THE SAINT
A film review by Michael Redman
Copyright 1997 Michael Redman
*1/2 (out of ****)
Val Kilmer's super spy for hire is one part James Bond and one part "Fletch" (a decidedly mediocre Chevy Chase film based on an excellent detective book series) and doesn't succeed as well as even the Chase disaster.
A master of disguise with a habit of using the names of Catholic saints, Simon Templar is hired by a Russian crime boss turned politician to find the secret of cold fusion. In order to do so, he must romance Emma Russell (an uninteresting and apparently uninterested Elisabeth Shue), the good doctor with the secret. Although not a part of his plan, he falls in love with her.
Someone has stolen all of the fuel oil in Moscow and whoever comes up with a new energy source will rule the country. If you can swallow that far-fetched plot device, perhaps you'll go along with the rest of the film. I found almost everything that happens equally implausible.
Kilmer can be a first-rate actor, but it doesn't happen here. The scenes of his Fabio-inspired long-haired naked lounging are difficult to take seriously. In all fairness, the two women that I spoke to after the movie both loved the film...but then they had serious Val Kilmer blinders on.
[This appeared in the 4/10/97 "Bloomington Voice", Bloomington Indiana. Michael Redman can be reached at mredman@bvoice.com ]
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