I have to admit, right off the bat, I was very excited to see this film. First off, Duane Johnson is quick and witty on his feet – a skill he built during his time in the WWE. Bring in the incredibly funny Kevin Hart and you have at worst a film with plenty of hilarious moments and one-liners. This action comedy is about the accidental friendship of the straight-laced Calvyn Joyner (Hart) aka “The Golden Jet”, who during his high school years was considered popular for just about everything. Then there’s, Robby Wierdich aka “Fat Robbie” (Johnson) the complete opposite of Calvyn – as the quirky and fun, but un-suspecting loser who transforms himself into a badass CIA agent with a good heart.
Dwayne Johnson / New Line Cinema
The trailer does give away the most amusing parts of the film – like the fat “Rock” singing En Vogue‘s “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)” in the shower or the part where Kevin Harts character is quickly power walking away from a soon to explode SUV. Central Intelligence has an air of predictability, among a few twists and turns, leaving you wondering – but does end up where you think it will by the end. Don’t trip on the familiarity though because you won’t care – trust me. There wasn’t a point where I didn’t laugh out loud or marvel in the realism of the action scenes. There were a few touching moments when both Calvyn and Rob were forced to confront their inner conflict from the past and the present – Robbie’s bullying and Calvyn’s feeling of unfulfillment.
If you really enjoy over the top action comedies like Rush Hour and Ride Along, you should definitely check this one out. This is a popcorn movie, so lean back, have fun and enjoy yourself.
