Central Intelligence (2016) User Reviews

The hit-to-miss ratio is surprisingly higher than you expect.

[kevin_newdirections · 7/10 · 23 June 2016]

When a film has a tagline as witty and sharp as Central Intelligence's – "Saving the world takes a little Hart and a big Johnson" — something tells me that the producers came up with that pun first and decided to commission a script around it after. True enough, this film is an excuse to have Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Kevin Hart play delightfully silly characters amidst a fairly disposable plot. It really doesn't matter because you won't see this film for a complex plot, you'll see this film for some good laughs. The hit-to-miss ratio is surprisingly higher than you expect.

In Central Intelligence, Johnson plays a formerly morbidly obese high school student named Robbie Wierdicht (yes, it's pronounced as Weird Dick, hah!) who was subjected to a horribly cruel prank twenty years ago. He now resurfaces as Bob Stone, a herculean CIA agent who decides to reunite with his only friend in high school, Calvin "The Golden Jet" Joyner (Hart) — back then Central High's "most likely to succeed" student. Ironically, he is now living an unexceptional adult life as a mid-level accountant stuck in a rocky marriage. Little does Calvin know, what started as a mysterious Facebook friend request to a casual catch-up is Stone's silent attempt to enlist Calvin as his unwilling sidekick in a deadly mission to track down stolen U.S. satellite codes and stop a wanted kingpin called the "Black Badger" from obtaining them.

In his previous comedies (Ride Along and Get Hard), Hart is often portrayed as a fast- talking shtick at the center of attention. In this film, We're The Miller's director Rawson Marshall Thurber, who co- wrote the script with Bob Fisher and Steve Faber, breaks this stereotype by subduing Hart to a serious straight-up role and giving the goofy prankster role to Johnson (responsible for pulling off most of the verbal and physical gags). The role reversal works with the slapstick comedy thanks to both actors' exhilarating chemistry and sharp performance. Their size juxtaposition alone is a joke in itself. "Pint-sized" squeaky-voiced Hart, with all his outbursts and babbling, mixes panic and rage probably better than any actor. As for Johnson, he keeps up with expectations here whether by simply donning fanny packs, unicorn t-shirts, and uber-tight pajamas; or flaunting his cartoonish manliness against a character who is surprisingly sensitive and still embarrassed with his past. Central Intelligence is given more depth when it deals with our main characters' high school baggage – Calvin's frustration on his life turning not the way he expected, and Bob's self-esteem issues due to the serious and lasting effects of bullying.

Don't get me wrong, the exhausting espionage plot struggles to have any shred of intelligence to it. It is quite perfunctory to the point that it might as well fade into a background noise. It even falls apart to utter nonsense by the end when the plot twist is revealed and judging by their focus on comedy, the filmmakers seems to be fine leaving the plot holes unpatched. Neither are the villains written with deep thought as they are all cardboard bad guys who are homophobes, bullies, mercenaries or a combination thereof. Apart from the comedy itself, the film apologizes in its shortcomings by boasting a roster of cameos that I'll leave unmentioned for the sake of surprise.

You can groan at its dumb plot, get antsy over action scenes where no one (not even trained CIA gunmen) can shoot straight or frown at Calvin and Stone whispering strategies whilst pointed with guns, but Central Intelligence is hard to dislike because Johnson and Hart shine perfectly in their roles and hence, elevate this film from subpar to moderately enjoyable. Without them, this film will be as useful as a bag of rocks. That being said, Central Intelligence can be a good distraction during a hot summer day.

Surprisingly Fun

[charliesonnyray · 5/10 · 21 July 2016]

Recently a lot of Kevin Hart's movies have been pretty lack luster. The Ride Along movies and Get Hard were shredded by critics. When I saw the trailer for Central Intelligence, I thought this would be just another one of those flicks. Thankfully, I was very wrong! The page here lists the film as an "action, comedy, crime" movie but really it is more of a "action, comedy, drama" flick. Dwayne Johnson plays the gentle giant Bob Stone/Robby Weirdicht (haha pun) who works for the CIA while Kevin Hart plays the everyday joe Calvin Joyner (a nice change of pace in my opinion). These two are the reason this film works as pure entertainment. They have great chemistry together and they play rather interesting characters. Robby is on the same level as Jason Bourne when it comes to hand to hand combat and other spy stuff like that but he has the sensitivity and the tastes of a fourteen year old girl. I don't care who you are, you have to admit that's hilarious. Calvin was the favorite student of his high school but now he is just a washed up accountant upset with where his life has gone. Hart and Johnson bring some real comedy to their roles as well as true conviction. You can believe that these two are dealing with some real emotional problems. I never thought of either of them as good actors but they do a splendid job here. The stunts they pull also look so very realistic. They are very thrilling and pretty creative too. Now the movie isn't without problems-what movie is? The spy portion of the plot is pretty straight forward and shallow. It's obviously just an excuse to get these two together but is that really such a bad thing when what they are offering is so good? Central Intelligence is kind of like that movie Twins with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito. Two popular actors play as comic foils to one another as well as provide great drama with some cool stunts thrown in. What more could you want?

