Central Intelligence

Central Intelligence may be a buddy-comedy, but it's Johnson's movie all the way. And it's been a while since I've clutched my stomach so hard or have my face hurt thanks to laughing so hard. So if you want some light-hearted fun while attempting to survive the summer heat, this is it.

The film's deft pace, it's frenzied silliness, punchy wisecracks coupled with the Johnson and Hart's deft handling of the situational comedy holds your interests despite the threadbare plot. It's a genuinely funny film so be prepared for a part deux soon.

The trouble lies in director Rawson Marshall Thurber's patchy handling of the story. There are moments when the film is slow and sluggish, and then it is on steroids with hyper action. Those are the moments when you thanks god that you are in this ride with a big Johnson and a little Hart. Also, watch out for the cameos both credited and not.

Technically, the film is astutely crafted. Barry Peterson's camera work is noteworthy and his visuals are accompanied by Ludwig Goransson and Theodore Shapiro's music, which is seamlessly layered by Michael L.Sale's efficient editing.  Overall Central Intelligence is a fun film only if you park your intelligence for a while.

The film attempts to employ elements of genre — like most other similar films, including director Rawson Marshall Thurber's superior We're the Millers (2013) do — as a mere background (a circumstance, an environment) for the actual crisis: individuals helping reach each other emotional maturity, but in this case, they end up serving as an unfortunate distraction.

Speaking of comedy, the punches and the Black guy jokes are silly. The action scenes are decent and work to certain extent but the film is avoidable on the whole as it lacks 'intelligence'. If you are still a fan of the genre, watch The Nice Guys instead.