mortdecai
2015 review number 10:
Mortdecai: (Action/Comedy): 33 out of 100: Johnny Depp can usually be relied on to star in a decent movie but this one is probably the worst he's been the lead actor in. It's an uneasy mix of comedy and action which is neither funny nor exciting. If it set out to bore the audience then it has successfully done its job.
Depp plays Lord Mortdecai, a swindling art dealer who has been caught up in the theft of a stolen art painting that is rumoured to contain a code that leads to lost Nazi gold. He travels the world trying to locate this painting while he is being pursued by an MI5 agent played by Ewan McGregor. He must also contend with gangster Russians and Chinese along with an unhappy wife played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Paul Bettany is his dim-witted bodyguard, Jock, who loves to shag anything that moves.
How a top cast like this would feature in this tripe is beyond belief. They must have been paid a lot of money because surely they would have seen that the story and script were boring even before filming took place. The story calls for a lot of slapstick which hasn't been executed well. There are some jokes that bring a few smiles but little else. For those seeking superb action scenes, you will be disappointed.
Depp masters the English accent but it's a shame that he overacts to try to make the slapstick scenes funny. Paltrow again shows that she too can imitate an English accent well. At least she doesn't try to overact like Depp does. Bettany as the thug attempts to provide some cheap laughs while McGregor seems to be in a different movie altogether.
The highlight of the film is the location shooting which grandly shows some major world cities in all their glory. Credit must also go to the music score which is bouncy and cheerful to play off the slapstick scenes.
Even if you are a fan of Johnny Depp, you will be disappointed with "Mortdecai". Don't even see it at the cinema if you think there's nothing better to see currently in release. Check out an old Depp film on DVD or cable TV instead.
Starring Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany and Ewan McGregor
(107 minutes)
Parental advice: Coarse language and violence
Additional scene during or after credits: No
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aW_sfxUnbZA (Movie trailer)
(Reviewed on Thursday 22nd January, 2015)
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