Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle

Starring: Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, Bernie Mac, Crispin Glover, Sam Rockwell, Justin Theroux, Robert Patrick, Demi Moore, Shia LaBeouf, Matt LeBlanc, Luke Wilson, John Cleese, Bruce Willis (uncredited), Rodrigo Santoro, Carrie Fisher, Pink, Tommy Flanagan
Directed by: McG
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
2003

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: The Angels investigate a series of murders, trying to uncover the conspiracy behind them.

Review:

Tim: After the first Charlie's Angels movie (which was better than it had any right to be), I was definitely interested to see where the sequel went. McG is back in the director's chair, and we get a very similiar movie. It continues the action, sensuality, and intrigue of the first film, but feels bigger. It's pretty much what you would expect from a sequel. While the movie is still fairly enjoyable, it's clearly not as good as the first film. There is definitely a reason why this franchise didn't evolve into a trilogy.

The three main characters are back, and are genuinely enjoyable to watch together. While none give particularly strong performances, it's pretty obvious that Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu had fun working together. Their chemistry is apparent on screen, and it's infectious. I had a fun time watching their high-energy performances. It's rare for Hollywood to feature such strong female characters, especially in an action movie, so it felt like a rare treat to get to see the Angels in action once again.

The plot felt a bit muddled and confusing. It's not that the story was overly complex, it just wasn't presented in a very clear manner. I remember bits and pieces of the plot, but the main points disappear almost as soon as the movie ends. Besides the impressive action scenes, the story is very forgettable.

Speaking of the action, that's probably the main reason to see this movie. I would highly recommend going into this movie with your disbelief fully suspended. It was somewhat entertaining to see these women flying through the air and beating up bigger, stronger guys, but the whole thing felt completely ridiculous. It felt like the action sequences were pushed to the max, nevermind the incredulous quality of them. They are fun to watch in the moment, but not very satisfying overall.

I thought the film was hurt by the absence of Bill Murray as Bosley. Bernie Mac did an okay job I suppose, but it's clear that he is no Bill Murray. It felt disappointing that Bosley was recast after only one film (and the Murray tie-in attempt fell flat). Crispin Glover and Justin Theroux both overacted in their parts and their characters felt like weak caricatures to me. I actually enjoyed Demi Moore in her role. It was fun to see a "fallen" angel, and have our three female protagonists have a strong woman to go up against. Matt LeBlanc and Luke Wilson were mostly wasted. I have no idea why Bruce Willis showed up for a worthless cameo. This movie features a lot of familiar faces in the cast, but few actors have the opportunity to make a mark.

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle feels like a junk food movie. It certainly has some appeal, and the action and comedy and high-energy hijinks are enough to make it feel good going down. However, underneath the flashy outer layers, the movie is mostly empty and doesn't feel quite as good the longer you're removed from it. I suppose McG should be credited with at least getting somewhat close to the quality of the original. This isn't a bad movie, but it's simply not good enough. It leaves you hoping this is the last angels adventure we have to sit through on the big screen. That's not where you should be at its conclusion.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Charlie's Angels, Ms. Congeniality, The Wedding Singer, The Fugitive, The Mod Squad, Mission: Impossible, Coyote Ugly