Spy Hard (1996)
Average Rating: 3.5/10
Reviews Counted: 40
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 37
Leslie Nielsen's comic gifts are undisputed, but Spy Hard's lazy script and slapdash direction fail to take advantage of them.
Average Rating: 3.1/10
Critic Reviews: 14
Fresh: 1 | Rotten: 13
Leslie Nielsen's comic gifts are undisputed, but Spy Hard's lazy script and slapdash direction fail to take advantage of them.
liked it
Average Rating: 2.5/5
User Ratings: 37,509
Movie Info
The first of several sight gag and slapstick-rich comedies he produced without the team of Jerry Zucker, David Zucker, and Jim Abrahams, this lowbrow comedy from executive producer and star Leslie Nielsen suffers by comparison to his work with the "ZAZ" team. Nielsen plays Dick Steele, secret agent WD-40, called out of retirement to stop the world-conquering plans of his old nemesis, General Rancor (Andy Griffith), an armless madman determined to avenge himself upon Steele (who is responsible
May 24, 1996 Wide
Jul 13, 1999
Hollywood Pictures
Cast
-
Leslie Nielsen
Dick Steele (Agent W... -
Nicollette Sheridan
Veronique Ukrinsky (... -
Charles Durning
The Director -
Marcia Gay Harden
Miss Cheevus -
Barry Bostwick
Norman Coleman -
Andy Griffith
Gen. Rancor -
John Ales
Kabul -
Curtis Armstrong
Pastry Chef -
Elya Baskin
Prof. Ukrinsky -
Michael Berryman
Bus Patron with Oxyg... -
Joyce Brothers
Steele's Tag Team Me... -
Keith Campbell
Thug -
Ray Charles
Bus Driver -
Carl Ciarfalio
Thug -
Clyde Kusatsu
Noggin -
Johnny Cocktails
Postal Worker -
Rick Cramer
Rancor Terrorist--He... -
Robert Culp
Businessman -
Eddie Deezen
Rancor Guard Who Get... -
Fabio
Himself -
Mason Gamble
McCluckey -
Brad Garrett
Short Rancor Guard -
Michael Lee Gogin
Short Rancor Guard -
Bruce Gray
The President -
Robert Guillaume
Agent Steve Bishop -
Linda Harmon
Singing Nun -
Elizabeth Kaitan
Helicopter Ticket Ag... -
John Kassir
Rancor Guard at Inte... -
Diane Klimaszewski
Twin #1 -
Elaine Klimaszewski
Twin #2 -
Darlene Koldenhoven
Singing Nun -
Kelly Lange
Herself -
Noriyuki 'Pat' Morit...
Brian the Waiter -
Mr. T
Helecopter Pilot -
Gary Owens
M.C. for Rancor Exto... -
Alexandra Paul
Woman in Murphy Bed -
Julie Payne
Mother Superior -
Jeff Sanders
Bird-Calling Rancor ... -
Shari Shattuck
Stewardess -
Sally Stevens
Singing Nun -
-
Angela Visser
Georgeous Blonde -
Jeannine Wagner
Singing Nun -
Weird Al Yankovic
Himself -
Julie Brown
Cigarette Girl -
Thom Sharp
Agent Sharp -
Bruno Marcotulli
Sad Mime -
Tara Leon
Manicurist -
Hulk Hogan
Steele's Tag Member -
Carlos Lauchu
Slice
ADVERTISEMENT
All Critics (40) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (3) | Rotten (37) | DVD (4)
The jokes come in sporadic volleys rather than the steady machine-gun pace of The Naked Gun and Airplane!, and, with a few exceptions, they are less truly aimed.
Top CriticAs funny as Nielsen can be, like all comic actors he still needs the quick-thinking jokes and zingy one-liners to be genuinely funny.
Spy Hard just comes off as a long commercial. And yes, that means most of the best moments you've seen in the movie's trailer.
More of a cinematic joke book than a real movie, Spy Hard hits you with gags faster than Henny Youngman on speed. Even when individual bits misfire, the unrelenting barrage of silliness can break down your resistance.
Spy Hard is a loose send-up of the Bond series and other overly expensive action flicks, but after Hot Shots! Part Deux and National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 who needs another action parody?
Never mind that the smutty, high-tech 007 capers already wink at the conventions of the bikini-clad, gizmo-strewn genre. If the martini is shaken, not stirred, why beat it to death with a swizzle stick?
[A] haphazardly executed send-up.
The result is 80 brief minutes of movie skits assembled in an order that sort of resembles a plot.
The movie will be of interest only to Nielsen's most devoted fans and to those who wonder why Nicollette Sheridan never made more movies, or more swimsuit calendars.
The blockbuster action thriller genre is ripe for sending up, but this lazy effort has to go down as a miss despite the presence of spoofmeister Leslie Nielsen.
Sporadically funny, but never more than a sting of crude gags.
Yet another Leslie Nielson movie parody, targeted this time at James Bond pictures and their many spinoffs.
Nielsen's schtick is getting pretty threadbare by now -- his movies used to wring laughs from assaults on his silver-haired dignity, but after years of screen buffoonery, he has no dignity left to assault.
This one's a real disappointment -- it only registered a few snickers from me at best.
A classic example of why David Zucker/Jim Abrahams/Jerry Zucker-style comedies should be left to ZAZ themselves.
Stay for Weird Al Yankovic's brilliant opening credits, then flee!
[Scores] only a handful of genuine laughs during its scant 78 minutes.
Audience Reviews for Spy Hard
Super Reviewer
Super Reviewer
Movies Like Spy Hard
Discussion Forum
What's Hot On RT
New Desolation of Smaug trailer!
Naomi Watts is Princess Di
Gravity sets new record
Trailer for a squirrely heist flick
See what's on TV tonight
Latest News on Spy Hard
December 22, 2011:
Seth Rogen Is On The B TeamHe'll produce and possibly star in a Disney spy comedy about "a top secret agent's tech support team...
May 12, 2011:
Rob Lowe Is in a Knife FightRob Lowe has signed on to star in "Knife Fight," a thriller about "the dark side of political...
June 22, 2005:
Ensemble Signs Up for Untitled Rom-Com SpoofThe Hollywood Reporter brings news of an upcoming romantic comedy spoof that has five actors and no...
Fresh Links
Featured
Halloween Movies For Wimps
Scary movies too scary for you? Here are some alternatives for October 31st.
10 Best Superhero TV Shows
HitFix combs through TV history to compile a superpowered list.
Ridiculous Movie Mistakes
RollingStone proves even the best movies miss a details here and there.
Deadly Movie Kids
Moviefone lists 11 Movie Kids Who Could Kick Our Asses.
50 States, 50 Movies
For July 4th, TimeOut has compiled 50 state-specific movie choices.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter!
Spice up your feed with hourly Tomatometer updates!
Featured on RT
- NYFF: Joaquin Phoenix and James Gray talk The Immigrant 1
- Box Office Guru Wrapup: Gravity Stuns with Record $55M Launch 37
- Primetime Preview: Witches of East End, Once Upon a Time and More 2
- Weekly Ketchup: Disney Plans Live Action Cruella de Vil Movie 36
- Primetime Preview: Last Man Standing, The Neighbors and More 5
- Critics Consensus: Gravity is Certified Fresh 68
- Parental Guidance: Gravity and Parkland 3
Top Headlines
