Johnny English is back, and bolder, better, and more brutal than ever! The comedy follows the tradition in never taking it too far, but still often going for either awkwardly entertaining or just straight over-the-top.

In a good way.

They theme this third movie on technology, and as much as it's entertaining to witness (they make the wittiest out of it too) the clashes between Johnny 'Oldskool' English and the new generation, it also feels like they're making a statement: that technology isn't only for the betterment of all, and I both like and share that sentiment too.

Atkinson does look a bit older, but he's definitely still got it, and he's as fun to watch as ever. The movie takes him on a chase after a new-age villain together with his old companion (Bough), has him running into a femme fatale, driving around, venturing into a whole new kind of VR world, suiting up and eventually saving the world - all in classy Johnny English style!

There's just no one like him, and I miss the harmless kind of humor he brings with him. For all ages no less.

The sceneries are immersive, the soundtrack orchestral, the script expansive, the wit extensive, the locations expensive, the humor laughable (in a good way), and the essence of it all is as flashy as ever.

The chase goes as you expect it to go, which is one of the few details I wish they could change - that they'd go for something unexpected not only with the bloopers but with the plot progression itself, but that's one of very few things I'd like to change here. For the most part it was a blast, either seat-sticking suspenseful or stead-flipping entertaining, and though the premise isn't the most advanced it's the humor that really does it. And the style. And Rowan Atkinson's pure genius.

Is this the third and final movie? If it was it was a worthy end... though I can't say I remember enough of the first to fully compare, but I wouldn't mind if they keep it going just a little longer. I just can't get enough.

 rated 5/5: friggin awesome

The guys definitely have smaller roles to play in this one! And especially Piotr Stramowski, who had such a prominent role in the former. Apart from one intro bust scene he's not very present at all, and seems to be there mostly just to support his wife, and daughter, and to keep things rolling. Because this time: it's all about the women.

So after the initial bust scene we move on to different kinds of bust scenes, and follow the lives of a group of truthfully tough women as they go about their lives, both within and outside the police force - or prison - and sometimes both.

As with the earlier movie everyone's fates seem to interweave and make for a somewhat messy, but at the same time very authentic and tough tale of criminal lives. They're still not adverse to nudity or gore, and though those scenes aren't many the movie has a refreshingly uncensored atmosphere that way. It feels real. Especially with personal relations.

The elaborate schemes the criminals resort to in these movies are another very authenticating aspect. Some of this could be real... maybe all of it.

The new main nemesis, 'Sugar', played by Sebastian Fabijanski, puts on a great role too, and we get to see a few re-occurring faces from the prior movie too, at the end unexpectedly also Fear, who contributes some appreciatively crude comedy to an otherwise serious and savage film. Some of the humor probably doesn't pass translation, and character relations and dialog come across just as tough as the action.

Maybe I'll learn a thing or two about Poland if I keep watching these though! And I hope they'll be making more. So far I'm enjoying every one, and the enhanced female presence here isn't a bad thing either.

It's a movie series featuring all walks of life. All types. Expendables to Mercenaries. Unfortunately there's still plenty of lose ends, like whatever happened to the rest of the gang after Sugar met his old comrades in a field of blood. But nevertheless: good watch.

 rated 4/5: fo shizzle

Now this main guy's tough! And tougher here than in the sequel, which makes me wonder... it's not the same guy after all, is it? It's a standalone segment in the maybe one and only franchise to go to if you want a glimpse into the dirty underbelly of Poland, and the somewhat different forms of law and order they have there. And surely in many of their neighboring countries. And probably plenty of other countries too but not really the first world countries from which you usually get your movies. Unless you happen to live here.

It's refreshing to leave Hollywood for something savage though, some times.

Compared to the sequel this one's all the more brutal, has some rough sex scenes too, and though Piotr never stops fighting for justice there's not such a big different between cops and criminals after all. They're both relentless.

