Central Intelligence, directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, follows accountant Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart) as his life is turned upside down by former-fat kid/CIA agent Robbie Wheirdicht/Bob Stone (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnston). The two become entangled in a conspiracy as they try to track down the mysterious "Black Badger" who has stolen secret government satellite codes and intends to sell them to the highest bidder. This was Thurber's fist film since "We're the Millers" which, while enjoyed by audiences, did not fare as well when exposed to the wrath of the critics. With this in mind, you can expect that the "Dodgeball" director would have been wanting to prove his doubters wrong with his latest release.
By far this film's strongest assets are its two leads. Kevin Hart does Kevin Hart, but no-one else does Kevin Hart better. What is interesting here though is that he mostly plays the straight-man opposite his quirky partner, bringing a dryer sense of humour to the table in the process. He is still as brilliantly over-the-top as always and is perfect as a fish-out-of-water character, but he dials down his more sometimes irksome traits in this role which is refreshing to see. In contrast to this, Dwayne Johnston does something we've not really seen him do before in this movie and that is to appear vulnerable, and don't underestimate how hard that is for a man his size to do. He shouldn't be relatable, with his 6 foot plus frame and his muscles that look like they've been carved from granite, but he is perfectly believable as the insecure Stone. He looks up (not literally) to Hart's character and is really the film's emotional centre. The Rock's natural alpha-male charisma is diluted to an almost geeky lovable charm, but it works really well in the context of the role. One of Johnston's most unique performances yet.
The writing is also decent for the most part. The delivery of the leads elevates the script, however moments such as Robbie being thrown into the school gym naked and Calvin missing his patented back-flip are extremely funny and well-thought out concepts and stand as two of the film's stand-out moments. CI's small forays into action are also well-done and the scene in the car-park feels somewhat akin to what you would see in an out-and-out action movie rather that a comedy. There is however a lot about Central Intelligence that is a bit generic. For example, there are only so many times you can hear Hart make jokes about the fact he's black and still find it funny. The plot's also a bit so-so and doesn't offer anything new, and the performances outside of the two leads is average at best.
To sum up Central Intelligence is a by-the-numbers comedy, but it is a very good by-the-numbers comedy. While it might not be the funniest film you will see this year, the presence and charisma of its two exceptional leading men make this well worth watching. The action is fun, the laughs are consistent and it's just an overall fun ride from start to finish. As long as you don't go in expecting Citizen Kane, you'll be fine.
Score: 7.5/10
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