Dad's Army (2016)

I usually enjoy homefront stories, both British and American, set during World War II, so when I came across this movie about a group of Home Guardsmen protecting a small English town near the White Cliffs of Dover, I figured it might be worth watching. I was vaguely aware of a 1960s British comedy TV series called DAD’S ARMY and assumed this was a reboot with a different cast, which is exactly right.

I later discovered that this movie version is almost universally reviled by fans of the original series.

Never having seen the original, all I can do is take the movie for what it is: a well-made, mildly amusing comedy with a very predictable plot about a Nazi spy showing up in the village and trying to obtain some vital information that could alter the course of the war. Hijinks and sporadic slapstick ensue.

The cast, which includes Toby Jones and Bill Nighy as members of the Home Guard and Catherine Zeta-Jones as a beautiful magazine reporter, is pretty good. The scenery and production values are excellent. However, none of it ever gels into anything more than an okay way to pass a couple of hours. I’m intrigued by the idea of watching the original TV series now, though. I may have to look into that.