Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? Yes!
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Indeed.
Secret ending? Yes!
Running time: 120 minutes (2 hours)
“Spy” is an action adventure comedy about an unlikely spy who is thrust into unexpected circumstances – and surprises everyone, including herself, with the unforeseen outcome of her spying. It stars Melissa McCarthy (Susan Cooper), Jason Statham (Rick Ford), Jude Law (Bradley Fine), Rose Byrne (Rayna Boyanov), Miranda Hart (Nancy), and Bobby Cannavale (De Luca). It is rated M-18.
For its premise, “Spy” packs a great deal of action – almost as much as the comedy itself. It packs a lot of big names which all deliver superbly, rather than just being there for the sake of star power and a pay cheque cameo. Don’t let it’s silly premise or unusual lead fool you – there’s a lot more to this movie than meets the eye, and far more entertainment than the posters let on.
Highlights
Melissa McCarthy is great at both comedy and action
It’s not just that Melissa McCarthy is a fantastic comedian – we’ve seen that in her numerous other excellent performances – but she delivers jokes as well as she takes them, giving us priceless reactions, especially through Susan’s exasperation towards Rick. She also plays an agile and physically formidable spy with great poise and believability as well, coming into her own by the middle of the movie. By playing against type and rising to the occasion, we get a protagonist that’s both lovably endearing and admirably competent.
Jason Statham’s indignant Rick Ford
Perhaps it’s the way his character takes everything absolutely seriously, or maybe it’s just Jason Statham being himself. Nevertheless, Rick Ford’s habit of taking affront at everything and being indignant with everyone makes him an amusingly good comedian, especially since he has precious few action scenes. It’s hard to tell if he’s intentionally playing up the intensity of his character, but regardless, it works to everyone’s favour.
Rayna the vulgar seductress
Rose Byrne’s classy yet cruel anti-hero, Rayna Boyanov, is yet another gem in a film that’s full of comic geniuses. Her beautiful and slightly naive character makes for a wonderful villainess who straddles the fine line between the campy and dramatic. We can’t quite tell whether we’re rooting for her to win or lose, but suffice to say that she carries all of her scenes with grace and aplomb.
Wordplay and subtle puns
Did you notice the “Great Expectations” joke in there? Or the sarcastic reference to overblown terrorist organisation names a la the Chechnyan Martyrs Brigade? The jokes come fast and furious, but as with all good comedies, no joke is belaboured at the expense of future jokes – either you catch it now, or you get the next joke. This ease of humour allows you to enjoy the hilarity of the script, while still being subtle enough to keep you on the lookout for the next sly reference. It mixes the rich depth of British humour with the visuals and variety of American comedy, producing a synthesis of both that appeals to all ages.
Letdowns
Bradley Fine’s screen time
For all the hype in the trailers and media, Jude Law’s Bradley Fine doesn’t appear as much as you would expect. His character does play a large part in inciting the incidents that spark off the film, but it would have been better to see him hold a meatier role. Then again, in a film that constantly defies expectations, would you accept anything less?
“Spy” surprises from start to finish, giving us a great spy adventure that’s chockful of funnies and fights. Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of the movie is how it sells Melissa McCarthy as the next big female action star, and how much it makes you look forward to the sequel (or McCarthy’s next big action role).
“Spy” opens in cinemas 21 May, 2015 (Thursday).
This review was also published on Yahoo Singapore.
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