User Reviews

Jean Dujardin gets Connery's mannerisms down pat: the adjusting the cuff links when entering a club as all the women turn to admire him, the nonchalant straightening and smoothing down of the tie, the swaggering, steely gait. It's uncanny, and you come to realise just how much of Bond in the Sixties was Connery's creation and not really Ian Fleming's character.

The cinematography is a nod to those early films, the movie takes off From Russia With Love and Thunderball mainly. The main joke is how chauvinistic the hero is, not just in terms of sexism but nationalism and colonialism, and how he puts noses out of joint when he is sent to Egypt.

It's not perfect - about 20 mins in it seems a one-joke movie and bits of it remind one of spoofs of the day, of which there were plenty. Morcecambe and Wise's The Intelligence Men had suspect-looking men in fez's following their heroes around too, and that's going back a bit. Unlike Sellers' Clouseau or Baron Cohen's Borat, Dujardin doesn't give his character that layer of realness or genuine pathos - he is too busy perfecting his Connery mannerisms. It doesn't do enough with the credits or a big song, and there's no funny or serious villain, like Mike Myers' Dr Evil or Ricardo Montalban's Naked Gun nemesis, for the hero to go up against.

But the scene where OSS117 wakes up in Cairo one morning had me laughing out loud in the three-quarters empty cinema, and the whole thing looks wonderful, plus you'll never get a chance to see Operation Kid Brother on the screen, and the women are ace crumpet, really hot. It's a Bond spoof without falling into the mad scientist/Ken Adam sets or funny gadgets routine. Throughly recommended.

OSS: 117 (2006)

I wish for a couple hours I was French, because I'm sure there were twice as many gags as I could get as an American reading subtitles. Even so, what a funny funny movie. It's not quite as zany as a spoof like "Airplane" (nor quite as funny, which of course is hard to do), but it takes the Sean Connery vintage James Bond film model and really does a parody worthy of 007. And of the franchise, which of course is bigger than Bond, bigger than Ian Fleming could have ever dreamed.

But hold your horses--this is a parody of the real OSS:117. Yes, a French author created a Bond-like spy in the 1950s, and this movie and its 2009 sequel are really playing a double-edged game. They bring the old French spy to life (the original was a French-speaking American, bizarrely enough), and they make fun of him, of Bond, and of 1960s super slick sexist movies all around.

The star here, the Sean Connery of this spoof (he even looks a bit like the Scottish actor), is Jean Dujardin. He's brilliant. He's funny, campy, silly, serious, and subtle about it all. He plays the role with a kind of oblivious self-ridicule that Woody Allen and Peter Sellers were so good at. It's great stuff.

And he's backed up by a strong, if somewhat predictable, assortment of international thugs, beauties, and oddballs. There are shades of "Charade" here as well as the original "Pink Panther" movies. The scoring is amazing, composed with that Henry Mancini flair to a T and recorded with the familiar bright, echoey sound studio fullness of the time. Equally authentic are the opening credits, which were so convincing I had to double check when the movie came out. I was thinking, wow, a lost 1960s gem.

But it's a brand new gem, or almost gem. Time will tell if this will hold up over the years, but it's a kind of must-see now for anyone into Bond films, the 60s, French humor, or just a well made movie with lots of gags. Like the gag where the noisy chickens go silent when the lights go off, and so our hero delights in turning the lights on, and off, and on, and off. Just wait and listen. It'll slay you.

This is probably one of the best French movies I had seen in a very long time! This "pastiche" or parody of spy movies is very well made and is going to make you laugh from the beginning to the end. Some references to today's world are very subtle. The whole Maroccan context of the movie is to be understood in light of today's French culture/environment. That said, all the jokes and - seemingly - shocking remarks that could have been understood as such because of this context, are permitted and accepted because this is a parody.

I was told by my sisters who had already seen this movie that I should go too and assured me that I was going to have a great time, and indeed I had! If you liked the old 007 movies with Sean Connery and also like movies like Airplane or Hot Shots, you will be delighted. I just hope this movie is released on DVD in the US... Wait and see.

