everything when it comes to comedy and they really hit the nail on the head. Whenever a joke occurred it would take a few milliseconds for you to understand and then when you did the laughing began. While I walked into that theatre fully aware of Hart's comedic palette, I was not expecting Johnson to be as funny as he was. Again he performed brilliantly and I loved how one minute he could seem sweet and innocent talking about 16 Candles and the next moment he is kicking the arse's of jerks that try and stand up to him. In addition, whenever he was doing any action sequences he usually did it with a big grin on his face and constantly pumping out humorous remarks.
Talking of action sequences, I didn't realise they were going to be as good as they were. I thought they would centre in on the comedic side and leave out any actual action. Again, I was wrong. From bar fights to explosions. The action and comedy was perfectly mixed to create great scenes that I shan't forget. One moment that was perfect was just after Stone had been tortured; he went to high five Joyner on their bold escape but Joyner wasn't greeted with a high five, instead a broken finger. Johnson's character didn't think much about it and just put it back into place (all while smiling). Hart's reaction to the prosthetic trick was priceless and got many laughs and gasps from those around me.
I want to end this review on a high note so I am going to say the negatives now. I know, I promised for positivity but this wouldn't be a complete review without criticism. I didn't dislike much, I have to say, but there were two things that bugged me. At the beginning of the film Johnson's character is only 16 years old and going by his birth name Robbie Weirdicht. As The Rock is 44 years old, and really can't pass off as a 16 year old like Kevin Hart can, special effects were used to superimpose Johnson's face onto Vine star Sione Kelepi. Now, yes, I know how hard it is to do immaculate CG animation but I just felt that what was shown didn't really draw me into the younger version of the character as much as I wanted.
Furthermore, I love a good plot twist, as much as the next person but the amount of times I have seen a partner die in a Spy film and then be brought back to life is disheartening. As soon as his fake guts splattered the elevator door I said to myself "Yeah he isn't dead". Also, it being Aaron Paul basically confirmed the twist as he is a rather big actor who wouldn't have been invited onto the film to do just a matter of seconds worth of acting. Having said this, Aaron Paul delivered a great performance and spoke a line that really made me laugh. If you know Paul you know he played Jesse Pinkman in the critically acclaimed Breaking Bad. Within that show, Paul gained a reputation for saying the word "bitch". If you ever hear someone doing an impression of Paul I can promise you they will say that taboo. Anyway, back to Central Intelligence. Near the end of the film a fight ensues and Paul's character says that famous line. A soft chuckle escaped my mouth as I understood the reference and a few others in the cinema joined me in this understanding. Of course, my mum (who knows nothing of the series) just looked at me like I was crazy.
Now, I come to the end of the film. An actress that I think highly of, for her comedy and performances, is Melissa McCarthy and to my surprise in the reunion scene she played a previously mentioned character by the name of Darla. Unfortunately, she was uncredited but her performance was nothing less of what you would expect and it was a really nice surprise to see her in the film.
Finally, the amount of references didn't stop at "bitch"; I lost count of how many times I laughed at a perfectly timed reference. However, there was one line which really stood out and made me and the rest of the cinema loudly proclaim our joy. In the last few minutes of the film. Joyner wears a suit and Stone turns to him and says "You look like a black Will Smith". It was such an unexpected, stupid line that it took a few seconds to grasp (like one of Tim Vine's puns) but when it hit I couldn't stop laughing.
Overall, I highly enjoyed this comedic masterpiece and I am contemplating going and seeing it again in the next few weeks. If you want to spend a couple of hours non stop laughing go and watch Central Intelligence, I promise you won't be disappointed.
Thank you for reading,
Haynes.
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