The plot? Well it's about cops, and their feud against a criminal band called the Mokotowska Group. Let's leave it at that. Until you watch it.

It's filmed good. It's gritty. The script's a bit of a mess, skipping certain details you'd think to be key elements such as how they catch some of the criminals depicted, but at the same time it's refreshingly unstructured that way, all the while staying relevant to the characters and story. And you bond with them, too. Tough guys, beautiful women, and a both glorified and dirtied picture of the gang culture in these parts. Not bad at all.

 rated 4/5: fo shizzle

The Poles sure can make a movie! The script's a mess, and the narrative seems to rely on a lot of prerequisite knowledge, but who cares about that when the action scenes have such exquisite authenticity? It feels real. Serious. The bombs, the explosions, the knifings, the everything.

It's as tough a world as you imagine it might be in the Baltic States, and as such it also stars a set of pretty tough characters. They've got that aura like they've seen it all. Like they don't fear death. Like all of this is just a natural part of life. Life and death. Good and bad. Everyone's got to make a living somehow, and where some people decide to stand up for justice some people decide to stand up for themselves, or for someone else.

I'm indecisive about how to rate this, since everything about it apart from the script is just great. It's down-to-Earth in a way I haven't seen another action thriller be in... maybe ever, but when it's all said and done, and bits and pieces are left unexplained like it's an episode of a TV show rather than a stand-alone motion picture... I can't give it the highest score after all. But if you're looking for a gritty cops and robbers, murderers and more movie, from Poland, you've got a solid one here. Everything else is great.

 rated 3/5: not bad

What starts as a routine job - a special effects gig - for a rather usual client, soon spirals out of control, and F/X master Roland 'Rollie' Tyler (played by Bryan Brown) wonders if the special effects murder he arranged was really all effects after all, or if he just killed a guy for real.

How did he get into this indeed.

It's an interesting movies on more levels than one considering the in-movie-rigged special effects, even if the red blood and atmosphere outside those details is still much like other movies of its time: basic. The title seems to promise more in the car chases and action scenes, but there are a certain few that really shine, and when it's all said and done the backstage detail, creative twist to an otherwise common intrigue, and charismatic main character (Brian Dennehy too) make up for the larger whole of a simple eighties action thriller.

It's better than a fair share of the competition in the twists and turns, the somber ambience of the score, and of course: the bulky but genuine gadgetry throughout.

And as the credits roll... just gotta give it a four after all.

 rated 4/5: fo shizzle

The Tactical Neutralization Team, or T.N.T., is a squad of elite soldiers sent on top-secret, near-suicidal missions around the world. After one of their missions ends in failure, team member Alex decides he's had enough of the special-op life and calls it quits. His commanding officer, however, doesn't want the security risk of a former member walking around, so he assigns another member of the team to hunt down Alex and retire him permanently.

You'd think a pro would learn how to count his bullets! Olivier Gruner (Alex) does not, but he's not bad otherwise. His French accent is sometimes overly notable, and his Jamie sometimes sounds awkwardly close to Jimmy, but otherwise he's good. He looks good. He has energy and charisma, and seems a suitable pick for the action hero role that he here plays. And Rebecca Staab (the commonly mispronounced one) looks her part as well.

The movie idea's pretty basic, but for a nineties B-movie action flick you can't expect too much. The action scenes are - albeit somewhat basic - also authentic and fast-paced, and the sheriff's revolver tricks in particular were cool to see. Sometimes he seems like the most authentic one of all, even if he doesn't have a role that'll let him exercise that greatness (Randy Travis).

It is a B-movie, but if all you're looking for is a little easy, cheesy nineties action, then look no further, this is one of those. If time allows I think I'll watch a few more Olivier Gruner movies later on too, since it seems he's had a steady career all the way till present day - and most of it in action-sounding titles. With a bit better sets and scripts they might be pretty good!

 rated 3/5: not bad