Review of Stormbreaker (2006) by James S — 23 Feb 2009

Stormbreaker does not deserve to be nearly as much fun as it is. It's main protagonist, Alex Ryder - school boy turned super spy, is a bleach blonde, annoying little twat when we meet him, just too damn good at everything....so why is it that Stormbreaker is just so damn enjoyable.

The answer is that because unlike it's hero, the film does not take itself remotely seriously. A straight forward teenage James Bond esque caper would fall flat on it's face so it's with a tongue in cheek humour that Stormbreaker wins through...plus jamming the film with some intentionally hilairious villains and nice touches.

It's the scenes in which the adults take hold that Stormbreaker begins to really work. Bill Nighy's stiff upper lip intelligence chief is a riot....his suggestion to thank Ryder for a mission well done by buying him an ice cream is classic. Mickey Rourke's main villain is a riot too.....the man keeps a deadly jellyfish as a pet....if that isn't an indicator of a man hell bent on world domination then I don't know what is. Missi Pyle's henchwoman also loads on the laughs and her great scrap with Alicia Silverstone, jump cut with scenes from cartoons is the movie's highlight.

You still can't help but hate Alex Ryder and maybe that's why the film has yet to produce the promised sequel at the climax.