Just saw the movie, it's actually pretty good. The trailers'd left me an impression of either yet another Dujardin one-man-show-turned-film (à la _Brice de Nice_) or an expensive, stupid French comedy. Surprisingly, it's neither. Secret agent OSS 117 is stupid, but at least he sort of knows it, whereas I've always found that James Bond was stupid but acted like a smart arse. Dialogue is witty with a lot of tongue-in-cheek humour that one would expect from a British rather than a French movie. The women and the music are beautiful. A refreshing trip into the past, when the bad guys were ex-Nazis or Soviet brutes, cars were shiny, and France had colonies!

A spoof on James Bond about OSS operative stunningly performed by Jean Dujardin . Comedy spy-thriller with Jean Dujardin as inept secret agent versus nasty high-ranking Nazis and arms smugglers . Secret agent OSS 117 foils Nazis , beds local beauties , and brings peace as well as mayhem to Cairo . It's 1955 by time of dictator Nasser and the secret agent Hubert Bonisseur De la Bath, a.k.a. OSS 117 is ordered a dangerous investigation in Cairo , there he has to take his place at the head of a poultry firm . Hubert Bonisseur is the French spy considered by his superiors to be the best in the business , this time his assistant is the charming Egiptyan agent Larmina performed by Berenice Bejo , director's wife . He's been sent on a mission to El Cairo , Port Said , to look for a former agent who has been eliminated . His eventful mission takes him all across Egypt accompanied by a beautiful girl and taking on a lot of adventures , risks and double-crosses . The man is charming , and so is the young girl spy . Filmed on luxurious sets their tale is by turns an exciting intrigue and a love story . He acts as a playboy , this results to be his cover while he is busy investigating , foiling Nazi holdout and bedding local beauties . Hubert Bonisseur De la Bath, a French spy, is in Cairo to investigate the disappearance a French agent . He is he smart spy , or is he an imbecile ? He fights well but he's supremely smug and self-confident, even as he's deaf to cultural nuance and others' feelings , so the odds are even that he might survive .

Funny moments along with embarrassing in this first entry about secret agent OSS 117 with a likable Jean Dujardin , role of the accidental spy who doesn't know fear or danger in this comedy spy-thriller . In this entertaining adventure , the most unlikely intelligence officer in French Secret Service must stop a group of international Nazi conspirators , quelling a fundamentalist rebellion and deal with an intrigue about weapon smuggling . Hubert Bonisseur, a French secret agent who dreams of rising beyond his menial job within the OSS organization, after all the other agents are bumped off is hired to discover a mysterious ring . With one shot at redemption, he must employ all kind of means to unravel a web of conspiracy that runs throughout an ambitious plot . Hubert must use every trick in his play-book to achieve his objectives . For Hugo Bonisseur, disaster may be an option, but failure never is.

This original installment is an acceptable comedy though the formula is well known with 'The Pink Panther' series and recently with 'Johnnny English' by Rowan Atkinson . It stars clumsy Jean Dujardin as one man show accompanied by a gorgeous Berenice Bejo . The movie gets entertaining and hilarious moments here and there. This slapstick picture contains amusing , funny scenes , fresh and diverting moments but also flaws and gaps . Jean Dujardin steals the show parodying the ordinary international secret agent , James Bond-alike , including his ordinary faces , grimaces and gestures ; he plays stunningly the highly unorthodox agent, the inept and bungler secret agent from OSS . There appears two beauties as Berenice Bejo and Aure Atica . The actors seem to enjoy themselves immensely giving funny interpretations . Lively and atmospheric music by Ludovic Bource . Colorful and glimmer cinematography by Schiffman . Other films about this famous spy are the followings : "O.S.S. 117 Is Not Dead" with Ivan Desny ; "Panic en Bangkok" with Kerwin Mathews ; "OSS 117: Mission for a Killer" with Frederick Stafford ; "OSS 117 Double Agent" played by John Gavin and "Vendetta of espies" performed by Luc Merenda .

