Imagine “Nicolas Cage playing a version of Nicolas Cage, in a parody of Nicolas Cage and the many, many films of Nicolas Cage”, said Deborah Ross in The Spectator. If that sounds like too much Cage, that’s exactly what this action comedy “is playing with, and it’s a hoot”.
“Hats off to Cage” for being so game, said Brian Viner in the Daily Mail. He apparently turned down the project several times before finally giving in, and the result isn’t bad. Its problem, though, is that it isn’t quite outlandish enough. The conceit of Cage playing himself is rich with potential, but here it is used to serve a “batty comic caper” that’s ultimately quite conventional.
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The film “does have some funny lines”, especially for those familiar with Cage’s work, said Matthew Bond in The Mail on Sunday. But when the mood switches from clever satire to violent action, the pace falters and the film starts to feel like a “one-note joke” strung out for too long.
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