Charlie's Angels & Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle

I can't think about/watch either Charlie's Angels film for too long without contemplating a lobotomy...so in order to cut down on the pain I decided to review them simultaneously, and grade them together.

Charlies Angels (2000)

"You're a woman, you've got female intuition, *and* you're a detective... and you didn't know this was going to happen?"

This is the story of 3 young women with very different lives, which ultimately aren't important, who all eventually became part of an elite crime fighting unit called the Angels for a man named Charlie. The Angels are ditzy nerd Natalie (Diaz), biker babe Dylan (Barrymore), and intelligent/well to do Alex (Liu), or as Roger Ebert explains: the movie is about looking at Barrymore's chest, Diaz's butt, and Liu's hair. They fight crime, aided (or in some cases hindered) by Bosley (Murray).

The plot doesn't matter. But basically a businessman (Rockwell) is kidnapped by his rival (Tim Curry) and it is up to the Angels to make everything better. These women look great (even when fighting, and manage to escape with only minor cuts and scratches). The possibilities are endless...and they made a sequel to this?

Charlie's Angels (2000) 98 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for action violence, innuendo and some sensuality/nudity
Director: McG
Starring: Cameron Diaz as Natalie Cook
Drew Barrymore as Dylan Sanders
Lucy Liu as Alex Munday
Bill Murray as John Bosley
Sam Rockwell as Eric Knox

Charlies Angels: Full Throttle (2003)

"Angels are like diamonds. They can't be made, you have to find them. Each one is unique."

The Angels return with new problems to solve. Two rings were stolen from the Witness Protection Program. These rings have information about the witnesses or something like that. The Angels must get these rings back before they end up in the wrong hands, but Dylan's past comes back to haunt her, in the form of an ex she put in jail, Seamus (Theroux). Also, an old Angel reenters the picture, Madison (Moore)...and there is a new Bosley (Mac). There is actually a whole clan of Bosley's. There are quite a few jokes about sequels, but it is basically the same movie again with more big stars and the characters have rounded out a tad: they have personal struggles (shocking, I know).

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003) 106 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for action violence, sensuality and language/innuendo
Director: McG
Starring: Cameron Diaz as Natalie
Drew Barrymore as Dylan
Lucy Liu as Alex
Bernie Mac as Jimmy Bosley
Crispin Glover as the Thin Man
Justin Theroux as Seamus O'Grady
Demi Moore as Madison

Overall these are big action flicks...like Tomb Raider and the James Bond films....it is all about action and attractive women (usually showing some skin). Don't worry about the plot, it is just an excuse for the characters to throw some punches and pretend to be in the next Matrix film. The only good parts are the Bosley characters: Murray in the first and Mac in the second. The Angels are attractive, successful women, but they have all done better. This is not a high point in their careers (or it shouldn't be).

Do your homework while watching: mindless entertainment...lack of plot. If you don't want to think about a movie, watch this...there is no thinking involved.
--: I'm not impressed...but this isn't my kind of movie. I remember enjoying the show, but it's been years since I've seen an episode, so perhaps this is the best they could do with the original material. Regardless, neither of these films needed to be made, and I don't think they were particularly good films.