The film was well penned and directed by Michel Hazanavicius that maintains the slapstick franchise . He also directed in similar style to the original film a sequel titled ¨OSS 117 Lost in Rio¨ with Jean Dujarjin , Rudiger Vogler and Louise Monot . Director and actors , Dujardin and Berenice Bejo , will repeat in the successful and recent ¨The artist¨ including Golden Globes and Oscars . Several chuckles and gags , the result of which is one acceptable entry on spoof genre . The flick will appeal to comedy buffs and Jrean Dujardin fans .

I recently saw this at the 2007 Palm Springs International Film Festival where it ended up as one of the audience favorites. This is a spoof on the french cottage industry of OSS 117 films of the 50's and 60's. The first OSS 117 film based on the novel by Jean Bruce was brought to the screen in 1956, long before the first James Bond film, staring Ivan Desny as Hubert Bonisseur De La Bath and six subsequent action adventure spy films were made up to 1970 with Luc Merenda, Frederick Stafford, Kerwin Matthews and John Gaven all taking turns as Oss 117. Jean Dujardin is in the title role in this comedic take on the series. As the film begins set in 1945 he has a french mustache and resembles Desny but as the film begins it's setting of 1955 he really looks like Sean Connery. Jean François Halim wrote this hilarious screenplay of a spy sent to Egypt to investigate the murder of a friend. It borrows on the silliness of Naked Gun, Get Smart and the Pink Panther and uses fresh humor on current events in a delightful combination that international audiences will enjoy and I am sure this will be the only the first of more to come of a revived OSS 117 reworked to comedy adventures. Michel Hazanavicius directs. I would give this a 7.5 and recommend it.

I just saw this film last night, and I have to say that I loved every minute. If taken in the spirit of a parody of Bond-esquire films, it's truly superior. The true comedy of the film is in its blatant disregard for political correctness. The misogyny, cultural insensitivity, and almost laughable macho-ism of the films of this genre are used for major comic effect. It also calls the illogic and formulaic elements to task, with Agent OSS 117 constantly learning difficult things insanely quick (such as Arabic and how to play a traditional instrument) while missing some pathetically obvious clues. Some of the lines from the film left me laughing for hours after the movie was finished...and I have to say I have learned some...interesting...French vocabulary that would probably have my Professors quite exasperated with me were I to use. All in all, I thought this film excellent. Intensely funny and the first film I've ever seen that truly parodies all aspects of the spy film.

OSS 117 is another star vehicle for Jean Dujardin, star of the ill-fated BRICE DE NICE. He fairs much better here as Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath than as his own creation, BRICE DE NICE, which was great at the beginning but was painfully unfunny for most of the film. Dujardin is fun as the clueless French espion, if you can tolerate his mugging (some of my friends found it annoying). The comedy is light and breezy but it's not laugh out loud funny. It made me smile but not laugh out.

The best thing about OSS 117 is the look of the film. Shot in Morocco, the production values are beautiful and perfectly captures the early James Bond films with Sean Connery. In fact, one can almost see Dujardin as Bond, if he didn't play it for comedy. Dujardin has star quality and his future in the movies is guaranteed. I can't wait for him to star in something than the average stuff he's doing right now. His break-out role in a break-out movie has yet to come.

