Alex Rider Operation Stormbreaker Full Screen Edition DVD with Alex Pettyfer, Mickey Rourke, Sophie Okonedo (PG) +Movie Reviews

"You've Been Trained All Your Life To Be A Spy, Alex."

Mel Odom | Moore, OK USA | 01/07/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a fan of the Alex Rider novels, so I approached the DVD with some trepidation. I love the books. Can't wait for the next one. But the movie release never even came close to my city, which is the capital of the state. That concerned me.

Alex Rider is a 14-year-old spy that was trained by his Uncle Ian to be strong and independent. Perhaps not a spy. We never know for sure. But through the six books that have been published so far, we've gotten to know Alex quite well. He's not your average kid, but neither is he happy-go-lucky about being a spy. The movie depicts him, more or less, as that, though, and that's one of the parts where book fans will object.

What you see on the screen is very much a more light-hearted version of Alex Rider, bordering on slapstick comedy at times. Think of the original book series by author/creator Anthony Horowitz as Sean Connery's James Bond as opposed to Roger Moore's take on that character. Book Alex is more subdued, more desperate, and less sure of himself. But the curiosity and determination is the same.

Overall, the movie is an enjoyable experience. The action scenes are well choreographed (I loved the opening escape by Ian Rider and the later junkyard fight with the rope by Alex) and play big. Adrenaline and rock music kick in and propel the viewer through the film.

Mickey Rouke played the villain, and his portrayal was a little over the top and annoying at times. The makeup was way too heavy as well, even by kid standards. The Alan Blunt character was too thin as well. Blunt comes off much better in the novels.

OPERATION: STORMBREAKER will hopefully be the first of the Alex Rider franchise, though. The DVD is a great rental for family night or as an addition to the family library for action flicks suitable for the younger audience that will also hold the attention of adults.

But do try to read one of the books or put one in the hands of your 10-14 year-olds. They'll be glad you did, and they're on Accelerated Reader lists everywhere."

"Spy Kids" merges with James Bond

Amanda Richards | Georgetown, Guyana | 11/29/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Look out 007! There's a new secret agent in town, and he's going to knock the socks off the girls who used to swoon over you (at least the teenaged ones.) In this action-packed teen adventure, unwilling secret agent Alex Rider (Alex Pettyfer) signs up with MI6 to spy on an eccentric eye-shadow wearing billionaire (Mickey Rourke) whose generous offer to equip all the schools in the UK with super-computers seems much too good to be true.

Alex has unknowingly been groomed to be an agent by his uncle (Ewan McGregor) and after all, there's no one better for the job than the man who was Obi Wan Kenobi. Soon, Alex is sent off to boot camp, prepped for his first mission and outfitted with an arsenal of cool gadgets and gizmos (but no real weaponry).

The stellar cast makes this movie seem a lot better than the plot indicates, with appearances by Bill Nighy as Alan Blunt of MI6; Sophie Okonedo as the Special Operations Division operative with the Bond-like name of Tulip Jones; Stephen Fry as the Q-like Smithers; Andy "Gollum" Serkis as Mr. Grin; and also Alicia Silverstone, Robbie Coltrane, Missi Pyle and Damien Lewis.

More gruesome than Spy Kids (people die in this movie, albeit off screen) and less risqué than Bond (no hanky-panky), this movie is great for teenaged audiences out for light entertainment and a little adventure.

Amanda Richards, November 28, 2006
"

Great Kid Flick

J.M. | USA | 01/03/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a fun, "mission impossible" style adventure film for kids. The action scenes are realistic, not the cartoon-type stuff you see in the Spy Kid movies. My kids were glued to the screen because of the non-stop suspense. The opening scene is very intense and incredibly well done and I believe sets the tone for the entire movie. A refreshing note to parents--there is little to no objectionable material in this movie. I noticed no bad language, no smoking or drug use, and no sexual content or innuendo. I also thought Ewan Mc Gregor brought nice credibility to this film. This was a great kickin' it movie for kids and teens. Well done."

