Today’s quick review: Spy Hard. Fifteen years after foiling General Rancor’s (Andy Griffith) plot to destroy the world, Agent Dick Steele (Leslie Nielsen) comes out of retirement to stop the newly rearmed general’s latest scheme. With the help of fellow spy Veronique Ukrinsky (Nicollette Sheridan), Steele hunts for the last component Rancor needs to complete his missile: a microchip invented by Ukrinsky’s father.
Spy Hard is a spy parody that spoofs everything from James Bond and Mission: Impossible to True Lies and Pulp Fiction. Leslie Nielsen stars in a close variant of his usual role, playing the bumbling superspy Dick Steele. The movie revolves around sight gags, slapstick humor, and parodies of popular films. The silly, irreverent tone places Spy Hard firmly in the same category of comedy as Airplane! and The Naked Gun, albeit with lower quality.
Spy Hard occupies a niche partway up the comedy hierarchy. Leslie Nielsen is a major draw, and between his skillful comedic acting, a decent set of gags, and some gratuitous cameos, the movie makes for a light, entertaining watch. However, the quality of writing is not on par with Nielsen’s best movies. The jokes are less memorable, the parodies are more imitation than commentary, and the film generally falls flat.
As such, Spy Hard is a decent choice for fans of Nielsen’s work who are looking to kill an hour in front of something silly. The film is funny enough to entertain, but not to impress. If you are new to Airplane!-style comedies, you would be better off starting with The Naked Gun, Hot Shots!, or Airplane! itself.
5.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for modest entertainment value held back by weak writing.