Seems like M.Hazanavicius is back!The man behind "la classe américaine" comes back with a really fun and clever sequel to those old-fashioned OSS-117...Whereas directors tend to "over-actualize" sequels of old classics (remember the avengers,urk), Hazanavicius chose to work on a really cheap hero, OSS-117, a kind of low-budget french 007, and decides to do it in a old-school way...The photography, the body attitudes, the fights choreography and the FX, everything is like an homage to the way films were made back in the 50s.And it works, as the tone and jokes of the movie are really good! Jean Dujardin embodies perfectly this stupid-arrogant-macho-selfish french spy, lost in a country he understands only in terms of folklore and inferiority.Yes, that's it, just the way the occident uses to consider its colonies back then (and, oh no, I won't say it has anything to do with what happens nowadays in the very same area...ah ah)...He just looks like an unfrozen Lino Ventura, with something like 40 pounds less, which is perfect for the role.The other members of the cast fit perfectly as well, with all you can dream of Russian spies, Egyptian independantists and former Nazis.And of course, the women, as there has to be "femmes fatales" in any good spy-movies... The plot is good (maybe not brilliant but really good enough...), taking place between actual historical facts, and remembering us in a funny way how France (and the others) treated its colonies back in those days. It all starts in 1955 with a British spy disappearing while tracking a Russian cargo full of weapons in Suez.Then France sends his best friend, agent OSS-117, to discover what happened to both the shipment and the agent... The fact is that this agent is really as dumb as can be, and he slips through the story without even understanding it, solving it in a very clouseau-esquire way. I have to say I had a bad feeling about the movie, as the publicity made around it was quite frightening, and as french humor tends to be quite populist and flat (forget about les bronzés 3 or camping...) but I was really surprised, and in the good way! I highly recommend it, whether you want a good parody of Bond-esquire movies (much more fun than in D.E.B.S. for example, but less skirts) or you're a fan of that genuine and candid way of filming they had back in the 5Os. Yes, that's it clever and (really!) funny, you've got the point once again Mr Hazanavicius!

I must I was a little skeptical when I entered the cinema to watch OSS117 : french comedies tend to be so self-satisfied nowadays that only the most stupid ones score high at the national box-office. But I was surprised that though the humor does not always reach the level of the Monthy Pythons, the many references to the French's vision of the world in the 1950, which OSS117 represents, are hilarious et the director managed to recreate film-making style of that time with an astonishing fidelity. To put it short, a bit of a good surprise, not to mention the excellent performances from various secondary actors. And at least for once, Jean Dujardin's style (which can get on many people's nerves) complies perfectly with the character he plays.

OSS 117 was fun from start to finish.

It's difficult to define why one film touches or connects with you or not, and I won't try to analyze such perfect comedy, so politically incorrect that even academic papers should be dedicated to it :)!

Everything is old fashioned here, from women's clothes (sigh!), Mambo dance, the "hero singing"... ("Bambino" sounds like an Italian canzonetta sung in... arabic :)!).

Hubert is physically imposing, but dumb as hell. From all the 007s, he looks like Sean Connery, but is definitely more sympa because he's... silly, speaks his mind all the time, giggles, even has some homoerotic fantasies and there are rumours about him. In short, as an anti hero, he rocks :)! Sometimes he only raises his eyebrows or frowns, and that's all it takes to make you laugh.

Bérénice Bejo is the true queen of the film. Graceful, treacherous but with ideals. Aure Atika, to the contrary, is reduced to a femme fatale of sorts. It's surprising to see her that "sexy bomb", thou.

You just can't compare it with "Austin Powers"! I agree with Amazon's D. Hartley (Seattle, WA) on it being respectful to the genre.

Which is your favourite scene? One of my favourite scenes is the "fight of the chickens" with the masked villain. But the truly perfect one is when chatting at the cocktail with his contacts, how they all mutter platitudes with confidence... This scene alone makes the comedy genre worthwhile.

Special Agent OSS 117, perhaps France's most famous answer to Britain's James Bond, enters the 21st century with "Cairo, Nest of Spies", but unfortunately the producers don't seem sure of how to package his return: as a legitimate period spy flick, or as a spoof of the genre? As a result, although the film has the colorful credits, the exotic locations, the beautiful women, the intrigue of the Bond universe (and even a leading man who looks a bit like the 1960's Sean Connery), it's neither funny enough nor exciting enough. The indecisiveness extends to the way Jean Dujardin plays the role of OSS 117: at times competent, suave and on top of the situation, at other times bumbling and making a fool of himself. Even the fight scenes range from serious (and surprisingly good) to slapstick (two guys throwing chicken at each other). The highlight - and practically the climax - of the film is the catfight between Bérénice Bejo and Aure Autika: I like it when women use real fighting moves instead of just rolling around. (**)

Fans of the Pink Panther, Naked Gun, or Get Smart will certainly enjoy this farce that won one César and was nominated for four more.

Jean Dujardin is Agent OSS 117, a man who wouldn't know a clue if it hit him upside the head. He is also a reflection of the colonialist attitude indicative of the West.

