Geek Review: Charlie’s Angels

If you have never been a fan of Kristen Stewart’s acting, or the actress in general, this movie may change your mind.

The 29-year-old star, who has been panned by some critics for her stiff and soulless acting (no thanks for gaining worldwide recognition for playing Bella Swan in The Twilight franchise), surprised us in this third instalment of the Charlie’s Angels film series, and a reboot of the movie duology that starred Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu. And having Stewart as a comic lead actually works because she had us laughing quite a bit throughout the 119-minute action-comedy.  

Stewart plays Sabina, one of the new generation of Angels working for Charlie Townsend, a rich dude whose face no one ever sees. Together with her gal pals Jane (British actress Ella Balinska who nails the role with ease) and Elena (Naomi Scott, looking like she may break into a song from Aladdin anytime), the Angels have to take down the bad guys who are planning to turn a new source of clean energy into deadly weapons. They are guided by Elizabeth Banks (who also wrote, directed and produced this movie), who plays Rebekah, a former Angel who is now a mentor figure to the young ones.

If you have watched Charlie’s Angels (2000) and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003), you would know better than to take this movie seriously. Like the TV series of the same name which inspired the feature films, it’s all about the fun and never about the logic. Is the world ready for an all-female team of elite crime-fighters? You bet.

The three female leads are aptly cast in their roles. Stewart steals the show from the first scene as she tries to seduce a sleazy businessman. Who would have thought she looks gorgeous in a blonde wig? As the movie progresses, you realise she is actually a wild and rebellious Angel who doesn’t care for rules. So it is especially heartwarming when the story allows her to show some care and concern for her friends. One particularly cute scene has her making funny faces at a young girl on a ship – you’ll probably never see a more endearing Stewart anytime soon.

Balinska is edgy enough to play a former MI-6 agent who became an Angel, while Scott’s likeable persona makes her the perfect choice to play a gullible scientist who gets involved in the drama. Besides taking on directing responsibilities, Banks’ natural pluckiness comes through as she guides the Angels on one mission after another.

As expected, the men take on supporting roles in this movie about girl power: recognisable faces include Djimon Hounsou, Sam Claflin, Chris Pang and Patrick Stewart. There are also cameo appearances by Lili Reinhart (Betty Cooper in the drama series Riverdale), Hailiee Steinfeld (Bumblebee), American snowboarder Chloe Kim and even original Angel Jaclyn Smith, who is known for her role as Kelly Garrett from the classic TV series.

The action sequences are slickly choreographed, so there shouldn’t be any boring moments during the movie. The studio has also set aside enough budget to put the trio in pretty clothes, and fly them to picturesque locations like France and Istanbul for some of the film’s key scenes. If you have no issues with how a TV series promoting feminism has evolved into a commercial product that provides mindless entertainment, then you will thoroughly enjoy your two hours with these Angels.