Bad Company (2002)

Director:

Joel Schumacher

Writers (WGA):

Gary M. Goodman (story) and
David Himmelstein (story) ...

Release Date:

7 June 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

Two Mismatched Partners. One Messed Up Case!

Plot:

When a Harvard-educated CIA agent is killed during an operation, the secret agency recruits his twin brother.

Plot Keywords:

Twin | CIA | Twin Brother | CIA Agent | Terrorist

Cast

Anthony Hopkins	...	Officer Oakes
Chris Rock	...	Jake Hayes / Kevin Pope / Michael Turner
Peter Stormare	...	Adrik Vas
Gabriel Macht	...	Officer Seale
Kerry Washington	...	Julie
Adoni Maropis	...	Jarma / Dragan Henchman #1
Garcelle Beauvais	...	Nicole (as Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon)
Matthew Marsh	...	Dragan Adjanic
Dragan Micanovic	...	Michelle 'The Hammer' Petrov
John Slattery	...	Roland Yates
Brooke Smith	...	Officer Swanson
Daniel Sunjata	...	Officer Carew
DeVone Lawson Jr.	...	Officer Parish
Wills Robbins	...	Officer McCain
Marek Vasut	...	Andre

Also Known As:

Black Sheep (USA) (working title)
Ceská spojka (Czech Republic)
Czech Mate (USA) (working title)
The Double (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action, some sensuality and language.

Runtime:

116 min | Spain:125 min

Country:

USA | Czech Republic

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Canada:A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Netherlands:12 (TV rating) | New Zealand:M | Brazil:12 | Argentina:13 | Peru:14 | Australia:M | Austria:16 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:16 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39081) | Iceland:14

Filming Locations:

Calvary Cemetery, Woodside, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

One of several films that had its release date changed after the terrorist attacks on the USA of 11 September 2001. The film was originally set for release in November 2001, but was not released until June 2002.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the car chase through the woods, the license plate on the Volkswagen has been knocked off, only to return in the next shot.

Quotes:

Roland Yates: So, what are our chances?
Gaylord Oaks: Oh, I'd say somewhere between... nil and zero.
Roland Yates: Why?
Gaylord Oaks: Oh, I grant you the kid's got potential. He's pretty street-smart. Give me six months, he could probably fool Kevin's own parents. But eight days? Come on, you gotta be kidding me. He'll probably get himself killed, and everyone who goes along with him.

Movie Connections:

References Pretty Woman (1990)

Soundtrack:

All Out Of Love

Clichéd, undistinguished but still brainless fun

Hayes is a suave, distinguished spy with the CIA who is part of a set up to buy a stolen nuclear weapon and then capture those involved. When he is killed mid-operation, his handler goes to the only man who can replace him, his twin brother. However his brother Jake is a hustler in New York City and not spy material. Oakes has nine days to get him ready to take over his brother's identity and take up the assignment.

Despite the awful reviews, I still decided to give this film a go because I was in the mood for a dumb film that really didn't require me to think even once: this was that film! The film deserved every bad review it got - the only thing you need to worry about is whether or not you can accept the massive weakness or not. The plot is a real shambles and if you think about it logically then it all goes to hell. The idea that this is a reasonable plot, even for this type of film, is absurd. The script backs this up with dialogue that is fitting for a stupid comedy but not for the situations in the plot (`does it play dvd's?' or dialogue about Dr's Dre and Irving while trying to stall terrorists). Some of it is funny, but to be honest, if you dislike Chris Rock then there will be practically nothing for you.

The plot brings the bomb back to the US towards the end in an effort to inject tension and urgency into the action, but it doesn't really work. The action is reasonably slick but it isn't ever really exciting - only polished like a product. The action, like everything else, is quite clichéd and not distinctive enough to really stand out from the crowd of other action movies. The gags about race are subtle but still quite broad in the style of Rock. I didn't find it offensive, but I never really understand why films have to constantly perpetuate racial myths such as all black people listen to hip hop and like certain sports etc. Some of it is funny though.

Rock is the main reason for this; as I said, if you like him then you should enjoy this as most of the comedy is driven by him (even if nothing is anywhere near the sharpness of his act). He is not very funny but he helps the film have an overall comic tone that works pretty well Hopkins is totally slumming it. He manages an air of cool detachment but the material is way below him and his autopilot light is on the whole time. Stomare is poor and none of the villains really bring genuine menace - Eastern European hoods and clichés that they are. Beauvais is sexy - but that is all she is here for, to put on black underwear! Her character breezes in and breezes out with no real reason or consequence, plainly all she is here for is to have a bit of sexy black ass in there - something that Washington doesn't bring.

Overall this is a slickly made film that is clichéd, absurd, undistinguished and not as entertaining as it intends to be. Despite the fact that the film is very average and not really one to stand out, it can be quite enjoyable if you are ready for that. If you can turn off your brain and lower your standards then this can be OK, however just don't expect it to be great no matter what you do.