All of the Russian spies, Nazis, and Muslim radicals around him are just as stupid, but there is Larmina (Bérénice Bejo) and the Princess (Aure Atika) to keep things interesting.

OSS 117's uncanny ability to pick up languages, play musical instruments the first time he picks them up, and sing like a native are all more impressive than Bond's tricks, but he is still stupid.

Adventures of agent OSS 117, a French colleague of James Bond. Upon hearing about the death of his long-time friend in Cairo, agent OSS 117 (Jean Dujardin) is sent to investigate revolutionary activity and the disappearance of a weapons ship in Egypt. Aiding him is an attractive but unenthusiastic lady assistant (Bérénice Bejo).

Unlike the earlier books and movies in the series, this film takes a parodic approach to the character as well as other spy films of the 1960s, notably Connery-era Bonds: a pre-credit sequence, animated opening titles, brass music, faded cinematography and poor rear projection in driving scenes are all there. OSS 117 also takes Bond's characteristics further by being an openly smug and ignorant colonialist. There are many funny scenes, ranging from subtle (implications of OSS 117's homosexuality) to slapstick (using live chickens as throwing weapons). Recommended for spy movie fans.

Saw the move while in Paris in May 2006 ... I was debating between that and mission impossible...I am very glad I choose OSS 117 not only because it was funny but might as well watch a FRench movie while in France. I had a great time... would recommend it. It is important to have some understanding the French society of Today to really enjoy the humor of this movie ... cannot wait for the DVD to come out... I don't know how some of the 'jeu De mots' 'puns' would be translated in English I 'll certainly buy it when it is out! P.S. I saw on 'BRice de Nice' which is a movie starring Dujardin that all kids were talking about in France. this movie is a comedy but sillier than one can imagine...in comparing both movies I have to say that Dujardin did a good job in OSS 117.

Excellent exercise on multiple plans:

• showing the not yet ended colonialism spirit in France

• more generally the boring mindset of superiority from all western people

• a renewal of the spy and thriller movies: OSS 117 is uncultured and stupid!

The good idea is that, in spite of all these messages, it is a funny film, plenty of jokes and gags, very light and sparkling.

Special mention to Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo.

Definitely worth seeing. Wonder how it will be appreciated in US?

Seems to be a success in France, so probably a next version will come.

As a French, i found it very pleasant to be able to laugh at the old stereotype which is made of French like that, at some defaults of Westerners, at Spy movies etc...and at a lot of other things too, en route... I already saw it 3 times and each time i discovered new things and laughed to tears... Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Béjo, Aure Atika the director and all the cast, all the crew did a fantastic job. This movie is funny but is although much more than that : it's got plenty of levels to it. You laugh because of simple gags, because of some critics made with wit (the movie's courageous enough to be critical), because of physical comedy, because you believe in the characters etc... Esthetically and musically, it's a success too. Go see it if you can.

I bet that no review of "OSS 117: Nest of Spies" started without mentioning that its hero, Secret Agent Hubert Bonasseur de la Bath, was created by French writer Jean Bruce in 1949, which means four years before Ian Fleming wrote the first 'James Bond' novel. Yes indeed, codename 117 was a precursor while 007 became the icon. This is vital information as it prevents the viewer from identifying OSS 117 only as the French answer to James Bond, or worse, to Austin Powers.

The two agents were created in the most politically and diplomatically tormented era of the 20th Century and spy stories were the premises of great adventures inspired from real-life events. And movies like "Top Secret!" and Austin Powers mocked all the James Bond and spy archetypes with such a delightful zaniness that the premise of "OSS 117" might have seemed preposterous. In fact, it's genius. By using the same visual format than 60's adventure movies, from the classic Gaumont logo opening (a bit reminding me of the use of the 20's Universal logo for "The Sting") and by turning them into a parody, Michel Hazanivicius removes the dust from French cinema's forgotten gems and gives the perfect alibi so a 2000's audience can laugh with the film, but not at the film.

