Main cast: Cameron Diaz (Natalie), Drew Barrymore (Dylan), Lucy Liu (Alex), Bill Murray (Bosley), Sam Rockwell (Eric Knox), Kelly Lynch (Vivian Wood), Tim Curry (Roger Corwin), and John Forsythe (Charlie)
Director: McG
Rumor has it, 17 or maybe more script writers and script doctors have to pull the script of this movie to shape. If that is so, I wonder if they haven’t pulled a fast one over the movie folks. The big screen revisionist Charlie’s Angels is as substantial as a house made of cotton candy.
Charlie is a shadow millionaire who runs a PI agency where our three Angels do all the dirty stuff. Natalie is the bubble-headed one who can’t keep her buttons together no matter how hard she tries. Dylan is the one smart at disguises, while Alex plays the stern and technical nerd of the team. In this movie, they are hired by Eric Knox, some aspiring Bill Gates-wannabe but not as ugly, to retrieve some important computer thingie from rival Corwin.
Thing is, apart from the novelty of three ladies running what will be in usual cases an all-guy and the obligatory love interest babe movie, very little of Charlie’s Angels is worthwhile. There are The Matrix-like kung-fu scenes, there are Mission: Impossible-style break-ins into impenetrable strongholds, and let’s not forget the Bond Girls-esque behavior of our heroines. Seen any of the “inspiring” movies above, seen this one already. And the plot twist isn’t a plot twist because I see it coming from miles away. Yawn again.
Cameron Diaz’s clothes get briefer and more see-thru as the movie goes, Drew Barrymore flashes most of her chest once a while, and Lucy Liu reprises her dominatrix roles. While Ms Diaz revels in the bubblegum ditz role she plays – yet again – Ms Barrymore looks out of place as the rebellious sleep-around girl and Lucy Liu just looks, well, bored. Bill Murray’s Bosley is surprisingly humor-free.
There are attempts at humor, but most fall flat, including Natalie’s answering her smitten admirer’s phone call while trashing some scumbags. Oh, and Luke Wilson plays yet another milquetoast, oblivious guy role. Matt LeBlanc looks beefy and surprisingly roguish as Alex’s unsuspecting macho actor boyfriend, but he is wasted. The only bright spark is Dylan’s chemistry with her clueless seafaring guy The Chad (real-life beau Tom Green) – “Is it the Chad?” turns out to be one fun pick-up line. (Then again, the Democrats may not see this as funny anymore.)
Charlie’s Angels is all flash, sexy outfits, and garish lights minus the glitzy fun factor. Perhaps it’s a case of too many scriptwriters overcooked the movie? Who knows?