The Little Hart and Big Johnson Surprise

[CraigsCritique · 7/10 · 19 July 2016]

Now I will state from the start that Kevin Hart as a comedian has never appealed to me and so therefore that also translates into his films having never been intrigued enough to go see one of his (some of the critical receptions bare this out) but this is obviously where that trend ends for me.

In this 'mismatched' buddy action comedy both Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson seem to have stumbled upon some fabulous comedic chemistry that I most certainly didn't see coming.

Having stated my indifference earlier to Kevin Hart I am at the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to Dwayne Johnson, a man, an actor who probably shouldn't be as successful as he is...yet I can't resist his charms, there is just something inherently likable about the man as an on screen presence and as an actor in general and that is no different here.

Quick plot synopsis now, flashback to high school, Hart is Mr. Popular, Johnson is the school joke, flash-forward twenty years to the present day where after a social media inspired meetup if would appear maybe that now the two have switched places in life (quite a common story arc) and what may also be certainly more concerning for Hart is the fact that Johnson may appear to be a spy on the run, so ensues a parade of nifty chase sequences some rather inspired and choreographed escape fighting scenes interspersed of course with Hart chipping in with comedic observations of their currently absurd predicament. There is in particular a scene where Johnson has replaced the role of a therapist who is about to give marriage counsel to Hart and his wife and it is extremely funny.

This should not of entertained me as much as it did and trust me I am as surprised as anyone that it got many laughs out of me, it certainly does remind me in parts to 21 Jump Street, what I mean by that is it being a nice comedic surprise of a film that has the laughs but actually does in part also have a heart in place, or as the brilliant marketing department said on the films tagline and posters 'It takes a little Hart and a big Johnson' just superb.

I was a little concerned after the films opening which I mentioned earlier is a flashback to high school where we see the rather unsubtle face of Johnson transposed onto the head and body of a rather overweight kid but the film got out of that just pure weird territory quicker than expected, yes not every joke hits the mark but the success to failure rate is amply way on the positive side of things and the pace and action is brisk enough that it never overstays its welcome which is very surprising given the near two hour feature length running time.

But I suppose the main question that does have to be asked though is 'who is the Black Badger' maybe I'm the Black Badger, as Thomas Kretschmann brilliantly puts it.

So it's not particularly going to change the comedic landscape out there but it more than succeeds in keeping you very entertained throughout mainly thanks to the great comedic chemistry that Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson bring to the party.

The polarizing duo might not have the best chemistry, but each has their own quirky way to entertain

[quincytheodore · 7/10 · 15 June 2016]

It's quite possible that they cast Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson just to make "Little Hart, Big Johnson" pun. As far as buddy cop goes, this contrasting nature can provide some chuckles, however the espionage them might not hit all the marks. Still, there are significant amount of scenes where laughter is secured by sheer timely body language and jokes alone.

Dwayne Johnson plays as Bob, a CIA agent who tries to reach out to his old friend. This escalates into a chase for secret files and national security. The way Bob is presented relies heavily on juvenile gag and demeanor despite his imposing physique, this is fun at first but it hampers the credibility as an agent. The movie wants to add some bullying subplot which is commendable, although it doesn't have the depth to accommodate it.

Kevin Hart is excellent in creating reactions and gestures. He's surprisingly identifiable with high school nostalgia and occasional self-doubt. Many of the good moments come from his outbursts and babbling. The script has a few nifty pop references and sometimes even witty gags, so the comedy is not just slapstick throughout and undermines the "intelligence" in the title.

There are serious undertones of adult life or self-acceptance even though they are not fully fleshed out. Action is pretty light, it's passable without being too demanding. The most important thing is it's enjoyable. Sure, there are a few awkward moments, yet they make the best out of it to present a light humorous spectacle, a better buddy cop gimmick than expected.

Big Hart

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 9 April 2017]

Central Intelligence sees a high school fat kid Rob Wierdich who is humiliated at his last day in school being transformed into muscular but timid Rob Stone (Dwayne Johnson) who is now a CIA operative.

Twenty years later and with a high school reunion on the horizon Stone hooks up with Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart) the star student known as the Golden Jet and the only one who came to Wierdich's aid. Joyner's career as an accountant has not been as stellar that high school promised but Stone wants to use his skills to decrypt some financial transactions. The agency thinks that Stone has gone rogue and are out to get him.