That this audience never read any of the 265 OSS novels, that everyone still believes James Bond was the first, is besides the point, if anything, with this film, they'll make a great discovery. But they're going to be mislead too, as the original novels weren't comedies, they were actually in the same vein than James Bond (which, to a certain degree, isn't supposed to always be taken seriously) and the original agent was actually American, from Louisiana, hence his name with French consonance. Hazanavicius adapts the film into a comedy and makes the hero a French version of James Bond, two inspired choices culminating with the casting of Jean Dujardin, who can abandon his surfing suit and blonde wig from his hit sketch "Brice de Nice" and proves his acting skills with the one character that was begging to be played by Dujardin.

That was before "The Artist" when only French audience knew that Dujardin was the most American-looking Frenchie, with his wide charming smile à la Gene Kelly (he's actually more handsome than him) and his forehead that recalls a young Sean Connery, and a little Errol Flynn touch, Dujardin had the looks, but not just the looks. 117 is a dim-witted, overly-patriotic agent who believes that President René Coty will belong to history. That the foreign audience (and also French) is oblivious to the identity of Coty is already the proof that the gag works; it also outdates the character, setting him in the time of the fourth Republic (before De Gaulle) where France was losing the colonies and all its prestige. Only Dujardin could pull such an anachronistic performance, of a character already comically anachronistic within the film's plot.

The plot is centered on 1956's Suez crisis, and while the real players were USA and USSR, 117 is so convinced of France's importance, that any information or attitude contradicting his certitudes is welcomed by a laugh of disbelief. And I think Dujardin is the only actor who can display such a wide range of smiles, just with the way he extends his mouth or plays with his eyes, it can mean nervousness, confidence, arrogance, joy, irony and so forth. Only Dujardin can look so goofy and charismatic in the same time. And speaking of goofiness, the film doesn't spare any cliché: the low-budget special effects always symbolized by the obvious plane model 'flying' in the sky, the over the top fight that destroy all the furniture without messing the hero's hairstyle, the charm with women and the lousy covers: he's the owner of a chicken farm, which preludes the film's most hilarious running-gag, in fact, all the other spies are farm owners: each one for a different breed.

And then, when 117 meets the other countries' agents, it's a moment of pure brilliance as they all start delivering off-topic philosophical quotes, for no particular reason, other than trying to outsmart each other, it's a brilliant moment of pure non-sequitur enjoyment. also love the interaction between Dujardin and the Arab population, underlining the eternal cultural shift between Europe and the Third World, his altercation with a muezzin, his patronizing tone while giving a worker the card of René Coty (as if it meant something), his non-politically correct comments, it's very cruel, but the joke is on him and it's funny, and he kind of redeems himself when he starts singing "Bambino" in Arabic, an unpredictable moment that drew a big smile in my face. Of course, being a Moroccan, I wasn't fooled by the real Cairo and the people's pure Moroccan accent, but who can't tell whether it's intentional or not. Either ways, it works.

Of course, the gags don't work the same, but you spend a great moment, entertained by Dujardin's antics, and also the great performance of Bérénice Béjo, who handles her role with a natural simplicity, seductive and sexy without trying to emulate a James Bond girl. And we all know where this is coming to: if it wasn't for Hazanivicus' nostalgic trip into the 50's, with the charm of Dujardin and Béjo, we wouldn't have a movie like "The Artist" that earned Dujardin his Oscar nomination.

I welcomed "The Artist" with enthusiasm, and later on, I was wondering if it wasn't just a way to kiss Hollywood's butt, so to speak. Well I apologize for this thought, because Hazanivicus actually restored French cinema with this hilarious nest of spies, made an American character 100% French (before doing the opposite) and he established Dujardin as the successor of many American entertainers and French too, as he's the closest actor to Belmondo charisma-wise.

That's how I'd sum it up! There were other who said, Naked Gun meets James Bond. I think mine is more accurate, but I'm not neutral on that point ... ;o)

This movie is kind of a blast from the past. It reminds you of the old movies (from the '50s & '60s) and that's not only because it plays in that time period (1955 to be exact, with the Flashback exception), but it's the mood the movie is made in and it shows on screen! The main actor here (who is as I've been told very popular in his homeland France), is perfect in his role here. He's the spy with the number 117 attached to him. There is one character who sums him up in the movie, by asking a question, about if he's good or not ... you'll see when you watch the movie!

