In this likeable James Bond spoof (a sequel to OSS 117: Lost in Cairo), Jean Dujardin returns as the suave but hapless 1960s French secret agent. This time he’s chasing Nazis in Brazil and getting entangled with Chinese hitmen and hippy love-ins. He’s even more innocently sexist and racist than in his first outing, delivering laughably non-pc remarks with engaging charm and panache. Add in some scenic location work and this is an entertaining confection. Funniest scene: an hilariously slow chase in a hospital, in which Dujardin staggers after his Nazi foe at snail’s pace, both of them injured and carrying drips.
If you’re expecting a rip-off of the knowing Austin Powers films, forget it. This is more of an homage to Dean Martin’s Matt Helm spy spoofs of the 1960s. There’s even a Dino song over the opening titles. Film buffs will find much else to enjoy too, including a climax that spoofs Hitchcock’s Vertigo.
In the olde days this would be termed a B-rate movie. How or why such films are made only six years ago leaves me puzzled. However the introduction of Louise Monot helped.