Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart star in a scene from the movie "Central Intelligence." Catholic News Service classification, A-III -- adults. Motion Picture Association of America rating, PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. (CNS photo/Warner Brothers) See MOVIE-REVIEW-CENTRAL-INTELLIGENCE June 17, 2016.

By Catholic News Service

A high IQ is not a prerequisite for seeing this dimwitted action comedy, directed and co-written by Rawson Marshall Thurber.

Stuck in a mundane job, and with his marriage to the sweetheart (Danielle Nicolet) of his youth on the rocks, an unhappy accountant (Kevin Hart) who was once voted “most likely to succeed” is reluctant to attend his 20-year high school reunion. But a classmate (Dwayne Johnson) whose life has taken an opposite trajectory — once an overweight, bullied geek, he’s now a musclebound Adonis — manages to change the number-cruncher’s mind.  As it turns out, the former wimp has a secret agenda. He’s a lethal CIA agent on a secret mission to save the world, and needs his friend’s professional prowess to unlock stolen encryption codes.

Amid its mindless silliness, the film does impart a strong message about bullying that might have served adolescent viewers well.

Generous servings of violence, crude language, and sex jokes, however, strictly preclude endorsement for youngsters. Action violence and gunplay, rear male nudity, much sexual humor and innuendo, an anti-Catholic slur, occasional profane and crude language. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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