This is essentially a buddy action comedy. Hart is actually the straight man, leaving the light goofy comedy to Johnson. They make a good team but the plot is too formulaic and unadventurous. Still the offbeat characterisation from Hart and Johnson makes this film amusing enough.

Watch this while it's still playing.(Spoiler-free)

[anish-25809 · 7/10 · 16 June 2016]

Here comes another buddy cop film,this time with Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart in the lead roles.I thought this movie would fail miserably.I thought it was ripping off Ride Along(which is not a good film to rip off) but it surprisingly stands on its own and makes for a fun time at the movies.Bob Stone asks his old classmate,Calvin Joyner to help him with his computer skills.I don't really like Kevin Hart all that much,because he plays the same character in every film and even though he does have acting skills,he goes OTT in every performance.But his character is a bit more serious in this one and Dwayne Johnson is awesome as ever in his role.The main strength of this movie is the chemistry between the 2 leads.They are so much fun to watch.One is a fearless agent and the other a normal guy who can't even hold a gun.There are some nice jokes and gags as well.

On the downside,the film falters sometimes in the plot section.Yet another OTT performance by Kevin Hart(as mentioned above) I wish the action scenes had a bit more lustre in them.But do not be bothered by that because this is the action junkie in me speaking,and you may like this movie more than I did.

This movie isn't completely flawless,nor is it totally groundbreaking in the buddy cop genre.But it is still worth watching in the theatre,thanks to the chemistry between the 2 leads and a lot of laughs.

A Delightful Surprise!

[TheFirstExecutioner · 7/10 · 19 June 2016]

Central Intelligence stars Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart and is about them teaming up to save the world. I'd like to say that I had zero expectations going into this but was still looking forward to it. This movie is HILARIOUS! The Rock and Kevin Hart are fantastic together and have some of the funniest jokes I've heard all year. Watching them both on screen is the best part of this movie and it was extremely funny.

The story follows both of them having reunited 20 years after high school in order to save the world. The main plot is the weakest part of this movie since there's not much emphasis put on it. I will say that there are some pretty sweet cameos in here that are awesome. The action is mostly good even though it got a bit shaky in some places.

Overall, Central Intelligence is a pleasant surprise this summer. This movie is honestly battling Deadpool for funniest movie of the year; I can't believe I just said that. This is definitely one of the better buddy-cop action comedies we've gotten in the past few years.

Central Intelligence gets a B.

Check out my Youtube channel where I review movies as well!: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOGWUFunDhIwKVcL7eNMWiQ

Great Chemistry between Johnson and Hart

[captainmike-michael · 8/10 · 17 June 2016]

Forget about the formulaic spies plot and its flaws, the film does not look silly for the wise decision of making it into a comedy and it sparks thanks to the strong rapport between Johnson and Hart. The thriller may seems to be dumb and lack of inventiveness in all the right ways but it is also a bit smarter than what audiences could have expected. The hilarious but not nonsense actions, sweet high- school buddies friendships, comedy about bullies and inspiration to transform a better oneself however are all blended well into this lack-of-originality thriller; though insufficient to generate big humors, it is still able to keep your smile till the end. The film centralises on the delightful chemistry between the two actors, both Hart and Johnson deliver a cheerful bromantic, especially the latter who takes his character and silliness seriously other than just knowing to flex muscles. It might lack in depth to explain about the quest of the mission but it is overall entertaining due to the commitment of the cast to bring us laughter.

He's got a banana

[nogodnomasters · 7/10 · 15 November 2017]

Calvin Joyner ( Kevin Hart) had it all at Central High School...athletic, drama club, and he married Maggie (Danielle Nicolet). Life as an accountant has been anti-climatic for him. He is contacted by Bob Stone (Dwayne Johnson) who was the bullied fat kid in school, one that Calvin, a "snack sized Denzel" helped during his worst moment.

The film has action and humor. It is primarily a comedy. Hart and Johnson create good on screen chemistry. Could watch on tween family night.

Guide: No sex. 1 F-word. Male butt nudity.

Missed opportunities

[choatelodge · 3/10 · 2 July 2016]

Saw this last night on the big screen, not expecting much but hoping to be entertained. Sadly that didn't happen. Why? I has to have been the movie's writing and the way it was directed. It just never got started, and while the actors' delivery in the various scenes had to have been what the director wanted, it just never rang true. I'll leave off any explanation of the plot and story line, others have done a great job at that. I'll just stick to what I feel are the failings of the directing and writing.

The movie starts out well enough, we get the transformation of the formerly bullied fatty 'Rob Wierdich' into the now huge and muscular Rob Stone and how this man now re-enters the life of co-protagonist Calvin Joyner, a man whose great high school promise has in his own estimation fizzled. Stone is over-the-top enthusiastic and presumptive while Joyner plays the baffled and grudgingly accommodating nebbish. But it is carried on too long, straining for the laugh. Hart as Joyner goes from normal speaking voice to Chris Rock style falsetto screeching with apparently little provocation and Dwaine Johnson's Rob Stone plays his overplayed huge smile and light hearted repartee gag so often that it becomes tiresome and distracting.

