charangels2

In recent years, cinema has seen a shift in priorities. Where once it was all about story, today it is
all about style. "Full Throttle" is the epitome of this new philosophy.

Director McG, known for his energetic, frantic filmmaking, pushed the envelope of visual excess
and wild action with the first installment of the "Angels" series. "Full Throttle" stamps the envelope
and mails it.

From the opening frames, McG assaults the audience with color, flash and editing so rapid it
makes MTV's programming look slow by comparison. At first, I was wondering if I would be able to
keep up with this film. Then the action started, and I quickly found myself waiting impatiently for the
end.

While the action scenes are some of the most kinetic and engaging ever filmed, there is no
coherent story to support them. Many of the action sequences were so unbelievable it was
laughable.

This rendered the angels to nothing more than pretty cartoon characters. The lack of plot killed
the tension, which created apathy, making the characters impossible to worry about. I didn't care if
the angels lived or died in this sequel.

The film jumps from one location to the next, barely giving the eyes time to adjust. Characters and
dialogue pass by so rapidly, what little plot might be there is lost in the chaos. There are holes in
this story big enough to drive a Mack truck through.

The original film found the perfect mix of wild action, wit and comedy. "Full Throttle" never finds this
mark, though it searches desperately for over two hours.

The performances are enjoyable enough, though Drew Barrymore and Demi Moore overact so
shamelessly they are often hard to watch without cringing.

Bernie Mac's character, Bosley, is denied adequate screen time to stretch those comedic wings,
and his performance falls short of Bill Murray's from the original film. Crispin Glover returns as the
"creepy thin man" and a golden opportunity to develop his character is squandered.

The redeeming quality of the film is in the cameos. The film is a silver screen version of "Where's
Waldo?" with an almost countless number of stars popping up in the movie; some in disguise.

Ultimately, the "Charlie's Angels" franchise is its own animal. If you like all style and no substance,
this is the film for you. If you're looking for a film with a plot and some realistic action, look
elsewhere.