_Charlie's_Angels_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 (out of ****)
It's easy to dismiss _Charlie's_Angels_ as mindless trash--but to do so is to not understand the joke. Make no mistake, this big screen revamp of the small screen "jiggle" action-adventure series _is_ every bit the slab of cinematic junk food it appears to be; the twist is that director McG, producer-star Drew Barrymore, and co-stars Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu set out to make it that way. That said, getting the joke does not necessarily entail complete enjoyment of the picture, which grows equal parts fun and frustrating.
_Charlie's_Angels_ is a high-energy production, and it's impossible to not get occasionally caught up in the infectious atmosphere of over-the-top action-adventure and self-aware, campy humor. The bouncy tone is set by the curtain-raising action sequence, which is as preposterously exciting as any Bond opener; and its terrific main titles, which are a wonderfully cheesy homage to the original Aaron Spelling TV series (and the rest of its action ilk in the '70s). Called on to provide the charm to carry the film the rest of the way are Diaz, Barrymore, and Liu as Natalie, Dylan, and Alex, respectively--"an elite crimefighting group" in the employ of the never-seen but always-heard millionaire Charlie (once again voiced by John Forsythe).
Alas, if only high spirits and the right attitude were enough to make a feature film. There is the matter of a little thing called a script, and the one by a reported 17 writers (the only ones receiving screen credit are Ryan Rowe, Ed Solomon, and John August) feels as cobbled together as the crew that created it. The Angels, with Charlie's bumbling go-between Bosley (Bill Murray, sadly wasted) by their side as usual, are hired to solve the kidnapping of a computer tycoon (Sam Rockwell); its rather speedy resolution opens up a set of unforeseen problems. That, in a nutshell, is _Charlie's_Angels_' story.
But it's not what the film is _about_. That designation goes to the assorted set pieces hung onto the clothesline of plot to either wring laughs from the audience or viscerally excite them. Given that the three leads all have experience in comedy and are action neophytes, it's surprising that _Charlie's_Angels_ is more successful in the latter area. For this, the trio and especially McG owe a large debt to fight choreographer Yuen Cheung-Yan (brother of _Matrix_ and _Crouching_Tiger,_Hidden_Dragon_ action maestro Yuen Woo-Ping). The Hong Kong brand of wire-enhanced martial arts (a major deviation from the TV series, for staunch gun opposer Barrymore nixed the use of any firearms in the film) works especially well in the over-the-top context, and the stars are all game--in particular Diaz, who is given a large share of non-wire fight scenes and more than holds her own.
Then again, Diaz is the clear standout in all areas of the film. Barrymore and Liu clearly enjoy themselves and amply fill the sexiness requirement, but only Diaz is given much of anything to do. Her Natalie, a hopeless dork with ridiculous delusions of coolness, is the only Angel that develops into a real character (all we glean from the others: Alex is brainy; Dylan is... well, she looks good, doesn't she?). Her comic scenes, especially those with Luke Wilson (as the requisite love interest), are the most memorable in the film.
In fact, Diaz's comic scenes are the only ones that fully work, which points up the film's key problem: not knowing when to stop with the comedy. Her gags are extreme, but they don't push too far; the same can't be said for a lot of others. For example, a great sight gag involving Alex's boyfriend's (Matt LeBlanc) bullet-riddled trailer home that's just outlandish enough is ruined by a needless extra step. I can understand McG and the army of scribes' perceived need to go all out, but a bit of moderation would have gone a longer way in a film that's already outrageous by basic concept alone.
So with the smiles the film provide come about as many groans, eventually overtaking the latter as it wears on. The joke behind _Charlie's_Angels_ is indeed an amusing one, but it simply grows old more quickly than it should.
©2000 Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina twotrey@juno.com | jordan_host@sportsmail.com | mrbrown@iname.com Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://www.mrbrownmovies.com CinemaReview Magazine: http://www.CinemaReview.com on ICQ: #25289934 | on AOL Instant Messenger: MrBrown23
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