The Spy Next Door – A film review

This is a review on Magnus Scheving’s only non LazyTown related production.

Directed by Brian Levant

Screenplay and story by Jonathan Bernstein and James Greer

Screenplay by

    Jonathan Bernstein

    James Greer

    Gregory Poirier

Produced by Robert Simonds

Starring

Jackie Chan

    Amber Valletta

    Madeline Carroll

    Will Shadley

    Magnús Scheving

    Billy Ray Cyrus

    George Lopez

Release date: January 15, 2010

25 March, 2010 (Australia)

Synopsis

Bob Ho (Jackie Chan), an undercover operative for the Central Intelligence Agency, decides to give up his career and marry his girlfriend, Gillian (Amber Valletta). First however, he has one more mission to complete: Gain the approval of Gillian’s children. Bob volunteers to baby-sit when Gillian is called away, but the operation hits a snag when one of the kids mistakenly downloads a top-secret formula, and Anton Poldark, a Russian terrorist (Magnus Scheving) takes aim at Bob’s prospective family.

Review

This film sucks. I can remember a lot from it and have no idea why I liked it.
Firstly, the kids in this movie hate Bob Ho for no reason. Sure he isn’t your father, but do you have to make life hard for him? That just triggered me. I always hated seeing the hero hated.
Secondly, the fight scenes in the movie are bombared by childish sound effects that are supposed to be funny. I guess when you’re seven it is, but I’m mature and don’t laugh at it at all.
Thirdly, it’s a Halloween film. My religion and country prohibit Halloween, but what sucks is that the film doesn’t even foreshadow it being October. Once I saw everyone in costumes and trick-or-treating, I was like- ‘Huh? It’s Halloween?’
Lastly – about 20 or 35 minutes worth of this 94 minute film are actually funny and possible to laugh at. The other are not.
The only thing that makes it good is Jackie Chan’s charm and Magnus Scheving’s performance. Not to mention the ending credits, which have bloopers funnier then the film.
But when you think of it as a film to have a good time with and not take too seriously, you can find it pretty good, if you have a mental illness.

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