Solid Teen Bond Entry

O. Buxton | Highgate, UK | 06/18/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Just when you thought the Bond genre had finally choked on its own self-awareness - assisted knowingly by Austin Powers, Johnny English and so forth - enter Geoffrey Sax and his film adaptation of Anthony Horowitz' Alex Rider character. I'm not sure Stormbreaker does enough by itself to save the day, but it lays a solid foundation for the inevitable sequels to build on, so we may not have heard the last of Alex Rider just yet.

Rider is a mature-looking (shades of "I say, George! You're remarkably well developed for a fourteen year-old!) but in truth somewhat dull and simpering teenager and so has no interest in Honey Rider, Allotta Fagyna and their ilk (Alicia Silverstone who, ten years ago, might have aspired to play this role, makes do as a big-sisterish au pair), but does quite quickly transform from sulky schoolboy ingenue (avec "issues") to lean mean butt-kicking machine (still avec "issues"), no sooner has evergreen comedy buzzard, Bill Nighy, arrived on the scene to flap eyebrows and tell him how. Perhaps in homage to Roger Moore, eyebrow flapping passes for comic (and/or dramatic) expression for a number of the lead characters in this film.

It's all pretty routine stuff, pretty well executed on the whole, with nice (but not overdone) use of CGI from time to time. By and large it zings along and importantly never takes itself too seriously: most of the support characters get plenty of comic opportunities (Nighy and Mickey Rourke milking theirs for all they're worth), but Alex Pettyfer as Rider himself gets none - there's none of the cheeky wisecracking hero here, which a lost opportunity to establish a natural successor to Bond.

A couple of irritants: no doubt for the American market, the word "heck" is used liberally in place other expletives, which just sounded silly, but more to the point hypocritical given that the characters in question were happy to punch, kick, knife and machine-gun each other without a second thought, but all pruriently refrained from using the word "hell".

Lastly, there are a couple of unnecessary extra characters, and the final exchange between arch (but not particularly well established) villain Yassen Gregorovich and hero Rider defies all credible explanation, save as a means of wrapping up the film and laying the groundwork for the first sequel.

Interesting first instalment.

Olly Buxton

"

Entertaining, Light-Hearted Version of James Bond-Like Teena

Tsuyoshi | Kyoto, Japan | 11/16/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"You may call "Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker" a British answer to "Agent Cody Banks" or a light-hearted version of James Bond adventures (sans Bond Girls). The teenager hero Alex Rider is given a slightly more dangerous mission than Agent Cody to save England from the plot of the baddie played by none other than delightfully campy Mickey Rourke (with special make-up). The film has almost no originality in story, gadgets (provided by "Q"-like inventor played by amusing Stephen Fry) and characters, but still entertaining with the capable supports and several impressive actions.

After the "accident" of his uncle (cameo by Ewan McGregor), young Alex Rider is recruited by MI6. Its boss (Bill Nighy) gives him a spy mission; that is, to disguise as computer genius and infiltrate into the heart of a big IT corporate that is planning to donate" the next-generation super computers called "Stormbreaker."

Missi Pyle and Andy Serkis appear as Rourke's deadly assistants (with funny over-the-top acting) while Alicia Silverstone as Alex Rider's guardian. Lovely Sarah Bolger (you remember the girl in "In America"?) briefly appears as Alex's friend and the supports include Robbie Coltrane (without beard), Damian Lewis and Oscar nominee Sophie Okonedo ("Hotel Rwanda").

Beside the impressive cast, the film has two thrilling martial art sequences (directed by Donnie Yen ("Blade II"), which includes a fight between Alicia Silverstone and Missi Pyle. Of course they use stunts, but still the actions are well-choreographed and surprisingly exciting.

Probably the film is too light and not so original for those who have seen the 007 films, but still "Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker" is a decent, entertaining film.
"

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