Central Intelligence: High School Reunion Turns Deadly Mission!

Dr. Rowan Bergnaum MD 13 May 2025

Ever wonder what happens when your high school past collides with a present that's brimming with international espionage? Prepare for a wild ride where the mundane meets the extraordinary, and laughter becomes the ultimate weapon against global threats.

The premise sounds like the perfect setup for a comedic action film: a CIA operative reaches out to a former high school acquaintance, someone with an aptitude for accounting, to assist in averting a potentially devastating plot targeting undercover agents. This is the springboard for "Central Intelligence," the 2016 buddy action-comedy that pairs the contrasting personas of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart. The film, directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, unfolds a narrative that throws these two characters into a whirlwind of dangerous situations, testing their friendship and their ability to save the world.

The genius of "Central Intelligence" lies in its ability to blend high-stakes action with laugh-out-loud humor. We are introduced to Bob Stone (Dwayne Johnson), a once overweight and bullied teen who transforms into a lethal CIA agent. On the other end is Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart), the high school golden boy turned mild-mannered accountant, who finds himself reluctantly pulled into Bobs dangerous world. Their contrasting personalities and skill sets create a dynamic that fuels the film's comedic core. As they navigate shootouts, double-crosses, and international conspiracies, the unlikely duo learns to rely on each other, ultimately proving that even the most ordinary individual can rise to extraordinary circumstances.

Category	Information
Film Title	Central Intelligence
Year of Release	2016
Genre	Action, Comedy, Buddy Cop
Director	Rawson Marshall Thurber
Screenplay	Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen, Rawson Marshall Thurber
Story	Ike Barinholtz, David Stassen
Producers	Scott Stuber
Starring	Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Amy Ryan, Danielle Nicolet
Music	Theodore Shapiro, Ludwig Gransson
Cinematography	Barry Peterson
Edited by	Michael L. Sale, Brian Olds
Production Companies	New Line Cinema, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Bluegrass Films
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date	June 17, 2016 (United States)
Running Time	107 minutes (theatrical), 116 minutes (unrated)
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$50 million
Box Office	$217 million
Plot Summary	A CIA operative enlists the help of his former high school classmate, now an accountant, to prevent a terrorist from selling satellite codes.
Character Details	Bob Stone (Dwayne Johnson): A former overweight teen who becomes a highly skilled CIA agent. Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart): A former high school star athlete turned accountant.
Themes	Friendship, overcoming insecurities, unexpected heroism, transformation
Reception	Mixed to positive reviews; praised for the chemistry between Johnson and Hart.
Additional Notes	The unrated version features additional scenes and more explicit content.
Official Website	Warner Bros. - Central Intelligence