The mishandled opportunities in the movie get worse as it goes on. Late in the movie comes the anticipated high school reunion. The movie's makers seem to have had no idea how to tastefully or effectively tie it all up and make a satisfying conclusion to the story. The principal bully who has harassed and humiliated Stone throughout the movie could have been dealt his come-uppance in some turnabout humiliation of his own, and I was expecting and even looking forward to this. Instead the writers blew this chance and had Stone simply haul off and knock the far smaller man unconscious with a single blow to the head, in front of the whole crowd. Nice. Way to transform your hero.

More disturbing by far is the next scene in which Stone takes the stage and while accepting an honor, begins to take off clothing. No... he's not going to... but yes. Not only do the writers have Stone strip off his shirt to show off his muscles in a display of vanity, they have him strip completely naked, to the ooo's and ah's of the assembled crowd, and then walk around like a regular dance attendee. What was the purpose of the full nudity? Are we supposed to believe that Stone has altered his genitalia to the better as well as his muscles? (while it isn't shown of course, the implication that Stone is totally nude is clear when Stone tries to hug Joyner and the latter says, "Not now with your junk hanging out!"

I'm not offended at the scene, but I really have to wonder what motivated the writers to think they were advancing the story arc with this uncomfortable and implausible gag. What were they thinking? It's just weird.

Lots of action scenes, cool stunts, but the story was dealt a poor telling.

Mega Fun with Great Chemistry Between its Two Leads,

[lesleyharris30 · 8/10 · 7 July 2016]

Central Intelligence is a great movie with a well developed plot and a terrific comedic cast. It's a fun, mindless comedy action that you can switch off from reality while watching and have a good time, there are many side splitting moments and even parts that had me at the edge of my seat. The writers did a great job of making us care for these characters before they set off on their journey, which helped out in the long run. However, the pacing was certainly slow, it was not as action packed and intense as the trailers made it out to be, there's a lot of slower moments, even times where I was begging for some plot development instead of mindless comedy. The cast are terrific, Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson shine in the lead roles and their chemistry is the film's highlight, they are joined by a stellar supporting cast that includes Amy Ryan and Aaron Paul, as well as a few brilliant cameos. It also deserves credit for switching roles and getting the lead actors to do something unexpected of them, putting the well known comedian, Hart, in a straight role and putting an action star, Johnson, as the flamboyant, over the top character, this differentiated the movie, making it more interesting. Though it may not be as exciting as the trailers made it seem, Central Intelligence is simple fun, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good action or comedy.

An accountant gets himself in trouble with the law after reuniting with an old high school acquaintance looking to prove his innocence.

Best Performance: Aaron Paul

You won't find a more dynamic pair than Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart this summer, and thanks to their chemistry, this odd-couple buddy action comedy genuinely pops

[moviexclusive · 7/10 · 16 June 2016]

As convenient as it may be to pigeonhole 'Central Intelligence' into the label of a buddy cop movie, the always-amusing, often-hilarious and surprisingly-affecting action comedy really is much more. For starters, Kevin Hart's Calvin Joyner isn't a cop at all; in fact, he's a put- upon mild-mannered accountant who is disillusioned with his job and where he is at in life, despite being married to his high-school sweetheart (Danielle Nicolet). For another, Calvin and Dwayne Johnson's Bob Stone can't quite be called buddies, especially since they have been out of touch with each other for the past twenty years and are only reconnecting upon Bob's initiation on the eve of their high school homecoming reunion party.

Oh yes, the catch here is that while Calvin used to be the high- school superstar who excelled at everything from athletics to academics to drama and was thus dubbed 'The Golden Jet', Bob – who used to go by the name Robbie Weirdicht – was the overweight kid who had to contend with being dragged out of the locker-room shower by a bunch of sneering bullies and thrown naked in the middle of a school assembly. And yet, in his moment of humiliation, Calvin's act of kindness in offering his 'Golden Jet' jacket to cover Bob's privates has made him Bob's hero, so much so that Bob worships Calvin as no less than his idol. But it isn't just for old times' sake that Bob is now reaching out to Calvin – indeed, after watching 'Fat Robbie'- turned-He-Man take out four bullies in front of his eyes, Calvin agrees to Bob's seemingly innocuous favour of accounting help with his overseas payroll.

