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Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker By David DiCerto Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- "Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker" (Weinstein) is an adequately entertaining spy movie for viewers too grown-up for "Spy Kids" and too young for 007 martinis -- shaken or stirred. Newcomer Alex Pettyfer is the junior James Bond, Alex Rider, a parentless London teen barely old enough for a driver's license, let alone a license to kill. After the mysterious death of his chronically absent Uncle Ian (Ewan McGregor in a brief action-packed cameo), Alex discovers that his uncle was a secret agent for the British government, and not the average businessman he always believed. He also learns that his lessons in mountain climbing, scuba diving and martial arts were really his uncle's way of grooming the teen for espionage. But despite a hard-sell recruitment pitch by Ian's quirky boss, Mr. Blunt (Bill Nighy), Alex wants to be a normal teenager, a desire thwarted when Blunt blackmails him into a top-secret mission by threatening to deport his longtime American housekeeper, Jack Starbright (Alicia Silverstone). Equipped with the mandatory nifty gadgets -- including a tube of acne cream that actually squirts hydrochloric acid -- Alex goes undercover to investigate a shadowy American billionaire, Darrius Sayle (Mickey Rourke), who's planning to use his high-tech "stormbreaker" computer network to unleash global death. Based on the first in a series of books by screenwriter Anthony Horowitz, the film is a step up from the similarly themed "Agent Cody Banks" movies, but it's still lightweight stuff with its slim plot padded with chases and explosions. Director Geoffrey Sax keeps the action fast-paced and the tone amusingly campy. Plausibility aside, "Alex Rider" is diverting fare. Though there's no objectionable content or language, parents should note that some of the story elements -- Darrius' intended targets are school-age children -- may be a bit grim for some young viewers. The film contains some nongraphic action violence and scenes of peril. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. - - - DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies. END Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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