Mortdecai was utterly slammed by critics but still managed to pique my interest. To be fair, I can fully understand the criticism: Mortdecai is not a good film. It is a comedy that was rarely funny, with a plot that was just nonsensical enough to save it from being predictable yet remained somewhat dull and which stars a host of stereotypes that failed to find their marks. The odd part is that it's hard to pin down why Mortdecai is a bad film. It feels like an updated version of Austin Powers, with much the same humour and a well-cast, well-acted ensemble that should work brilliantly together. There are some genuinely clever moments and the script fits the bill nicely, but it never really engages the audience. It's an odd thing, but the film just fails to be interesting or funny, seemingly through no fault of its own. There just isn't any spark to the proceedings. Even with Paul Bettany playing a completely atypical womanising henchman (and playing it very well) there was little here that I could recommend. A confusing and occasionally frustrating flop.