Anacleto: Agente secreto

Unknown spy comedy gem, that is so charming and witty. Quite oriignal plot turns as well. Great characters. Terrific dialogues. Anything I could wish for in a spy comedy. With a Spanish touch. Yes, the Spanish can make great spy comedies, they really can!

The story: a looser, a couch potato gets dumped by his girlfriend. He begs her to stay, but she wants a boyfriend who is active and who does thrilling things with her. Little did she know her boyfriend's father is a real spy and when the father returns home all hell breaks loose, with lots of chases, break ins, shootouts and hilarious mix ups.

Highly recommended watch. So charming and witty!

The movie is an adaptation of an old Spanish comic which main character is Anacleto, a parody of James Bond. This does not mean that you have to know the comic to understand the movie, it is funny anyway. The story begins when Anacleto's main enemy Vazquez is released from prison. Vazquez tells Anacleto that he knows about his son and he is going to kill them both. Anacleto is going to have to protect his son and friends and try to finish Vazquez criminal activities. Spanish cinema is full of comedies and not all of them are really good but this one is probably the best of the last couple of years, i recommend it to everyone.

This likable silly farce with numberless comedy set pieces deals about Anacleto (Imanol Arias) , a veteran agent in undercover identity dressed in black suit with bond tie and a smoking cigarette in the mouth , as well as his son Adolfo (Quim Gutiérrez) , a young who is going through a bad time . Not only his lifetime sweetheart , Katia , (Alejandra Jimenez) has just to ended with him to be a person with no ambition but , moreover , he and his dad are pursued by a dangerous criminal who has just escaped from prison . Also to be aware that his father is not a farmer engaged in the production of cold meat - as Adolfo has believed all his life- , but Anacleto , a secret agent who really works for G.P. (the meaning of the acronym was never explained in the original comic book) and the man who locked Vázquez up in prison thirty years ago . Anacleto has been a widower for many years and lost his spouse when Adolfo was a young boy . As Anacleto and his son get together again to thwart the plans of cunning baddie , Vazquez . As Anacleto is an expert shooter and runner , throwing himself from great heights with great ability to avoid any hits and falling to the ground but not hurting . Then , Adolfo to accompany in numerous adventures to his daddy , the person that Adolfo get on worse with in the world to survive the vendetta of Vazquez . But "Anacleto Nunca Falla" (Anacleto never fails , leitmotiv of the main role), said several times , is the principal quote , as he always hits the target .

A hilarious parody of the famous comic books :¨Anacleto Agente Secreto¨ with a similar premise to ¨Get Smart¨ series . The spoof is surrealist , extreme and gross-out but is also bold and intelligent with a myriad of imaginative sketches with no sense , slapdash and slapstick . The picture is full of pursuits , noisy action , fights , state-of-art special effects , and between crossfire and chases , including a sentimental plot , as starring Quim Gutiérrez attempting to get his fiancée back . The flick contains an unstopped string of gags each thirty seconds and silly jokes ; as from start to finish the action and comedy are interminable that's why the viewers will laugh uncontrollably .Most of laughs and sight gags galore work acceptably well . Sympathetic performances from Imanol Arias as an intrepid agent who has a double identity , and Quim Gutiérrez as a thirty something security guard who will have to leave his comfort zone to help his father . Both of whom become the targets of a series of thugs led by Vázquez well played by Carlos Areces . Habitual quirky and lunatic characters , especially reincarnated by Rossy De Palma as mother of Katia , Sílvia Abril , José Corbacho , Andreu Buenafuente , Eduardo Gómez and special mention for Berto Romero as Martin . Colorful cinematography by Arturo Valls Colomer , adding a special atmosphere that bears remarkable resemblance the visual look of the offices in Spain of the middle 60's, accurately the time of Anacleto's creation . Thrilling and suspenseful musical score by Javier Rodero . The motion picture was compellingly directed by Javier Ruiz Caldera . He is a competent director and editor , known for : Spanish movie (2009) , Tres Bodas De Más (2013), Promoción Fantasma (2012) and this Anacleto: Agente Secreto (2015).

It is based on the popular comics from Manuel Vázquez Gallego (Madrid, 1930 – Barcelona, 1995), he was a prestigious Spanish cartoonist. He was one of the most important artists of Editorial Bruguera. His family were friends with comedians Wenceslao Fernández Flórez and Enrique Jardiel Poncela, who influenced Vázquez's humor. Vázquez started to publish in the 1940s in a new magazine . He started to publish in Editorial Bruguera in 1947. He used to introduce himself as villain in his own comics . And created a lot of characters , for example: Las Hermanas Gilda (The Gilda Sisters) (The adventures of two very different sisters), (A surrealist parody of James Bond), La Familia Cebolleta (The Scallion Family) or El tío Vázquez (Uncle Vázquez) (A self- parody) . And this original comic book series ¨Anacleto, Agente Secreto (Anacleto, Secret Agent)¨ created in 1964 as a Spanish parody of James Bond , here Anacleto is brave agent , single and does not have any girlfriend . There is a 2010 biopic film based on his life called El gran Vázquez directed by Óscar Aibar and starring Santiago Segura . When Editorial Bruguera disappeared Vazquez also joined in adult magazines such as El Papus or Makoki with the alias Sappo . Vázquez died in 1995.

Such an entertaining, clever, fun, movie! Has all the elements you want. Good story line, good action scenes, clever lines, surprising plot twists, engaging characters. Great evening's entertainment! The characters work well together and provide compelling interactions. There are a few bloody scenes. Most are such spoofs that it's not at all disturbing. There is one scene that is unexpected, shocking, and really mean-spirited. Even that works well in the movie and doesn't impact the overall fabulous nature of the movie. The quirky nature of the movie reminds me of films directed by Almodovar. And, the ending is clearly a not-Hollywood finale, which is refreshing.

"Anacleto" Agente Secreto" is a parody of sorts of secret agent films. It is NOT in the same category or style as a "Casino Royale", "Austin Powers" or "Matt Helm" flick. Some folks enjoy these goofy spy yarns...I generally find them mindless and very forgettable. Instead, "Anacleto" is more along the lines of Jean Dujardin's "OSS 117" movies...mostly realistic but with a bit of whimsy. And, because of that, the danger, action and adventure seem more engaging.

When the film begins, the aging secret agent, Anacleto, is on a mission to bring a notorious villain to a new, more secure prison. But what he doesn't know is that this is a ruse and it's all part of a plan not only to break out the villain but for the villain to enact his revenge against Anacleto. What is the revenge? To find and kill Anacleto's son...the son who has no idea his father is a super-spy.

There were no laugh out loud moments in the movie...nor did they intend for there to be. Instead, you have a decent story, very good acting and (fortunately) no super-gadgets or silliness of that sort. A very good Spanish film I'd nearly rate an 8.