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When the word gets out before the release of a movie or TV show that it's a real bomb, a snowball effect begins. Critics tend to jump on the (negative) bandwagon, the public gets an image stamped on its consciousness and the "bomb" label is like a self-fulfilling prophecy. This happened with the movie version of 'The Avengers.' It turns out the label is deserved, but maybe for different reasons than one might think.<br /><br />'The Avengers' doesn't suffer from a stupid script or embarrassing bad acting. Whoever put this movie together bent over backward to make sure that every shot in the film and every line of dialog spoken was something that could have come from the British TV series of the '60's on which it is based. And much of it could get a seal of approval as far as authenticity goes. Except one gets the distinct feeling that love isn't behind this movie, but rather money. Things may look and sound like the old TV show, but this coldly calculated production totally fails to capture its spirit.<br /><br />Even though John Steed and Emma Peel are supposed to be meeting for the first time as this picture begins, it is assumed that we viewers know the characters and everything about them already, so the action begins without any delay. Consequently, fifteen minutes into the movie, one feels like they've missed the first hour of the film. Also, one never gets involved in the convoluted plot and never develops any affinity for the characters. Plus, the film is given an obligatory 'Thunderball'-style ending done 1998 style. The old TV show never relied much on things blowing up and this addition here is no improvement.<br /><br />In this context it's absolutely impossible for new actors to succeed in the roles of Steed and Mrs. Peel. Whether Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman are doing a good job or not is not easy to tell and irrelevant anyway in this by-the-numbers production. They and Sean Connery (as villain Sir August de Wynter) are merely cyphers in this movie, and when could you ever have said that before about Connery, even if he does wear a bear suit? The one positive thing I can say is that Uma Thurman looks absolutely gorgeous as Mrs. Peel. |