Very funny indeed this is and if you like your spies mixed with comedy with old school flair, but not taking itself or anything else for that matter seriously, than you need to watch this! :o)

I was not expecting much when I began to watch this on a plane .I remember quite well the OSS 117 which were thriving in the sixties and which would remain a poor man's James Bond.Frederick Stafford or Kervin Matthews as Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath,it was all the same.

Jean Dujardin's"OSS117" is a different matter,because it's a spoof on spy thrillers.The cock and bull story does not get in the way does not matter a little bit.Dujardin's skills as a comic were already obvious in his hilarious sitcom "Un Gars Une Fille" .Here ,he plays a spy so dumb he thinks the pyramids and the Suez Canal were built at the same time,4,000 years ago!

Although his boss (Claude BRosset) praises him for his perfect knowledge of the Muslim world ,he does not even know what a muezzin is ,and as he tells his "secretary" : " there's no future for your religion" .Dujardin's adventures in the Muslim world remind me of the Dupondt's (Thompson twins)gaffes in "Tintin in the land of black gold" or "the crab with the golden claws".

I do not think that Bruce's fans will be satisfied.But those novels are dated and the writers were right when they did not transpose the action to our era.The film is deliciously dated :Dujardin strumming a guitar which "looks like a round spongecake" and singing the big hit of the late fifties "Bambino" (=kid) or the anachronistic "Un Clair de Lune à Maubeuge " which was released when De Gaulle was the president is good fun.The passwords deal with cooking ,which makes sense for French spies.

Perhaps not a great film but very funny and refreshing!They do not

even respect the "moving" "mysterious" "whatdaya suppose THAT means? "flashbacks .

A paddle ball tragedy.

A friend of mine told me that this movie was worth a watch and that himself as well as his whole family had adored this funny movie. As I am fan of spy or police parodies in the key of "Mad Mission", "The naked gun" or "Austin Powers", I was looking forward to watch this movie with him.

But this movie is maybe the worst comedy movie I have ever seen because it didn't make me laugh one single time. The main character is an annoying, superficial and stupid racist, sexist and anti-cultural snob that has to investigate on a boring random case along side with boring random characters. I know that the directors exactly wanted to create such a superficial and arrogant character but as I didn't get connected to him, I didn't get connected to the whole movie. The jokes are so childish that it made me despair. You open the lights and some chickens make some noise. You hit a muezzin because he wakes you up in the morning. You hit a partner because he forgets a stupid password. There were so many countless and boring jokes that the story line becomes absolutely secondary and random stuff and the pseudo-twist in the ending is also quite predictable.

I really lost one and half hour of my precious life on this unfunny and annoying piece of garbage. I give one point for the beautiful landscapes and the fact that I was still hoping that there would be a turning point or a really funny scene in this movie which made me watch this until the very end. Well, I was wrong, but at least, I made it through the whole movie. But I wouldn't recommend to any one to live the same fate as I did. Just ignore the influenced and not very objective reviews by some French fans of the main actor (who did a decent job in the cult movie "Brice de Nice"). Give yourself a little gift and watch the "Mad Mission" series or if you want something French, go for "Welcome to the Sticks". Even my girlfriend who normally laughs about anything and adores comedy movies found this one annoying and boring.

Based on a series of 1950s and 1960s spy films, which were in turn based on a series of novels by French author Jean Bruce, the movie both parodies the original OSS 117 franchise along with other spy movies from the time, especially the Connery-era James Bond films.

Nothing in the movie should be taken seriously, except maybe the beauty of the filmmaker's attention to period/cinematic detail and the joyous soundtrack (there's even a musical number!) - in short, the movie is a breezy, colourful comedy that should delight all those who are not easily offended.

A must for fans of the Naked Gun and Austin Powers films, or anyone who enjoys the early James Bond movies, OSS 117 - Cairo: Nest Of Spies is a wonderful guilty pleasure. CD