Spy Hard (1996)

The blockbuster action thriller genre is ripe for sending up, but this lazy effort has to go down as a miss despite the presence of spoofmeister Leslie Nielsen.

The basic story is firmly rooted in James Bond – Nielsen is superagent Dick Steele (codename WD-40) battling supervillain General Rancor (Andy Griffith) – but to ensure all the bases are covered director Rick Friedberg tosses in largely irrelevant send-ups of Speed (1994), Pulp Fiction (1994) and In the Line of Duty.

The cast – which includes Charles Durning and Nicollette Sheridan, plus cameos from Robert Culp and Fabio – tries hard but is defeated by the determinedly juvenile script.

Incidentally, the Bond-style soundtrack is by Bill Conti, who co-wrote the Oscar-nominated title track of For Your Eyes Only (1981).

Dick Steele
Leslie Nielsen
Veronique Ukrinsky
Nicollette Sheridan
The Director
Charles Durning
Miss Cheevus
Marcia Gay Harden
Norman Coleman
Barry Bostwick
Kabul
John Ales
General Rancor
Andy Griffith
Bus Driver
Ray Charles
Tag team member
Hulk Hogan
Agent Steve Bishop
Robert Guillaume
Brian
Pat Morita
Helicopter pilot
Mr T

Director
Rick Friedberg