Charlie's Angels
2000/Action/PG-13
Stars: ** 1/2 Explanation of ratings
Lots of martial arts action and female curves, but weak, predictable plot.
If you expect Charlie's Angels to be a retro-seventies flick, you will be disappointed. This version, a remake of the old TV show, is almost a brand new product except for the core premise ("Once upon a time, there were three little girls..."). Even the girls' names have changed. In fact, the only remnant of the old series is hearing John Forsythe's voice coming out of a seventies-style telephone speaker that looks just like the one from the show.
What Charlie's Angels is: a hard-hitting action movie in the tradition of Mission: Impossible 2. The Angels are all martial-arts experts who can kick and flip their way out of almost any circumstance. When that fails, they use tight, suggestive attire. Most of the plot is tongue-in-cheek, but it is fun to watch how the girls react in different circumstances. I did find the plot to be a little predictable, however, and not very original, but at no time was I bored, thanks to the many action sequences. Also, most of the stunts and technology in the film are not believable or realistic. At times, I felt as if I were watching a video game. I do wish that they had given Bill Murray a larger part, because he seems to be in top comedic form here, but his part fades into seriousness.
If you like nonstop action and non-nude T&A, you might enjoy this movie. The problem is that anyone old enough to remember the original TV series will expect more from a film, and anyone who enjoys this type of action will be too young to remember the show. Perhaps that does not matter, because most of the movie stands on its own, as long as the viewer knows that Charlie is a wealthy man who dispatches the three girls, but the girls never see his face. If you want to escape reality for a few hours, this movie will do the job quite well, but leave your mind at the popcorn counter.
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