And so begins a series of CIA hijinks, as Bob reveals himself to be a CIA agent after someone known as the 'Black Badger' who has stolen the US satellite encryption keys and intends to sell them to the highest bidder. Though Calvin wants no part in the high-stakes operation, he finds that he is already unwittingly involved when Bob's superior Pamela (Amy Ryan) turns up at his doorstep and informs him that Bob is a rogue agent who happens to be the very Badger himself. Oh, there's also the question of whether Bob's former partner (Aaron Paul in an extended cameo) was killed by the Badger as Bob claims or was in fact killed by Bob himself as Pamela claims. As earnest as Bob may appear, Calvin's struggle as he grazes past one life-threatening setpiece after another is whether to trust Bob in the first place.

From an extended shootout at Calvin's office that ends with Bob and Calvin crashing through the eleventh-storey window onto a giant gorilla inflatable below, to a CIA safe house where Calvin springs Bob from custody, to an underground parking garage where Bob comes face to face with his nemesis, director Rawson Marshall Thurber stages the action with surprising élan, emphasizing Johnson's swift and lethal moves as well as Hart's barely controlled hysteria at every turn. Yet because Johnson and Hart have performed similar shtick in previous roles, the real fun is in watching the two actors play against each other in quieter and more intimate scenes, such as a couples' therapy session between Calvin and his wife which Bob crashes by pretending to be their therapist.

It is in scenes such as this that the sheer chemistry between Johnson and Hart shines through. Thurber, who co-wrote the script with Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen, plays against his audience's expectation by letting the usually motor-mouthed Hart play the straight man and Johnson be the unhinged man-child responsible for the verbal and physical shenanigans. Thanks to Johnson and Hart's elevated performances, the 'role reversal' works beautifully and makes for reason alone to watch this instead of say the next 'Ride Along' sequel. The stronger than usual character work is yet further proof that this film is a notch above many others of its ilk, demonstrated in the insecurities that Bob and Calvin each have to deal with individually along the way.

Even though the opening scene of Bob's teenage appearance in the form of Johnson's face fattened by CG trickery suggests that it may end up pandering to the lowest-denominator, 'Central Intelligence' ultimately proves unexpectedly sensitive to the plight of those bullied in high school in its concluding scene, where Bob finally overcomes his personal demons to take the stage in front of his schoolmates twenty years after being painfully humiliated. Besides a cameo by Melissa McCarthy as Bob's high-school crush, it is as sweet a parting shot as any, underscoring yet again what an earnestly endearing and humorous joyride this odd-couple buddy movie has been. Most of all, Johnson and Hart are like 'yin' and 'yang', and together they prove that a little Hart and a big Johnson goes a long, long way.

Great Poster. So-so film.

[bob-the-movie-man · 5/10 · 22 December 2016]

"Saving the World Takes a Little Hart and a Big Johnson". I doubt I have ever passed a film poster before and dissolved into paroxysms of mirth, so this film at least wins one award with me.

The story is pretty inconsequential, and used as a framework to build set pieces around. Kevin Hart ("Ride Along") plays Calvin Joyner – the life and soul of his high school and the guy voted 'Most likely to succeed'. He's also a nice guy, sensitively covering the modesty of overweight loser Robbie Wheirdicht (a good Dwayne Johnson lookalike actually played by internet wedding-dance sensation Sione Kelepi) after he's been ridiculed by bullies in front of the whole school.

But sometimes life doesn't go to plan and twenty year's later Calvin may have married his high school sweetheart Maggie (Danielle Nicolet) but has ended up in a low-level forensic accountancy job and not where he wants to be.

Robbie on the other hand has transformed his life and physique to become Bob Stone (Dwayne Johnson), a man with a 'certain set of skills' and, as it turns out, a rogue CIA operative. Bob is on the trail of financial codes to help identify the location of the traitorous 'Black Badger' who killed his long-term partner Stanton (Aaron Paul). But the Black Badger could be anyone, and the CIA lead (Amy Ryan) suspects it might actually be Stone. With the stakes rising the inept Joyner needs to make a decision on who to trust and who to fear.

The comedy lead Kevin Hart previously impressed with "Get Hard" and raises a few laughs in this one, notably with his attempt at his signature flip twenty years later than he should have attempted it! Johnson's character is written to be just plain weird and with Johnson's limited acting range (think Arnie in "Jingle All The Way") it's a performance that is on the outlandish side of bizarre. Together the duo make for a likable pair but this is a very lightweight comedy and is generally a smile-along rather than a laugh-along. It is also uneven in tone, occasionally straying into highly un-comedic territory: a throat- ripping out scene anyone?

The director is Rawson Marshall Thurber who previously directed the better comedy "Dodgeball" and the far worse "We're the Millers". So that should set your expectations.

A fairly ho-hum comedy which might entertain you on a long plane flight but is not worth forking out much cash to rent.

(Please visit http://bob-the-movie-man.com for the graphical version of this review. Thanks.)

