By: debbie lynn elias
If you’re looking for traces of Bill Cosby and Bob Culp. Forget it. Other than the name and the same type of plot line as the original televison series – world class athlete (here, a boxing pro as opposed to tennis player) helps government agent foil the bad guys – “I Spy” is nothing more than a “B” movie showcasing comedy routines from its stars, Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson, by way of a thin (and I do mean thin) storyline involving espionage, agents, double agents and an occasional explosion. Now for all you tv trivia buffs, bear in mind that Murphy now plays the Culp role and Wilson the Cosby role.
It seems The Switchblade, the next generation in stealth fighters (it has its own cloaking device), has been lost by or stolen from the United States. Super Special Agent, Carlos, who would normally be called in for this assignment, is passed over due to his familiarity and superstar status, leaving the door wide open for wannabe-super agent, Special Agent Alex Scott (Wilson), to steal back the stealth. Poor Alex, ever the step-agent, never quite up to snuff and always just shy of a perfect mission, gets the antiquated, over-sized, hand- me- down spy gear (“My stuff looks like you could get it from Radio Shack in 1972” – this is one time where size does matter and the smaller the better) and a smart-aleck, fast talking, civilian partner, World Class Boxing Champion Kelly Robinson (Murphy). Their mission – should they choose to accept it (oops, wrong movie!) – is to catch illegal arms dealer Arnold Gundars, who they believe has possession of the Switchblade. Travelling to Budapest, the pair use a boxing match in which Robinson is the main event and Gundars the main fan, as their cover for infiltrating Gundars’ compound in search of the Switchblade which is now “in the hands of the evil doers, a delivery system for weapons of mass destruction.” (Obviously someone should send thank you notes to President Bush’s speech writers for this line.)
Murphy, no stranger to comedy and buddy movies, and Wilson, accomplished writer and actor currently on a meteoric rise to superstardom, seem a perfect pair. And they are. Their rapport is electric. Their sarcastic, come-uppant banter engaging and wildly entertaining. Although uproariously funny when Murphy and Wilson are going head-to-head, that’s where it ends. The script falls apart, going hither and yon with no real continuity. A couple of car chases, and a measly three explosions don’t qualify this as an action film in this day and age and a couple of times, they actually seem as after thoughts, used only as a means of capturing the audience’s attention, who are by now, falling asleep. Even perennial bad guy, Malcolm McDowell, who is always enthralling no matter what the role, gets lost in the shuffle here as Gundars – a character deserving of more development, more screen time and more interaction with the boys. A few attempted twists and turns in the story, a feeble comedic attempt at some romance between Alex and fellow agent Rachel (nicely played by Famke Janssen although she has no chemistry with Wilson) and perfunctory reappearances by Super Agent Carlos (Gary Cole with a bad wig and bad Hispanic accent) only muddy up the already cloudy waters.
Director Betty Thomas, probably best known for bringing “The Brady Bunch” to the big screen is disappointing here. Her prior works, including “Bunch”, “Private Parts”, “Only You” and “Doctor Doolittle” were solid and full-bodied with complete story arcs and when necessary, camp and comedy. Having taken a beloved show like “Bunch” and translating it so perfectly for the theater, I would have expected no less from Thomas with “I Spy.” She didn’t deliver. Having previously directed Murphy (and Cole) she is also well aware of his gifts, which were never used to their fullest and often seemed as if cut-off in mid-stream.
Bottom line – There are only two reasons to see this film, one-liners between Murphy and Wilson and a really cool spy plane. (About time someone finally latched on to what Klingons and Romulans have been doing for centuries.) Oh yeah, and you can catch up on your sleep when Murphy and Wilson aren’t sparring.
