Nielsen's schtick is getting pretty threadbare by now -- his movies used to wring laughs from assaults on his silver-haired dignity, but after years of screen buffoonery, he has no dignity left to assault.
Spy Hard (1996)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:28
Fresh:2
Rotten:26
Average Rating:3.2/10
Synopsis: As the film's title suggests, "Spy Hard" is an all-out spoof of action and espionage films, in the same vein as the "Airplane" and "Naked Gun" movies. As with those films, the plot (about an... As the film's title suggests, "Spy Hard" is an all-out spoof of action and espionage films, in the same vein as the "Airplane" and "Naked Gun" movies. As with those films, the plot (about an armless madman attempting to takeover the world) merely provides an excuse for non-stop sight gags, puns, celebrity cameos and of course, film parodies. Some of the movies spoofed include "Speed," "Mission: Impossible," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "Pulp Fiction," and even "Sister Act." [More]
Starring: Leslie Nielsen, Nicollette Sheridan, Charles Durning, Marcia Gay Harden
Starring: Leslie Nielsen, Nicollette Sheridan, Charles Durning, Marcia Gay Harden, Barry Bostwick, Andy Griffith, John Ales, Elya Baskin, Mason Gamble, Carlos Lauchu, Stephanie Romanov, Curtis Armstrong, Tina Arning, William Barillaro, Michael Berryman, Julie Brown, Stephen Burrows, Keith Campbell, Carl Ciarfalio, Johnny Cocktails, Wayne Cotter, Rick Cramer, Eddie Deezen, Joey Dente, Paul Eliopoulos, Tone Loc, Katherine Moffat, Tyler Patton, Joyce Brothers, Ray Charles, Chevy Chase, Roger Clinton, Robert Culp, Fabio, Robert Guillaume, Hulk Hogan, Pat Morita, Mr. T, Alexandra Paul, "Weird Al" Yankovic
Director: Rick Friedberg
Director: Rick Friedberg
Producer: Doug Draizin, Rick Friedberg, Jefrrey Konvitz
Composer: Bill Conti
Reviews for Spy Hard
The picture that will test the durability of Leslie Nielsen's lowbrow franchise, Spy Hard sticks closely to the Naked Gun formula. Not only is the formula itself wearing thin, but the gags themselves feel recycled.
Like Hot Shots! there's the same mistaken belief that simply tagging other films will be intrinsically funny...
This one's a real disappointment -- it only registered a few snickers from me at best.
A classic example of why David Zucker/Jim Abrahams/Jerry Zucker-style comedies should be left to ZAZ themselves.
Nielsen, with his expert deadpan and sense of comic timing, creates the illusion of humor -- for about 15 minutes.
[Scores] only a handful of genuine laughs during its scant 78 minutes.
This movie unfortunately wastes a perfectly promising idea -- satirizing James Bond films along with any other pop-culture celluloid phenomenon that crosses the filmmakers' minds.
You won't laugh hard at Spy Hard. And that's not because the jokes aren't funny. Most of them aren't even jokes.
This movie may not be brilliant, but every now and then it's really funny.
Latest News for Spy Hard
June 22, 2005:
Ensemble Signs Up for Untitled Rom-Com Spoof
The Hollywood Reporter brings news of an upcoming romantic comedy spoof that has five actors and no title ... yet. Screenwriters Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer ("Scary... More...
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