The most overacted rubbish

[thehamster1 · 7/10 · 5 July 2016]

Avoid this movie ! This weak story line is not helped in the slightest by Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson poor attempt to act. Even though Kevin Hart is a respected stand up, there was no funny moment in this movie that was not shown in the trailer. Save yourself some money and time by just having a cheap laugh at the trailer as this contains the few decent parts of the movie. The predictable story line of the popular high school jock (Kevin Hart) in the future becoming a bit of a loser stuck in a dead end job. While a school nerd becoming some cool FBI agent (Dwayne Johnson) is such a lazy plot and there is no real development on the story line other than this. Not to mention the fact that Dawyne Johnsons attempt to play a different sort of character than the typical hard man just comes across strange and unbelievable and is one of the worst examples of acting i have ever seen in my life.

Funny buddy film and more!

[JohnDeSando · 16 June 2016]

A comedy crime film has a dual burden: being funny and suspenseful at the same time. Central Intelligence tries to be both and succeeds some of the time, mostly on the comedic side. Surprisingly, its thematic elements about bullying and humans reaching potential elevate the film above quips and slapstick.

Bob (Dwayne Johnson) and Calvin (Kevin Hart), former high school chums, get involved 20 years later in a haphazard investigation of a secret government activity that involves foreign spies and questionable US agents. The challenge of determining who is good and who is bad is middlin' but entertaining.

Their friendship goes back to when Calvin, the "Golden Jet," was the most likely to succeed senior and Bob the obese object of bullying; their hookup now before the reunion provides a chance for the director, Rawson Marshall Thurber, and his writers to run a theme about "what have you done with your life?" Calvin feels as an accountant he has not reached the heights his early accomplishments promised, despite the fact that he married the best female in the class, who became a successful attorney.

Bob, on the other hand, has grown from a fat boy into, well, the "The Rock," with marvelous muscles, a world-class smile, exuberance, and a job with the CIA. That he still idolizes Calvin is a questionable obsession until we figure out a couple of the reasons. Overall Bob seems to have a more balanced life.

The comedic parts are sometimes of a higher order, for instance, when Calvin explains he doesn't do therapy because he's Black, goes to the barbershop, and watches Barbershop movies. The largely African-American audience at my screening enjoyed the stereotyping.

Central Intelligence has numerous stock jokes and situations for the buddy comedy, especially the mixed races and the little man paired with a veritable giant (think Wilder and Pryor, Gibson and Glover, and Murphy and Nolte for the races)... One thing is for sure, Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson are an intelligent comedy team, which should be central to our summer enjoyment for years to come.

A plot stretched thinner than a T-shirt on The Rock

[cricketbat · 6/10 · 8 November 2019]

Look, there's no denying that Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson make a good comedic duo, but Central Intelligence isn't an intelligent comedy. It seems that the director just kept telling them, "That's funny. Do it again. Do it again. Do it again." It's a one-joke movie and they stretch the plot thinner than a T-shirt worn by The Rock. I didn't hate it, but I also didn't laugh as much as I thought I would while watching it.

I kinda liked it - just not entirely sure why

[r96sk · 7/10 · 5 June 2020]

I feel as if I should be hating on this film, but I kinda liked it - just not entirely sure why.

'Central Intelligence' isn't the strongest attempt at comedy, it doesn't do anything particularly unique as it produces a lot of things you've seen before. The premise itself isn't entertaining, while a number of the jokes simply don't land.

However, I still look back on this with somewhat good thoughts. The film surprisingly starts and ends with heart, which I didn't expect. Dwanye Johnson (Robbie) and Kevin Hart (Calvin) work well together, it is one of the weaker performances I've seen from Johnson; even so I appreciate him giving something slightly different from his usual. It's also cool to see Aaron Paul (Phil) and Jason Bateman (Trevor) involved.

I believe, all in all, it's the likeable cast and unpredicted (minor) charm that keeps things ticking over to avoid everything dragging. Johnson and Hart have done better, though.

if you liked 48 hours or the Lethal Weapon series,,,

[disdressed12 · 6/10 · 18 September 2016]

,you should enjoy this film. it's entertaining enough..Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart make a good team.Kevin hart Plays Calvin Joiner,who unwittingly gets caught up in a CIA operation,while Dwayne Johnson recruits him(sort of)there are some very funny bits,and lots of action.the film is fast paced.Amy Ryan also appears here and is excellent,as always.she doesn't have a huge role,but she classes up the movie when she is on screen.Jason Bateman has a small but memorable cameo.Kevin Hart was in The movie Ride along, with Ice Cube and I thought that was a funnier movie.still I would recommend this movie.if you enjoyed 48 hours or The Lethal Weapon series you will probably enjoy this film.at the very least,it will keep you entertained for just under two and a half hours for me,Central Intelligence is 6/10.

