Today’s quick review: Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. When the Witness Protection database is stolen and auctioned on the black market, the United States government hires Charlie’s Angels, a trio of talented crime-fighters, to recover it. With the help of Bosley (Bernie Mac), Angels Natalie (Cameron Diaz), Alex (Lucy Liu), and Dylan (Drew Barrymore) must fight their way through a gauntlet of assassins and criminals to catch the thief.
Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle is an action movie with a dose of comedy. Based on the classic TV series, Full Throttle is a sequel to the first Charlie’s Angels movie and follows the original’s recipe of light humor, exaggerated stunts, and improbable disguises. However, a weak plot, flat acting, and artificial action keep Full Throttle from living up to its full potential as a carefree spy romp.
Full Throttle ramps up the action compared to its predecessor. In addition to the usual slate of Hollywood martial arts, chase scenes, and explosions, the sequel has one or two stunts that are boldly conceived and potentially quite impressive. However, neither the CGI nor the cinematography is up to the challenge, and even the film’s best stunts lack credibility and polish.
On the comedy side, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle offers one-liners, unintentional innuendo, and a fun attitude. None of the jokes are stellar, but they do succeed in keeping the tone light. Full Throttle suffers from the loss of Bill Murray, one of the highlights of the original film; Bernie Mac makes for a passable but somewhat weaker replacement. Notable cameos include Demi Moore, Crispin Glover, John Cleese, Shia LaBeouf, Matt LeBlanc, and Luke Wilson.
Check out Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle if you enjoyed the first film or are in the mood for a bit of mindless spectacle. The movie lacks the quality that the best action films bring to the table, but its playful tone and flashy action make it a passable popcorn flick. Skip it if you’re looking for a more impressive action comedy.
4.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 for fun but flawed entertainment that doesn’t take itself too seriously.