Anacleto: Agente Secreto

A very silly Spanish comedy, however fun and captivating, beat jokes, little innovative script, but calling the characters and humor strips at the right time does not make it tiring, nor that boring slapstick... Fun, captivating and even cute...

"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.

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!

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.

This action comedy set in the spying world comes with an unfortunate handicap right from the start, that being that the spy spoof genre has been done to death for decades, from the Matt Helm movies to the Austin Power series. Actually, I will admit that while most of the gags in the movie (as well as some plot turns) are tired and familiar, there were some giggles here and there, as well as some genuine laughs, my favorite scene being the breakfast sequence. Though the comedy that does work is somewhat hampered by some moments of surprisingly harsh violence. But even though the movie is not as funny as you probably want it to me, it does remain surprisingly watchable. It does move from scene to scene at a quick pace, so it doesn't become boring. And the Spanish cast is very game and likable, giving the movie a buoyant spirit that gives it some spark. Obviously this is not the greatest comedy ever made, but if you are in an undemanding mood and are curious to see an example of modern day populist Spanish cinema, this is a pleasant time waster.