Finally a movie with Kevin Hart that I enjoyed with all of my heart!

[SergenBenjamin · 8/10 · 10 June 2016]

I was invited to an early screening of this movie in Norway, brought friends and did not have high hopes for this movie (since I've already sat through many Hartflicks, without laughing once).

But this one is a bit different! Without spoiling to much, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson brings a lot to this, and is already known as Dwayne "The Franchise Viagra" Johnson, so this is going to be big!

The bromance between the characters is much more believable than Harts movies with Ice Cube, Josh Gad or Will Ferrell. And Dwayne Johnson freshens up our memories of his performance in the 2005 comedy "Be Cool".

All in all, I had a blast! So go see it with your girlfriend or best-friends, and enjoy yourselves!

Johnson and Hart make a great team

[reddiemurf81 · 7/10 · 30 June 2020]

Lols all around

Hart brings his normal, wacky self to the screen while Johnson goes through a lil bit of a transformation right before our eyes.

Basically, if you enjoy comedy,, you'll like this one.

Ride Along 3: A little Hart and a big Johnson

[danielharden · 4/10 · 1 July 2016]

From the guy behind Dodgeball: a true underdog story and We're the Millers comes another Buddy Cop/Spy comedy starring Kevin Hart. Central Intelligence marks the second time this year that we have seen Kevin Hart in a movie where he forms an unlikely friendship with his nicknamed co-star (Ice Cube or The Rock) while he also shoots, fights and back flips his way to save the day.

As opposed to Ride Along, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays Bob Stone in a subverted role than one might expect of the peoples champ. The Rock does a pretty good job as the Optomistically enthusiastic, unicorn loving CIA agent, bringing the action star to the screen as well as a more softer and comical side of the Brahma Bull. The film also features entertaining performances/ cameos from several actors; such as Aaron Paul (Who can't stop himself from calling someone a Bitch), Jason Bateman (Who plays a more comical version of his character from The Gift), Amy Ryan and even Melissa McCarthy. As for Kevin Hart, Kevin Hart is Kevin Hart... Enough said.

The film itself is formulaic, two polar opposites bond over a case they work together... The formula of every buddy cop movie out there. At the close the Rock gives a speech bout being who you are and standing up t bullies, if the film could have maybe delivered that message better or at all then we could be looking at a better film here. The film just felt a bit bland story line wise.

My biggest issue with this film is that it feels censored. I can't help but feel that with 2 major studios backing the film that there must be some major studio interference taking place. There are many scenes that I felt didn't work because of cuts and edits to create a 12A film in the hope to widen the films audience. This is a film that definitely needed a certificate boost to be more entertaining, the humour needed to be ruder for Kevin Hart to work and the action needed more blood and detail to grip an audience. The film just felt tame and too safe and so not particularly entertaining, plus the ending was cheesy as hell God Damn.

Overall Central Intelligence is a film that I feel was ruined by studio interference. The high point is definitely the Rock (but when is he not?) as he plays a different character to what you would expect pretty well. The story is unoriginal and the humour works on occasion but ultimately the film falls flat. What this film needs is a 15 rated Directors cut which I pray Rawson Marshall Thurber releases. The film isn't good but on the bright side it doesn't look like it has completely hit Rock Bottom.

Very cool film!

[TheOvereducated · 10/10 · 29 February 2020]

I had a great time at the cinema (back in 2016). It's a very fun, action-comedy movie with a heartwarming core thanks to the very sweet character Johnson is playing :)

There are 2 small details I didn't like. 1) With Johnson's character being actually innocent, the guilty smile & look he gave to Hart's character behind his back close to the end of the movie was out of character. And so the sole purpose of that smile was to trick the audience into still doubting about his innocence. I understand they wanted to keep the audience guessing until the big revelation at the end, but that was not the correct way. And 2) the real flashback scene between Johnson's and Aaron Paul's character during the revelation at the end felt cheap/weak, because Paul's actions were over-comical and thus unrealistic towards Johnson's character. They could have fixed that easily.

Overall though, I can easily see beyond these details and as I said, I like the movie a lot and I like a lot that Johnson's character is all about stoping bullies!

A mediocre comedy that proved entertaining

[Mcduff3601 · 6/10 · 29 May 2018]

There wasn't much to this one and I am usually not a fan of Kevin Hart's screaming routine all the time. But in this movie it worked as he played a scared working stiff thrown into some crazy scenario.

The jokes are mild but still kind of funny, like a "hmm that is humerous" vs. "stop I can't stop laughing Imma pee my pants".

I am starting to become a fan of The Rock though. Last movie I saw him in was Baywatch and it was surprisingly funny. Also a mediocre comedy. If you go with this movie you could be making the biggest mistake of your life. Or the biggest good decision of your life. You ever play russion roulette? Time to spin the chamber Boris.

