I-SPY

Starring:
Eddie Murphy, Owen Wilson, Famke Janssen, Gary Cole and Malcolm McDowell

Director:
Betty Thomas

Running Time:
96 mins

Out to buy on DVD 23rd June

Special Agent Alex Ward (Wilson) isn't the most respected spy in his department. His last mission was a complete disaster and his boss keeps overlooking him for the best assignments and gadgets, giving them all to top agent Carlos (Cole). Deciding to give him one more chance, Alex is assigned to bring back the Switchblade, a stealth fight that is invisible to radar and the human eye. This won't be easy as it is in the hands of International arms dealer Gundars (McDowell) and he plans to sell it to the highest bidder. Gundars has a weakness however he loves boxing, so Alex goes undercover as an assistant to World Middleweight Champion Kelly Robinson (Murphy).

Loosely based on the 1960's TV show starring Robert Culp and Bill Cosby, I-Spy is another example of how Hollywood producers are running out of ideals.

This is another TV to film adaptation that fails to capture the essence of the original series and just uses the name to cash in. This is more like a comic James Bond wannabe than anything else.

There are good performances from Eddie Murphy, in his best onscreen role in years, and Owen Wilson, whose dry, laid-back approach to comedy is becoming his own unique trademark, who stop the movie from becoming a total disaster. The interactions between the pair are the highlights of the movie, with the sewer scene been very funny indeed. The support cast on the other hand is severally under used. Malcolm McDowell is the main villain but his role is no more than a cameo and Famke Janssen does nothing more than look good.

The reason for all these negative points has to lie with the lacklustre script. It does succeed in some of the more comedic moments, but then you have wonder how much of that was due to Murphy and Wilson's input, but it fails on the main ingredient, the plot. It never really explains how the plane came to be in Gundars possession or why Alex's bosses would give such an important mission to someone who they had no confidence in.

As a piece of throwaway entertainment, I-Spy isn't too bad. Owen Wilson and especially Eddie Murphy fans will get something out of it but for the rest of us it is just a case of switching off your brain and making the most of it.

Audio commentary, 'Gadgets And Gizmos': a special effects featurette, 'The Slugfest': Eddie Murphy's boxing training featurette, 'Cloak And Camouflage' featurette, 'Schematics And Blueprints' featurette, Theatrical trailer, Interactive menu & Scene access


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2003