GUY MANLEY: SUPER SPY – A Review by Jenn Rohm
David Andersson and Baltaza Ploteau met in high school, and in 2014, they made a test version of a movie. Seven years later, with the addition of Dennis Andersson and Anton Carlsson, Guy Manley: Super Spy has been completed. David and Baltaza wrote the screenplay, and all four came together and became accountable for pre-production, recording, and post-production.
When I read the synopsis and was told the film style is based on the action films of the 1980s and 90s, I requested an opportunity to see it for myself. This is the story of a top spy who has fallen into hard times and landed in the bottle. His former boss, Buck Cash, reaches out to Manley to take on one more mission. The mission . . . take out his opponent, who is also running for mayor. The opponent happens to be his lifelong nemeses and brother Rich Cash.
Knowing this was a low-budget labor of love and the influences behind it, my expectations were met. One should also note this film was made in Sweden; per my research, it is not typical of movies made there. It is filmed in English, with a few different accents added for effect. While easy to understand, I did keep the subtitles on just in case.
The script was entertaining and filled with one-liners that land and ones that intentionally do not. Ploteau’s physical movements changed depending on the moment. At times, they reminded me of Mike Myers circa 1990, while others appeared to be influenced by combining Van Damme, Stallone, and Willis.
While watching the movie, movies from my teen years came to mind, such as Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, So I Married an Axe Murderer, First Blood, Timecop, and Hudson Hawk. Near the end, there was also a touch of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.
David Andersson is quoted in an article for Cinecct “. . . movie that today only exists because of one factor: will – so damn much will. The will to entertain, the will to experiment, the will to dare, and perhaps most importantly, the will to do something (big) – together.”
So I ask you, are you willing to do something big? If so, take a moment and watch this one.
Director: David Andersson
Written By: David Andersson, Baltazar Ploteau
Cast: Baltazar Ploteau, Anton Sjölund, Milton Bjørnegren, Omar Myrza, Knut Wistbacka
Genres: Action, Comedy, Suspense, Thriller
Selig Rating: 3.5 stars
Runtime: 1h 32m
On-Demand Release Date: September 13, 2024
Trailer: Guy Manley: Super Spy trailer
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