Entertaining - but that's it

[The-Sarkologist · 5/10 · 2 July 2016]

Well, here's the deal – we have the film beginning on the last day of high school where Calvin Joyner is voted to the student most likely to succeed, while Bob Stone (not his real name) is in the shower dancing. Stone is then grabbed by some bullies, naked, and thrown into the middle of the gym, where all the school is watching. Everybody, but Joyner, is laughing at Stone, however Joyner gives Stone his jacket, and that is basically the last anybody hears of him.

Twenty years later Joyner married his highschool sweetheart and is working in a dead end job at an accounting firm with an inflatable gorilla out the front. The idea of him succeeding seems to have fallen flat on its face, particularly when he found himself in the real world. However he receives an anonymous friend request on Facebook and discovers that it is his old friend from school, however he has changed – a lot. Instead of the fat kid he remembered he is now and incredibly muscly, yet still very nice, Dwayne Johnson. Stone is actually needing some assistance, which Joyner gives him, and it soon becomes apparent that Stone is a rouge CIA agent, and Joyner is now caught up in a mission to save the United States, which includes a huge machine gun fight in his office.

So, that is basically the movie – it's funny in parts, but the comedy pretty quickly wears off to become not so much your typical spy action movie, but rather a somewhat unbelievable spy action movie. When I left the cinema I thought to myself – yes, this was a good film, however as I thought about it (though not too much, because there is nothing all that much to think about) I realised that there really wasn't anything all that special about it. While Johnson's character wasn't bad, or irritating, he just seemed to be a little too nice, to the point that I didn't feel that there was all that much depth to the character. Sure, there were some amusing scenes, but it wasn't a side splitting funny type of movie.

I guess it is basically one of those 'life didn't quite turn out as we expected' type of movies – the ones where at the end of highschool it seems as if the world is your oyster, but twenty years down the track all the potential that was there when we were young seems to not only have gone, but has been wasted. In fact Joyner doesn't even want to attend his reunion (I know what it is like – I didn't, despite the fact that Facebook as allowed me to connect with my old school friends) because he feels that the expectation that was there were he was left has been wasted. Mind you, it is also one of those 'wouldn't it be good' type of movies – the ones that suggest that it would be good if something were to just suddenly happen to take the monotony out of life.

Even though it was enjoyable, and I would hardly call it boring, it seems to suffer from the malaise that many of the Hollywood movies seem to be suffering from these days – lack of depth. Oh, and it is also predictable as well – I worked out that there was a purpose for the giant inflatable gorilla almost as soon as I saw it.

It takes two to make a good comedy - little Hart and big Johnson

[ivan-yergiyev · 7/10 · 22 July 2016]

When I heard that Central Intelligence is going to star Dwyane Johnson and Kevin Hart – I was absolutely sure about watching it in theaters. First trailer confirmed my assumptions – it looked pretty legit to me.

The plot has nothing special in it from the beginning: classic "before" scene from 1996, which introduces us to Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart) and Bob Stone (Dwyane Johnson). Calvin was a typical guy everyone would love to be friends with and Bob was just someone you wanted to bully all the time. Quick jump to 2016 shows us that Kevin wasted his "potential". However, we see tremendous transformation of Dwyane Johnson's character. He is the Rock now. Wait, is it actually possible to bully the Rock, even in 1996? Anyways, since that we can enjoy great chemistry between Kevin and Bob.

Many people might think: "Oh, another spy movie. I am so tired of it". I am going to tell you one thing – this movie is nothing about spying at all. Well, it is in some way – FBI agents, terrorists and all that. But it is not the main "selling" point of the movie. Thriller and spy part seems pretty straightforward and "easy to predict". But the way it goes to this obvious end is the key. Sweet high-school buddies friendship, bullies jokes and hilarious action scenes – all this is Central Intelligence. What actually amazed me is the fact that even though this film is all about laughing, it kept me smiled during all 105 minutes. Isn't it amazing when a big muscle machine Dwyane Johnson delivers one of the best jokes you would ever hear? Or little Hart doing cool ass moves you have never expected from him. Beyond all that, I was really surprised when I saw Aaron Paul in this movie. While he was more like a cameo, his character still got a few "breaking bad" quotes, if you know what I mean.

Overall, film is centralized on delightful chemistry of two main actors. Usually, it is not enough to keep people entertained. In this case, it is. Another perfect evidence is domestic gross which is more than 120 million dollars. Not bad for a comedy movie, huh? However, this film is not gonna "suit" every viewer. A lot of people aren't going to get jokes, characters motivations and references. But all in all, if you are a guy who does not judge movies too strictly – Central Intelligence is a perfect choice for you. Strong 7/10 for me. Hopefully, I will see Dwyane Johnson in comedies again – he is really great.