Johnny English Strikes Again – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Johnny English Strikes Again

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2018

48%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Rowan Atkinson's bumbling spy returns for a third round of pratfalls—critics yawned, audiences shrugged, and your kids might too.

37%

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Johnny English Strikes Again

movie

PG, 2018

48%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Rowan Atkinson's bumbling spy returns for a third round of pratfalls—critics yawned, audiences shrugged, and your kids might too.

37%

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37%

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Screenwise Verdict

Look, Johnny English Strikes Again is fine. It's safe, it won't traumatize anyone, and Rowan Atkinson does his bumbling physical comedy thing with professional dedication.

But here's the truth: it's just not very good. Critics savaged it (37% RT), audiences were lukewarm (51%), and even generous family-film fans on Letterboxd gave it a 2.9/5. The 'analog spy in a digital world' premise had potential, but the execution is lazy franchise filmmaking—same gags, diminishing returns.

If you've got a 7-9 year old who thinks people falling down is peak comedy, sure, throw it on. But there are dozens of better family comedies that are actually funny, actually clever, and won't make you check your phone every ten minutes. This is the movie equivalent of plain oatmeal—harmless, forgettable, and nobody's asking for seconds.

Age Fit

Common Sense Media pegs this at 9+, which feels right for the mild spy action and silly humor. Younger kids (7-8) could handle it content-wise but might find it boring. Tweens and teens will likely find it painfully unfunny—this isn't a family film with crossover appeal.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Slapstick spy comedy with a bumbling hero who ultimately succeeds through perseverance. Physical comedy is silly rather than mean-spirited, and the tone is family-friendly PG fare. However, some humor relies on mockery and incompetence, which isn't the strongest emotional modeling. Pacing is appropriate for family viewing without being overly chaotic.

Imaginative

The 'analog spy vs. digital world' premise has some creative potential, but execution is formulaic spy-comedy territory. It's the third film in a franchise that recycles the same bumbling-spy gags. Critics' 37% RT score and 2.9/5 Letterboxd rating suggest uninspired, predictable comedy. Doesn't invite curiosity or creative thinking—just standard pratfalls and espionage tropes.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates it for age 9, suggesting mild action violence typical of spy comedies—no gore, graphic content, or inappropriate material for family viewing. As a PG-rated spy comedy, it follows the Rowan Atkinson formula of physical comedy without serious peril. Some mild romantic elements and spy action sequences, but nothing that would shock or disturb kids unexpectedly.

Enriching

Limited cognitive or ethical growth here. The 'old methods vs. new technology' theme is surface-level and played mostly for laughs rather than insight. Metacritic 39 and mixed audience reception (51% RT audience, 6.2 IMDb) indicate it's forgettable entertainment. Teaches basic persistence-pays-off lessons, but lacks depth, meaningful takeaways, or skill-building. It's not particularly entertaining either—just serviceable family comedy.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Safe, inoffensive family comedy with no shocking content—perfect background noise for a rainy afternoon
Physical comedy and slapstick might land with younger elementary kids who find incompetence hilarious
Rowan Atkinson's commitment to the bit is admirable, even if the script isn't
The 'old school spy vs. modern tech' angle could spark conversations about how technology changes work

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What to Watch For

This is the third Johnny English movie—if your kids haven't seen the first two, they won't care about this one either
Mild spy action violence (nothing graphic, just cartoon-level peril)
The humor is very British and very silly—some kids will find it boring rather than funny
At 37% on Rotten Tomatoes, even critics who like family films found this one tedious

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think Johnny keeps messing up but still saves the day? Is that realistic?"
"The movie makes fun of how Johnny uses old-fashioned methods instead of technology—do you think old ways are always worse?"
"What would you do differently if you were a spy trying to catch the hacker?"

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