If you've ever seen a movie where our heroes are scrambling to prevent a bomb from exploding, don't go see "Bad Company." If you do, all you're going to get is every other action cliche you've already seen before.
This "save the world before the bomb's clock ticks down to zero" action/comedy film starring Chris Rock and Anthony Hopkins has no original action scenes and very few funny lines.
Chris Rock can be one of the funniest guys out there, but he's only funny when he's reading lines that he's written. This was the least funny I've ever seen him.
In "Bad Company," Rock stars as Jake Hayes, a New Jersey chess aficionado and streetwise ticket broker who is hired by the CIA to fill in for Rock's twin brother after he's killed in action. Rock never even knew he had a twin. You guessed it, separated at birth.
Hopkins plays Gaylord Oakes, a CIA agent who worked with Rock's brother. I'm sorry, but Hopkins is just too old for a major action role. He's not captivating at all.
The two are on a mission to prevent a nuclear suitcase bomb from falling into the wrong hands. Basically, the fate of the free world rests in the hands of a ticket scalper and a 70-something heavy-set man. I bet you could guess again what happened.
Beyond its other weaknesses, the way terrorism is represented in this film is a little tasteless in the wake of Sept. 11. Is it really necessary for the top bad-guy to tell us in the pivotal scene that Americans just sit back and watch as the rest of the world suffers? And because of that he has the right to blow up the world.
If you want to have meaningful social commentary in your film, don't have Chris Rock cracking off-color jokes every two minutes.
Having the word "bad" in the title of this movie tells you all you need to know.
Reach Adam Kress at jtreered@aol.com.
