A ridiculously fun, action-packed babe fest that tickles all your senses and makes you smile the whole way through. Exuberant in its approach, Charlie's Angels makes for a fun-filled evening with your friends while exhibiting a side of each woman that every female should possess.
Dylan (Drew Barrymore), Alex (Lucy Liu) and Natalie (Cameron Diaz) are three very different young women who are all aiming towards one thing. Bringing justice to their enemies and keeping their clients out of harm's way is the game they play. They work for an anonymous millionaire by the name of Charlie, who they have actually never seen with their own eyes (and neither has anyone else). But first let's introduce our savvy and intriguing agents to the viewers. Stern in manner and precise in her field of work, Alex, has an undercover job at a movie shoot in order to hide her true identity while dating one of the prominent actors; Dylan is the tomboy of the group who had a tumultuous childhood that shows in her demeanor and life choices; Natalie is the bubbly and high-spirited angel who won't say no to a night of dancing and even though she may seem a little naive, she is still very smart and demanding when she needs to be. After successfully completing their recent mission, the angels are thrust right back in with a fresh and exciting case to solve. An engineer by the name of Eric Knox (Sam Rockwell) has been allegedly kidnapped by one of his insidious clients who's looking to get his hands on Knox's new technology. The angels are sent in to investigate the target's company and uncover any foul play. With their trusty sidekick, Bosley (Bill Murray), they rescue Knox but feel that he may still be targeted in association with the "Angels", so they establish some safety measures and keep a weather eye out on Knox for the time being. Little do they know of the devious plans someone is cooking up and before they know it, they're back on the trail with a new revealed target who is planning to annihilate the thing they hold most dear to their hearts... Charlie.
Although some may deem the film cheesy and just another way to see some bombshells, it is surprisingly masterful in its execution and marks an important step in the career of Drew Barrymore as not only a superb actress but a blooming filmmaker. Expressing her desire to make films in the past and starting her own production company, this was the monster that Drew chose to wrestle on her own. Armed with an ambition to succeed, Drew exceeded her efforts and overwhelmed me by her sheer sophistication and professionalism both on camera and behind the scenes. Her character, Dylan, had the most layers to her and really reflected Drew's true life struggles while maintaining that spunk which made us fall in love with her as a little girl. Vigorous and fresh, she knew what direction this picture was going in and her efforts really paid off to present us with a threesome of powerful, independent women that left an everlasting mark on the film industry and catapulted the careers of the actors included in the film. I was overly impressed by the direction of the picture and the complexity of the shots that not only increased tension, but kept the film exciting and flowing smoothly. For a film that is action-packed, you usually don't expect much from the technical aspect of shooting except for the stupendous explosions, but this film seems to have nailed it right on point. Sometimes the surroundings do seem a little more comical and lurid than you think they would be, but you are totally under the spell of the "Angels" from the first moment on so there is a nice balance to the viewing experience.
Now, let's get to the important messages conveyed in this film. First of all, teamwork. Without teamwork, nothing in this world could be accomplished. Two heads -- or in this case three -- are better than one, and because each woman possesses many different strengths compared to the others, it can be compared to a work environment, where workers are hired due to their experience in a certain field to work with people who are experts in other fields. Their integration helps create a finished product that the company then offers to their clients, which can also be improved by the diversity of the group.
All of the "Angels" come from disparate backgrounds and their upbringing and cultural knowledge also helps with their field of expertise in case they happen to disguise themselves or need the information they've acquired over the years in their profession. Another fascinating message in the film concerns identity and the ability to alter your identity by the use of clothing, make-up, and most importantly how others perceive you. Because all the women are part of a secret investigation team, it is of crucial importance that they keep their profile hidden and create a facade to hide their true purpose. It isn't easy for them considering that most of them have boyfriends who are curious as well as suspicious about their secret outings and sudden escapades.
However, the most important message conveyed in this film is about loyalty and faith in each other. All the women exhibit a tremendous amount of loyalty towards each other and their cause. Although they have never seen Charlie, they continue to work for him because they are certain of his intentions and know in their hearts that he would always be there for them even if he's not there in person. For Dylan, her part in the entire ordeal of being an "Angel" is very personal to her. Because she never knew her father and her mother died when she was young, she has always seen Charlie as a father figure and that's why she has faith in him and hopes to be able to see him sometime in the future. But as of now, she feels that her participation in the team is somewhat of a spiritual anchor that grounds her to what she has been looking for all her life: to be needed and loved. That is why her character and the connection with Charlie goes so much deeper than Alex's and Natalie's, making for a worthier piece of cinema to be watched and reveled in the coming years by many generations of viewers.
Overall, there are bits and pieces of the film which everyone will enjoy whether it be the attractive women, the ubiquitous action sequences, the subtext and personalities of the characters, or their mission. It's all in good spirit and will surely trigger quite a bit of laughter from all viewers. I do warn you however that these bombshells are sure to explode and rock your world, so don't be afraid if you're tempted to try a high kick afterwards. Feel free to express your girl power with complete and utter spontaneity.
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