--- title: "Johnny English: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/johnny-english/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/johnny-english" critics_score: 56 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Johnny English (2003): what the critics said Critics' score 56 from 10 reviews: 1 positive, 6 mixed, 3 negative. The reviews lean towards mixed, with Rowan Atkinson’s comic skills drawing more consistent praise than the material he is given. Critics find intermittent laughs in his physical comedy and familiar bumbling, though enthusiasm for the spy spoof as a whole is limited. Empire offers the warmest response, praising the crowd-pleasing set-pieces and an impressive car chase. Variety also finds an effective family romp, crediting Atkinson’s character-based comedy while acknowledging the script’s lack of polish. Reservations cluster around predictability, repetition and a premise that promises more than it delivers. The spread runs from cheerful acceptance of familiar silliness to frustration at how little the script supplies beyond slapstick. John Malkovich’s villain earns praise for comic timing and camp amusement in some reviews, but is judged underused elsewhere. Eye for Film takes the strongest negative position, finding the film mostly unfunny and its central character unsympathetic, while still appreciating Natalie Imbruglia and Malkovich. ## Empire — Caroline Westbrook Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2011. Westbrook finds the film entertaining and crowd-pleasing despite its lowbrow, familiar comedy. She especially praises the funny set-pieces, singling out an impressive car chase. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/johnny-english-review/) ## Variety — Derek Elley Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 7 April 2003. Elley finds the film an extremely silly but effective family romp, though its script lacks polish and older audiences may find little new. He praises Rowan Atkinson’s character-based comedy, especially the audience’s ability to stay one step ahead of Johnny English. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2003/film/reviews/johnny-english-1200542372/) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No specific praise or complaint can be verified. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/johnny-english-2003) ## Time Out — DA Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page identifies this as a film review, but the critic’s verdict is unavailable in the provided content. The visible description introduces the villain’s anti-British ambition but does not reveal what the critic praises or criticizes. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/johnny-english) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 63/100 (inferred from the text). 18 July 2003. The page is identified as a review of Johnny English, but its text is inaccessible. The available headline characterizes its spy as bumbling; the critic’s verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be confirmed. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/18/movies/film-review-a-bumbling-british-spy-both-shaken-and-stirred.html) ## The AV Club — Nathan Rabin Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 22 July 2003. Rabin finds the spy spoof mildly amusing but generally meek, and says its premise promises more than the film delivers. He singles out Rowan Atkinson’s physical comedy, especially during the lively climax, as making the limited material work. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/johnny-english-1798198724) ## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager Rating 2/4. 16 July 2003. Schager finds the comedy largely repetitive and the film too fixated on Atkinson’s slapstick. He says Atkinson’s physical antics occasionally get a laugh, while Malkovich’s French-accented villain is reduced to a sideshow. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/johnny-english/) ## Radio Times — Sloan Freer Rating 2/5. The review finds the comedy unassuming rather than especially distinctive. It singles out Atkinson’s reliance on facial tics, pratfalls and schoolboy humour. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-truxfy/johnny-english/) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 2/5. 11 April 2003. The critic finds the film hopelessly predictable, despite a handful of laughs. They single out Atkinson’s familiar bumbling and Malkovich’s camp performance as occasional sources of amusement. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/johnny-english-review/) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 9 April 2003. The critic finds the film mostly unfunny, blaming a repetitive script and an unsympathetic central character. They praise Natalie Imbruglia’s personality and John Malkovich’s comic timing. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/johnny-english-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/johnny-english.md