Anthony's Film Review - Charlie's Angels (2000)

As hyped up as this remake is, it isn't exactly a bad movie...

I never watched the Charlie's Angels show on television before seeing the 2000 cinematic remake. I suppose that's a good thing. I probably wouldn't watch the movie if I were a fan of the show. Otherwise, I'd be too busy nitpicking the movie and comparing it to the TV series. Then again, experiencing Charlie's Angels only through the remake would certainly limit my full appreciation of what the show was originally about. I say this because a person's opinion seeing a movie like this might depend a lot on where he or she is coming from. For me, I had no prior knowledge of the show. Therefore, the following review comes from someone going into the movie with a fresh mind.

This version of Charlie's Angels is essentially an action flick with three women who can really kick butt. It stars Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu as Natalie, Dylan, and Alex, respectively. They are detectives who work for an unseen man named Charlie and have Boswell, played by Bill Murray, as an additional aide. The plot is not something I need to mention, because it doesn't matter. Just know that there is something that acts as a launching point for these characters.

Let's talk about action, which I'm sure you want to hear more about. Well, in my opinion, it's decent but certainly watchable. The three women are pretty tough when it comes to the fight scenes. They deliver their punches and kicks with a lot of force. I would not want to mess with these angels. Of course, there are other types of action scenes in the movie, including one with race cars and a climax that takes place in the air, the latter of which was cool.

You can tell that McG, the director of this movie, was going for something with adrenaline. This is a director whose previous experience behind the camera was with music videos. No wonder the film looks the way it does. The periods of slow motion and other heart-stopping techniques during the action likely came from his past directing experiences. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? It's hard to say. It really depends on your taste, but I'm certain that the original Charlie's Angels show on TV was probably not in this style.

Charlie's Angels (this remake, not the TV show) can best be summed up as one and a half hours of high-octane action with plot and characters that are minimal but enough to hold the action together. It's a movie that you're not likely to watch more than once and certainly not over and over. Don't forget that this is a remake intended to draw a new audience, not to pay tribute to the success of the original show. Otherwise, if you're just looking for quick cinematic entertainment, this movie is certainly one option.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Charlie's Angels, visit the Internet Movie Database.