Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle film review

certificate_12A

CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE

The trailer for Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle is an unrelenting aural and visual assault. Its stroboscopic editing and deafening soundtrack is both exhilarating and exhausting. But unlike usual trailers, which offer highlights and a brief synopsis condensed into two minutes, rarely reflecting the film itself, the trailer for Full Throttle is exactly like the full length version. In fact any two-minute sequence cut out would have served equally well.

If the Academy awarded an Oscar for loudest film, then Full Throttle would be a lock. The music and sound effects are so earsplitting they often drown out the dialogue, but as nothing of any significance is ever said, it doesn't matter. In a film tailor made for the ADD generation, the only thing of importance to director McG is to keep things moving so fast there's no chance of getting bored. With his background in music videos and commercials, it's something he successfully achieves and with no little style.

While 'noisy' is certainly one word to describe Full Throttle another is 'fun'. From its opening scene, with the three Angels taking on a band of Mongolian outlaws, any pretence at plausibility or sense is immediately discounted. It plays by its own rules, with rule number one being 'anything goes' as it jokingly spoofs the far-fetched stunts and fight sequences performed more seriously, though not less convincingly, in other Hollywood fare.

At the centre of all this hyperactive hoopla are the three returning Angels, Natalie (Cameron Diaz), Dylan (Drew Barrymore) and Alex (Lucy Liu). Three Angels changing costume once a minute for more than an hour and half adds up to a lot of outfits, but given their skimpiness, all could have been cut from one handkerchief with enough left over for the wardrobe of ex-Angel turned baddie Madison Lee (Demi Moore).

Another ex-Angel shows up when Jacylyn Smith puts in a cameo appearance, as do John Cleese and singer Pink, and a few familiar faces from the original reappear, though Bill Murray isn't one of them. His comic role has been passed on to Bernie Mac who is more than adequate cover playing Bosley's brother.

As its title suggests, Full Throttle puts its foot to the floor and never lets up. Put your ear plugs in, fasten your seat belt and enjoy the ride which is sexy, funny and dumb, but goes at such a lick you whiz straight past guilty pleasure without even noticing.