Review of Central Intelligence (2016) by Thequietgamer — 06 Nov 2016

Hart and Johnson prove to be a great comedic duo. The Rock in particular provides what is one of the most unique and memorable performances of his career. Kevin Hart provides his standard motor-mouthed brand of humor even in the straight man role.

So the results here aren't exactly going to blow you away. That being said, there are still plenty of laughs here. It's just that some land with a dud. Johnson's character can be a little too over-the-top at times. No fault of the actor, it's the material he's given. His ability to go all out with it is appreciated. There are also some really great and hilarious cameos.

The plot is very familiar in a lot of ways. The movie tries a little too hard to keep you guessing whether or not Johnson's "Bob" is really a good guy or actually the villain. It does succeed at making you think twice on more than one occasion. That's partially due to how oddly the plot is handled. It's ultimately not a big deal, but a touch irritating nonetheless. On the upside it leads to some funny gags and an interesting message about bullying.

There is also a slightly cheap feel to this. The action is a touch awkward to watch and the visuals of the world have a very studio set feel to them. You can tell the money went towards the talent.

There are plenty of laughs to be found here. Maybe it won't keep you rolling on the floor, but it does introduce us to a great new comedy duo. I can't wait to see more of Johnson and Hart onscreen together. They are a blast. They also manage to elevate the movie above it's flaws and make more laughs come from the material than anybody else could have. I consider that a success.