Film Review: Charlie's Angels

THEY ARE beautiful, brilliant and bold... They are women with a mission. They are Charlie's Angels.

A Columbia Pictures' presentation, the action-comedy is a take- off on a television series that was made nearly two decades ago, with the gorgeous Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith. The `angels' of the 1990s, Natalie (Cameron Diaz), Dylan (Drew Barrymore, one of the producers) and Alex (Lucy Liu) play private investigators, who can just about do anything - jump out of planes, rewire satellite computers or even belly dance! They work for Charlie, who is never seen but only heard.As for the story line, it is as thin as clear soup! (it reputedly took 14 scriptwriters to do the job!). For what it is worth, here it goes...

The trio has to rescue the kidnapped businessman, Eric Knox. They also have to recover Knox' voice identification software, a scientific breakthrough that could ruin the world if it falls into `wrong hands' (and if you must know, it does! Or does it?).

The prime suspect is Knox' rival, Corwin, who owns a telecommunication satellite network. Along with faithful lieutenant, Bosley (Bill Murray), the three angels step into a dangerous world of intrigue and murder. Under cover as geishas and racecar drivers, they look for clues everywhere. But they are not prepared for what they discover - a plot to kill Charlie!

The film marks the debut of noted ad and music video director McG (Sugar Ray, Wyclef Jean). His motto: ``To make a 90-minute ride of stimulus at every level conceivable.'' He seems to have succeeded to some extent, of course with lots of ``inspiration'' from ``M-I and 2'' and ``True Lies''.

The film and the angels literally `fly' from the word go, combining kung-fu (the mid-air chops are straight out of ``Matrix'') and hi-tech gadgets (nothing like Bond's stuff, though). The fight sequences are very aesthetically choreographed. Dylan fights the `bad guys' tied to a chair while Natalie can triple kick with the same ease as she dances. But they are human, too (Natalie coos with her boyfriend as she delivers mid- air chops, and Alex always finds time for her friend.)

In the final analysis, ``Charlie's Angels'' is action-filled fun, a great way to kill time, without much activation of the grey cells!

SAVITHA PADMANABHAN

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Section  : Entertainment
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