Rowan Atkinson may be one of the most recognisable faces in British comedy.
From Mr Bean to Black Adder, the actor is famed for his portrayals of a variety of comedic roles.
He has even turned his hand to drama in the ITV Maigret series and has also performed on the west end.
In his latest outing as the spy Johnny English, Atkinson has once again returned to thwart crime in his own bumbling way.
What do critics say about Johnny English Strikes Again?
Despite Atkinson’s inimitable talent as a comedic actor, the Johnny English sequel gets decidedly poor reviews.
The Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Consensus reads: “Johnny English Strikes Again might get a few giggles out of viewers pining for buffoonish pratfalls, but for the most part, this sequel simply strikes out.”
Stephen Dalton of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: “Delivers little besides laboured jokes, a moronic plot and characters so thinly drawn they make Mister Bean look like the work of prime-time Ingmar Bergman.”
Likewise, the Ed Potton of The Times said: “Too much of the comedy, however, is based on the tired notion of updating the spy game for the 21st century…
“This has been done before, and better, by others, including James Bond himself,” he added.
One of the few positive voices was Geoffrey Macnab of The Independent, giving it 3/5 stars.
Macnab wrote: “Fans of Atkinson and of the Johnny English franchise should be happy enough with the new adventure but even they may wonder if the filmmakers could have done just a little more to bring Johnny English into the modern age.”
Variety writer Owen Gleiberman wrote: “There are a minor handful of scenes in Johnny English Strikes Again that will make you laugh. A bit.”
The sequel starts when a cyber attack reveals the identities of all active undercover agents in Britain.
This leaves bumbling, inept, luddite Johnny English as the secret service’s last hope.
With his inability to use technology and his lack of a smart-phone, he is the only spy who cannot be hacked.
Thus, he is called out of retirement and dives headfirst into action with the mission to find the mastermind hacker.
The official synopsis continues: “As a man with few skills and analogue methods, Johnny English must overcome the challenges of modern technology to make this mission a success.”
Despite the lacklustre response from critics, the movie may still appeal to those who yearn for Atkinson’s comedic talent, even if it seems wasted in this sequel.
His co-stars are equally famous and talented, from Emma Thompson as the Prime Minister to Ben Miller as the side-kick.
But even these talents seem incapable of lifting the film beyond its 38 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating.
Johnny English Strikes Again is in cinemas now.