WITH an obvious nod to the 1953 classic Monsieur Hulot's Holiday starring Jacques Tati, Mr Bean's Holiday reacquaints us with the bumbling everyman (Rowan Atkinson) some 10 years after his first cinematic escapade.

Nothing much seems to have changed in the intervening years: the laconic hero still drives his beloved Mini, his taste in fashion errs towards the brown and grey, and he speaks largely in growls and grunts.

Most importantly, wherever Mr Bean gallivants, disaster surely follows.

The plot of the sequel, co-written by Robin Driscoll and Hamish McColl, is a hook for the usual array of set pieces. These vary from the familiar (Bean using matchsticks to keep his eyes open, getting his tie caught in a vending machine) to dazzling sequences of physical comedy.

Some of the running gags, like his mistaken belief that the French word for thank you' is gracias', aren't funny the first time, let alone the fourth.

But the childlike innocence and unwavering optimism of the eponymous loner, and his ability to floss triumph from the snarling jaws of defeat, ultimately win through.

Lady Luck unexpectedly smiles on Mr Bean when he wins a dream holiday to Cannes in his local church raffle, along with a nifty handheld digital camera.

With his tiny suitcase packed and his documents safely in the pocket of his blazer, Mr Bean ventures boldly into the French capital, arriving at the Gare du Nord via Eurostar.

From the moment he steps off the train, digital camera in hand, chaos spreads throughout Paris.

Bean eventually finds his way to the Gare de Lyon (thanks to a great set-piece involving a compass) and boards the train to the south coast, but not before separating award-winning Russian film director Emil Duchevsky (Karel Roden) from his 10-year-old son Stepan (Max Baldry).

Taking charge of the situation, as only Mr Bean can, the Englishman abroad tries to help Stepan, but only succeeds in losing his suitcase, money and documents - and then the boy.

Stumbling onto the set of a big budget yoghurt commercial directed by Carson Clay (Willem Dafoe), Bean hooks up with pretty actress Sabine (Emma de Caunes), who is driving to Cannes for the premiere of her film.

With its tributes to Tati and Buster Keaton (a wonderful traffic sequence at the end of the film), Mr Bean's Holiday is a lot of fun, including a tour-de-force demonstration of busking.

However, there are very few moments when you find yourself laughing out loud to Bean's exploits, and the gags miss as many times as they hit.

The film marks the final hurrah for Bean. He will be hanging up his loafers after this Continental adventure.

Perhaps that's no bad thing.

  • See it at the ABC and Empire.