Double zéro

Indeed they are ... at the expense of the backers. If this film was up for a prize then 'Double Zero' is what I'd give it.

Some people may find this funny. I would not like to meet them.

If these two clowns are the best 'agents' that France could find, then I'd consider emigrating 'toute suite' ...

Gerard P has struck out with this one and wasted not only a great deal of money but nearly 90 minutes of human existence. His last outing with 'Riders' has been well eclipsed with this one. Anyone who remembers 'Riders' will certainly remember the awful performance by Bruce Payne. Faux American accent combined with about as much acting talent as a tin of salmon.

He seems to have found a vertiable secret treasure trove of z-list actors for this.

Go ahead, watch 'Double Zero' but don;t say that I didn't warn you.

You know, french humor is very special. You have to be french to understand and to like our movies. The two main actors are comics and they are very successful in France... The movie has a real sense: to prove that to stupid guys can save the world, but they won't do it on purpose. It is exactly the opposite of the US films where everybody is wonderful and intelligent... The guide line shows that not everybody is great and can make everything he wants. It is the contrary of the American Dream, and that's why most people that are now guided by that dream, don't like this film You should watch "The Simpsons", and if you find a sense to that, you'll find a sense to "Double Zero".

"Double Zero" tells the story of two secret agents, played by the French comedians Eric and Ramzy, who are sent on a mission basically because they are expendable, but of course, they manage to fight heroically against the bad guys, more by chaos than strategy though. The villain is called Le Male, a joke lost in translation because in French it means "male" as well as "evil", and with all the pretty ladies around, the double meaning is important.

The question is: do we really need another James Bond parody after Leslie Nielsen's Naked Gun, Johnny English and Austin Powers? Maybe not, but "Double Zero" is better than I expected and has a couple of funny ideas along the way. I liked the character of d'Auckland, a "sleeper" who is reactivated and eager to prove he can still be a great agent. And the rabbit was brilliant! So, it was okay to rent once.

Eric & Ramzy are usually good in comedy shows in theater and TV, but when it comes to this movie, it's a complete failure, not unlike their previous project La Tour Montparnasse Infernale. Austin-powers wannabe attempt, this movie completely lacks humor and is full of bad, very bad jokes. I don't know what M. Pires had in mind when he shot this flick, but such comedies have already been done in the past, more successfully. Unfortunately for M. Pires, the jokes are difficult to get for foreigners, but not only for them, as even for a French person it is hard to find moments that can be enjoyed and lead the audience to laugh. If you wanna see a good movie in this vein, better watch the Austin Powers series or even Leslie Nielsen films than wasting any time with this clone.

The "James Bond spoof" has been done so many times by now that it should be considered a genre by itself, and "Double Zero" has very little that's fresh to offer. Do not think for a moment that because this is a French production it has any more sophistication or wit than, say, Leslie Nielsen's "Spy Hard" - it doesn't. It does have a glossy look and large-scale "megalomaniac villain" sets that recall those of such Bond films as "The Spy Who Loved Me" and "Moonraker", but nothing very funny happens inside them. The highlights are: 1) Plenty of fighting girls that I wanted to see more of (the fight on the beach is terrific), 2) A digitized horny rabbit (you'll see), and 3) The villain's uncanny resemblance to a younger version of Alan Rickman. (**)