Released in 2016, “Central Intelligence” is an action-comedy film directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, co-written by Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen, and starring Kevin Hart as accountant Calvin Joyner and Dwayne Johnson as Bob Stone aka Robbie Weirdicht, an overweight and bullied classmate from high school 20 years prior.
Synopsis:
The story takes place in 1996, where Calvin was a popular high school student with a girlfriend named Maggie Johnson. Robbie, Calvin’s classmate, was made fun of because of his overweight body. One day, Calvin saved Robbie from bullies who stripped him naked in school. In 2016, Calvin is now an accountant who is not satisfied with his life, and his marriage to Maggie is not doing that well. Bob Stone sends a friend request on Calvin’s Facebook account and meets him at a bar after work where he tells Calvin that he is Robbie Weirdicht, his old classmate who has transformed himself from being overweight into a muscular man who seems to know some martial arts.
Calvin discovers that Bob is now a CIA agent who wants his help in verifying some online transactions that seem suspicious, leading them to a million-dollar auction from dangerous countries. The next day, the team of CIA agent Pamela Harris shows up at Calvin’s house looking for Bob, but he is already gone. Pamela tells Calvin that Bob is a rogue agent who is planning to sell satellite codes to terrorists.
Bob escapes from the CIA agents with Calvin’s help and explains that he is trying to capture the notorious arms dealer called Black Badger, who is planning to sell the satellite code to terrorists, and he needs Calvin’s help to stop him. Calvin is caught between the CIA and Bob as he tries to help Bob with his mission while keeping his wife and his job safe.
Review:
The movie’s plot is engaging, and Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson have excellent chemistry on screen, delivering some hilarious scenes. The film showcases Hart’s quick wit, and Johnson’s physical presence and comedic timing are perfect as the gentle giant who is also an undercover agent. The story’s humor is reminiscent of classic buddy action-comedy movies but with a fresh twist.
Despite the brilliant acting performances, the movie tends to have a somewhat predictable plot, cliche moments, and a few tireless jokes that miss the mark. However, the film’s exceptional cast and the thrilling action scenes make for a fun and entertaining watch.
Conclusion:
In summary, “Central Intelligence” is a well-crafted action-comedy, featuring outstanding chemistry between the two lead actors, Dwayne Johnson, and Kevin Hart. The plot may have lacked a few original elements, but the entertaining humor and the witty dialogues make up for it. Overall, if you’re after an enjoyable movie that delivers a few laughs and a good dose of action, then “Central Intelligence” is definitely worth your time.
