Python Hyena
Spy Hard (1996): Dir: Rick Friedberg / Cast: Leslie Nielsen, Andy Griffith, Nicolette Sheridan, Charles Durning, Marcia Gay Harden: Carbon copy of the superior Naked Gun comedies that also showcased the absent-minded slapstick humour of Leslie Nielsen. It is a direct spoof of James Bond films with lashes at other films particularly Die Hard. Nielsen stars as secret agent WD-40 better known as Dick Steele who is called upon to rescue Barbara Dahl from a past villain. Dahl is the daughter of a past deceased girlfriend. Premise wears thin and jokes become forced. Director Rick Friedberg has fun with the parodies with effective setups to other films, but too much is familiar. Nielsen seems in on the joke here and is never as funny as his Frank Drebin role from The Naked Gun films. Andy Griffith is also distant as the villain with artificial arms. Nicolette Sheridan is wasted as a Bond bombshell whose seduction is no match for any Bond girls. Charles Durning as Steele's boss inspires some comic wit with his constant hideouts but the role is otherwise standard. Marcia Gay Harden also has the comic chops but in the wrong movie for it. It is indeed a spoof of James Bond films with a few funny moments but Nielsen is far better in The Naked Gun films where characters seem broader. This spy contraption is a horrid carbon copy that is about as artificial as the villain's arms. Score: 4 / 10
wes-connors
Promiscuous secret agent Leslie Nielsen (as Dick Steele) comes out of retirement and assumes his spy identity as "WD-40" to battle old enemy Andy Griffith (as Rancor), made-up to look like Leonid Brezhnev and aiming to take over the entire free world. Sexy and snuggly-clothed Nicollette Sheridan (as Veronique Ukrinsky) is Dick's arousing co-spy, and accented John Ales (as Kabul) is a reliable partner. "Weird Al" Yankovic gets things of to a good start with a "Goldfinger" licking good title song. Familiar faces and comic bits keep it fun, through most of the running time.****** Spy Hard (5/24/96) Rick Friedberg ~ Leslie Nielsen, Nicollette Sheridan, John Ales, Andy Griffith
westegg
I saw this originally on cable and thought, given its limited aspirations, it wasn't that bad. Thirteen years later I still feel that way--25% is actually funny as hell, which is 24% more than most comedies of the last thirteen years. Originally I was most taken by Harden, then unknown. Who knew she'd win an Oscar a few years later? Anyway, the comedy in this film is hit and miss but sometimes very clever, such as a flashback to an encounter just seconds earlier. Sure, the pop culture references of '96 are quite dated now, and the whole film ends up as eminently disposable, but it >does< deliver some solid laughs.
Welshfilmfan
I am a huge Leslie Nielsen Fan, I find his deadpan delivery hilarious, and count The Naked Gun Trilogy among my Favourite Movies, but this Hit and mostly miss spoof, is pretty dire in comparison.The Zucker Brothers & Pat Proft are sorely missed here as this was written by Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer the two responsible for raping my senses with some dire spoofs namely Date Movie, Epic Movie & Disaster Movie - Having seen most of their slapdash spoofs I have to say that 'Spy Hard' is their best, though that's not saying a great deal, I actually remember watching this at my local theater when it first came at the tender age of 11 or 12 and at the time I remember thinking this was great, my taste in the quality of Films has improved in the years since.This is effectively a Bond Movie spoof capitalising on the fact that Bond made a comeback the year before, but this is pretty dire stuff and the only reason to watch this is for Nielen's performance but this is really below him.There isn't really a coherent plot it's just a slapdash effort spoofing other films including Home Alone & Speed (1994) which has Ray Charles driving a bus, yes I get it he's blind...funny stuff, NOT! and it's really scraping the barrel with cameos by Hulk Hogan & Mr. T.Andy 'Matlock' Griffith is not only slumming it but hamming up to ridiculous proportions... In the Naked Gun Trilogy, yeah the bad guys were tongue in cheek, but Griffith is painful and worst off all totally unfunnyexample of 'JOKES'Agent 3.14: Have a nice flight, and I wish you adieu Dick Steele: Thank you, but I am quite satisfied with the do I have. OH GOD!! How hilariously...unfunny....can't believe I liked this even when I was 12.It gets a 5 from me purely because Nielsen saves it from being a completely unwatchable Disaster.
AD
