I-Spy (2002)

ACTION COMEDY: (2002, PG-13.) (Columbia Pictures) (1 hr, 35 min) Inept but earnest secret agent Alex Scott is assigned to go under cover by becoming an “assistant” to famed boxing champion and professional egoist Kelly Robinson and find the whereabouts of a stolen stealth fighter called the Switchblade. International arms dealer Arnold Gundars is not only holding an auction for the plane in Budapest, but also hosting a boxing match in which Robinson is to participate. Scott has a crush on fellow spy Rachel and is jealous of a handsome super-spy, Carlos. Arriving in Budapest, Scott and Robinson try to penetrated Gundars’ stronghold, but keep making mistakes – they are caught sneaking around and barely escape. On another bungled foray, Rachel is apparently killed and the duo barely escape and are again chased by the villains. After an argument, Robinson pursues his boxing match while Scott is captured by Gundars, who is about to deliver the plane to a foreign government. Robinson comes to the rescue, but Rachel shows up in league with Gundars. Carlos arrives, also a traitor. After a gun battle, Rachel disappears while Gundars is captured and Carlos turns out to be a true agent. They catch Rachel trying to transfer money by computer.

VIOLENCE/SCARINESS: Considerable violence and fighting, only some of it slapstick. Many genital attacks. Several very realistic boxing matches. Moderate body count, but the only blood is when Rachel stabs Scott in the thigh. Scott has a bit of blood on his lip and cheek after the final fight. Car chases with moderate property damage.

CRIMES: Theft (U), Embezzlement (P), Car Theft (U), Breaking and Entry (U).

MORALS, ISSUES & VALUES: Robinson, requested by the President to help his country, is far more attracted by the toys of the spy world than patriotism. Robinson is so egotistic that he refers to himself in the third person, like royalty or the deity. He describes family love as hitting each other. Robinson tells his friends that Scott is “retarded” and then tells him to act that way; later others refer to him as “Rain Man.” The two men can only talk like human beings and become friends by getting high on methane gas (most appropriately in a sewer). The purchaser of the plane, apparently an Oriental, mounts a nuclear weapon on it with the intention of bombing Washington D.C. Problem solving through violence (except with women villains). Gundars is driven by greed, but Rachel’s motivations are never clear. According to the film: Part of friendship is beating each other up. Diversity Issues: The TV series was quite daring in the 1960s for teaming black and white co-heroes; while the film does the same, today it is rather passé. A black man who is a boxing champion works on an equal footing with a white secret agent, but reflects many black stereotypes with food, clothing, success through sports, and runaway sexuality. Language: Lots of sexual innuendo, continuous scatological and anatomical references, gender as insult, considerable profanity including a few strong profanities.

SEXUALITY, GENDER ISSUES & BODY FUNCTIONS: Contemporary gender roles. Rachel is a competent spy both mentally and physically, but morally flawed. The film imitates “Cyrano de Bergerac” (or “Roxanne”) in Robinson helping Scott seduce Rachel. We see Rachel in very skimpy underwear. A joke is made of a shapely woman in a very skimpy bikini having hair under her arms. Several showgirls appear in skimpy outfits; women at a party wear revealing clothing. Several characters have tattoos; we see Scott getting a tattoo in celebration of his boxing victory. Some people have pierced ears and noses. There is talk of castration.

SUBSTANCES: Drinks at parties, boxing matches, and in airplanes. Gundars smokes a cigar. Some background smoking.

COMMENTS: This is definitely one of the most boring, unfunny comedy/adventure films of the decade. It bears no resemblance to the entertaining, delightfully naïve, and charming (and racially groundbreaking) TV series. While the comedy occasionally works, the plot, the action sequences, and the spy end of things area all dull, flat, badly directed, poorly staged, and without context. The bickering and whining get dull very fast. The best jokes get no laughs because they are not set up for the audience, like an agent named “Carlos” just returning from Cuba and using quotes from George W’s speeches. Murphy’s adrenaline-pumped dialogue is as outrageous as ever, but it is shamefully misused and ill timed. Wilson and Murphy, both talented comedians, deserve better and so do the viewers. (Reviewed Nov 2002)

STARRING: Eddie Murphy, Owen Wilson, Famke Janssen, Malcolm McDowell, Gary Cole, Phill Lewis, Viv Leacock, Darren Shahlavi.

ALTERNATES: A far superior Eddy Murphy film is “Bowfinger.” For a black/white action comedy try any of the “Lethal Weapon” films. For a secret agent satire, try any of the “Austin Powers” films.