Alex Rider: Stormbreaker

Which young boy wouldn’t want to be a secret agent? To know all the martial arts, to be fearless, and to make good decisions at every moment, even in the greatest danger? Alex Rider isn’t exactly one of those boys, but he has hobbies that even James Bond might envy. He climbs mountains, skis, navigates rivers, and attends various courses where he learns how to defend himself. All the while, he thinks they are just hobbies encouraged by his boring uncle. However, when his uncle dies, and Alex discovers that his guardian wasn’t a boring office worker but a secret agent, the young man's life changes. He is to become an agent for a British secret organization. First comes the rigorous training, where he excels. Then he is sent on a mission that will be even more challenging. He faces a madman played by Mickey Rourke and must uncover his conspiracy. Isn’t he a bit too young? It's a very insignificant question because it’s clear the answer is no. No, he’s not too young at all; he’s just the right age to save all of Britain. The film, with its not overly innovative storyline, tries to appeal to younger viewers by introducing British agents, including the gadgets they typically receive for their operations. So, we will of course get super acid, parachutes, or a pen with a dart that injects a substance causing the victim to obey all commands. The film also features Alex Pettyfer, who could become the darling of many girls, something he tried to confirm with the film Magic Mike, where he had a more mature look. Stormbreaker primarily aims to entertain, and I think it’s not a bad film for an afternoon. It’ll pass the time, you might smile a bit here and there, and then you can simply watch Skyfall and really dive into it. (02/03/2013)

James Bond for kindergarten kids? It moves along briskly, but it's all so childish and predictable that I actually missed the commercial break with blue hippos and new toys from Mattel every 15 minutes. The casting of the likeable Ewan McGregor is a mere publicity stunt given his approximately 3-minute presence, and the protagonist with his bravado and plankiness doesn't add much to it either. As for the originally intended four sequels, for God's sake, how could the creators think that this thing would have any wider audience appeal? (15/02/2008)