Dad's Army - movie review
Dad's Army
Plot: The Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard platoon deal with a visiting female journalist and a German spy as World War II draws to its conclusion.
Cast: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Bill Nighy, Michael Gambon
Director: Oliver Parker
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1hr 40 mins
Release Date: Friday 5th February 2016
Revivals of past and, in some cases, forgotten television shows into a cinematic format often work to mixed results. With a usual episode lasting half an hour, many adaptations struggle to find suitable content lasting an hour longer. So now, in 2016, almost fifty years after its initial broadcast, Dad's Army returns with an all star cast, but can it recapture the magic of the original? Well... almost.
The cast that Parker was able to assemble is astounding on its own accord. I could clearly tell that he was trying to cast the actors who best fit each individual role rather than A-listers for the sake of publicity. Leading the charge is Toby Jones as Captain Mainwaring. Jones excelled in the buffoonery as he waddled his way through all the slapstick humour as well as correctly accomplishing all the little nuances that Arthur Lowe was known for. As Jones' second in command as Sergeant Wilson is the fantastic Bill Nighy. Having not been an avid fan of the initial series, one character that always stood out to me was Sgt. Wilson with his wry and matter of fact sense of humour. Nighy was perfect casting for this as his sometimes monotone voice and reluctant attitude fitted Wilson very well. He also brought warmth and good nature to the role which is something I had hoped he would do. Michael Gambon as Private Godfrey was a genius casting decision. Throughout the film, Godfrey was so blissfully unaware of the dangerous circumstances and the majority of the laugh out loud comedic moments were provided by Gambon. Just to see Gambon fully embrace the stupidity but kind hearted persona of the bewildered soldier was so much fun. I was also pleased to see Blake Harrison continuing with work after his stint on The Inbetweeners. Whereas on that show, he played a teenager nearing his adult years and getting up to crazy and madcap adult adventures, here Blake brings charm but borrows the stupidity from his character of Neil. To watch his interpretation of Private Pike being the hopeless romantic who wants to impress everyone made for a gratifying experience. Also, providing the sensual temptation for the soldiers is Catherine Zeta-Jones as Rose Winters. I found it clear that Zeta-Jones was having fun with the role and her overall performance wasn't too bad, even though the style of comedy didn't suit her that much, but the main issue I had with her character was the writing.
Similar to what I referenced in my opening, cinematic adaptations of popular sitcoms struggle to find engaging content to last triple the amount of time the programme usually lasts. Mrs. Brown's Boys D'Movie had this problem as well as The Bad Education Movie. Unfortunately, Dad's Army begins to suffer from this. I found the first twenty minutes and the final half an hour the most entertaining. The remaining fifty minutes wasn't all that engaging. There was the odd joke or funny situation thrown in, but it did succumb to a very overcrowded plot. Without giving any major plot points away, there are almost five stories to focus on with all of them unsure of when to take precedence. Regardless of the messy and confusing plot, one thing which the film could have relied on was the supposed mystery of who the German spy really was. It had the opportunity to add some intrigue and make for an almost farcical style to be featured. However, the twist and surprise of this isn't subtle in the slightest. I understand that this wasn't attempting to be the new Keyser Soze twist from The Usual Suspects, but I wished it had tried to play off of it even further. But I am glad that the film was able to succeed in presenting the comradery between the soldiers. Whenever they all shared the screen, the film elevated into a innocent and funny time, but they were too far and few between.
As well as the presentation of the key characters, one of the new Dad's Army's biggest selling points was the inclusion of British humour that would appeal to all ages. There is slapstick humour for the younger audience who are hoping to be introduced into this franchise, whereas they include amusing innuendos that adults will appreciate. An American audience is likely not to understand certain jokes but that means that this film knows who the audience are. I cannot stress how innocently funny these jokes. Whether it be Private Pike trying to quote famous Hollywood actors to woo the ladies or Private Godfrey speaking German to aggravate a fellow soldier but actually saying 'Have you brushed your teeth my sweet angel?', all make for a fun little chuckle to be had. What I also appreciated in the film were the subtle references to the classic TV series and certain inclusions of past characters. To see the original Private Pike (Ian Lavender) and the Vicar (Frank Williams) not only suggests their support for this film but allows the audience who were fans from the original show to see them onscreen once again and for them to have fun with their role albeit if their appearances are nothing but cameos. The classic references often come thick and fast and before you could even say 'Stupid Boy', another reference would be on their way. And yes, we do hear the classic theme tune from the TV show so feel free to sing along as they say 'Who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler?'
The new and revamped Dad's Army hasn't added anything fresh to film adaptations of classic TV shows but for those that were a fan of the original, I can't imagine why you wouldn't enjoy this. The innocence of it all and the fantastic cast assembled provide a fun time for all. Who knows? This might cause for other remakes to be made. 'Allo 'Allo perhaps?
My Verdict: 6/10
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