Once upon a time, I used to go out to the movies at least once a week with my parents (before they sadly passed away) and one movie I remember my dad really wanting to see was “I Spy” because he was a fan of the original show. I never actually did see the original television show but the film looked funny and I have always been a big Eddie Murphy fan. This movie has a special place in my heart partly because it reminds me of my dad and I am glad it is finally getting a wide Blu-ray release.
The film tells the story of a spy named Alex Scott as he is paired with hotshot boxer Kelly Robinson on a mission to recover a stealth fighter named the Switchblade. The fighter was taken by an arms dealer named Arnold Gundars but Scott and Robinson have to learn how to get along before taking down Gundars and recovering the Switchblade.
“I Spy” was met with mediocre reviews and was quickly forgotten. While I don’t think the film was a masterpiece at all, I did find the film to be fun. The biggest fault I can say about the film is that it played everything a little too safe and was a bit by the numbers. “I Spy” actually had a few well executed action set pieces but they often got overshadowed by the constant banter of Eddie Murphy and Owen Wilson.
The original television show starred Robert Culp as Kelly Robinson and Bill Cosby as Alex Scott (the film swapped the character’s races around). Unlike this remake, the television show also featured both men as spies and equals from the very beginning. The original show had more in common with James Bond than “Beverly Hills Cop”, which is part of the reason many critics considered this film to be a ‘in name only’ remake.
The original television show also pioneered new grounds by featuring the first black lead actor in a drama series. Both Owen Wilson and Eddie Murphy do a decent job with the material they are given, but they also don’t have much chemistry together either. Malcolm McDowell as Arnold Gundars is the real scene stealer in my book.
I actually got a chance to meet Robert Culp before he passed away at the Motor City Comic Con and he ironically autographed an “I Spy” script for me. I wonder if including Culp and Cosby might have made this remake a little better. Side note: I did not know that Robert Culp had a grandson who raps (stage name Bones) who was raised in my town of Howell, Michigan. You learn something interesting everyday and it really is a small world.
Thank you Mill Creek Entertainment for providing me a review copy and letting me relive a fond memory I have of seeing this movie with my dad. I also had a fun time rewatching this movie as well. “I Spy” is definitely an overlooked action/comedy that deserves more attention.
Grade: B-
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