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The Avengers

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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: I wonder how...
Review: from a succesfull TV-Series and with actors like Connery, Thurman and Fiennes, they come out with this??? The Script is bad, but the editing even worse. There's nothing going for this movie, even the acting looked bad, the Director didn't have a clue of what he was doing. Don't watch this movie even if you have time to waste, is just not worth it.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Horrible, Awful, Indefensible
Review: You know a film is in trouble when its story is essentially the same plot as The Simpsons' "Who Shot Mr. Burns?" episodes.

Now why is this film bad? Where do I start? The cast. Sean Connery actually isn't bad in this film, but that's the beauty of Connery-- no matter how bad the film he's in ("First Knight," anyone?) he's good. But Ralph Fiennes and Uma Thurman? They suck the life right out of this film like a black widow sucking the life out of her mate. You couldn't have miscast this movie more had you put two slugs in the roles of Steed and Peel. For one, these two stars have zero the chemistry that MacNee and Rigg had. Zilch. So little chemistry, in fact, that the dialogue that pretends to be witty banter and great rapport comes off as pretentious and forced. Worse yet, Thurman lacks the demureness of the original Peel, and Fiennes the charm of Steed. (Fiennes is so charmless and uncharismatic, you wonder if he's died halfway through the film.) Understand that I gripe not just fom the perspective of a person who enjoyed the original series, but as a movie goer in general. Fiennes and Thurman fail not just because they don't really act like the TV originals, but because in the end, they never pull off the sophistication, charm, and wit demanded of the characters.

The dialogue is silly, dumb, and has you gagging. Oh, how did I know that when De Wynter finally announced his plans to take over the world, he was going to say, "And now is the winter of your discontent?" (classic line from Richard III) Well, gee-- I dunno-- I saw it coming a mile away, as with the rest of the dialogue in this film. But that wasn't hard. I mean, what else can you expect from a script that has Emma Peel say, "Just in time to save me from myself," to Steed when he comes to her rescue after she fights off her clone? And especially after when Steed responds with, "I thought I was seeing double"? That's not wit-- that's just cheesy!

Even worse than these aspects of the film was the pure camp. The surreality worked in the original series; it doesn't work here. You laugh, not because you're charmed by the campiness and oddness, but because it's so corny. That multi-colored teddy bears scene has got to be the funniest thing I have ever seen in my entire life. In the hands of, say, Terry Gilliam, it would have been cool. Not in this film. It's just milk-come-out-of-your-nose-funny, especially when Connery takes off his teddy bear head. If you never thought you'd see the day when Connery was in a scene wearing a neon-colored teddy bear outfit, you're in for a surprise.

The editing and pacing? Like everyone else said: abysmal. It plays out like a television show, not a movie. Nothing is explained, and none of the characters are probed into. Classic case in point: there's a scene when Peel tries to shut down DeWynter's weather making machine. But in no previous scene is it ever explained how she knew where to find this machine, even though in the movie, she and Steed have only been to DeWynter's estate once or twice.

In short: this film may be interesting to watch-- heck, even watchable. But it stinks on ice. Rent it if you must out of curiousity. But just remember-- life is short. If you value your life, you might want to spend two hours of your life doing something more worthwhile.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A fancy campy adventure film.
Review: The World`s Best Agents:John Steel (Ralph Fiennes) and Emma Peel (Uma Thruman) are trying to stop a dangerous man (Oscar-Winner:Sean Connery), who wants to play God by taking control of the World`s Weather.

Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik (National Lampoon`s Christmas Vacation) has made a campy action adventure film, full of non-stop thrills and comedy. This film features a Embarresment Role from Star:Sean Connery. It was a Huge Box Office Flop but Still, the movie is best enjoy, if you don`t take it seriously. Great Production Design by Staurt Craig. Grade:B+.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: "...a total mess of lousy filmaking and sloppy editing."
Review: I advise you, don't bother reviewing this until you've seen the actual series, as I rather liked it before. Compared to the series, this is a total mess of lousy filmaking and sloppy editing. Uma Thurman can't hold a candle to the beautiful Diana Rigg, the REAL Mrs. Peel, and Ralph Fiennes, the fine actor that he is, is no John Steed. Awful miscasting, and just an awful movie period. Patrick Macnee, the REAL John Steed, in thankless cameo, as Invisible Jones (yes... i said invisible).

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: An abomination, a sacrilege, burn this DVD, don't watch it!!
Review: This is a botched abortion which shares nothing more than the title with the superb original 1960's series. The lack of care and scorn for the original material and the audience is shocking. The writer, director and producer of this calamity, if they have any honor, should repudiate this disgrace. Trust me, DON'T WATCH IT!!!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Sean Connery/Ralph Fiennes Hang Your Heads In Shame
Review: First of all I'd like to put this review into perspective, I wanted so much to like this movie. I think Ralph Fiennes is a fine actor and whats more I'm Scottish and as is the custom if you're Scottish, I'm one of Sir Sean Connery's greatest fans. He was the best Bond (although Pierce Brosnan's doing a fine job) and great in movies such as The Hill, The Untouchables (even if the accent was a bit ropey), The Hunt For Red October, The Rock, Outland etc. He is a fine ambassador for his nation and the world's greatest living Scotsman by popular acclaim BUT what were you thinking Sir Sean when you made this pile of poo? Didn't you read the script? Or were you too busy banking the cheque?

This movie stinks. Not because a remake of the sixties TV series was a bad idea because it wasn't. Not because the movie didn't have potential because it did. Not because the series had a cult following and the movie had a ready made audience to tap into. No it stinks because it boasts one of the worst scripts ever, with plot-holes you could drive a car through, poor editing, poor special effects, a really (...) supporting performance from Eddie Izzard and perhaps the worst choreographed and directed action scenes you could ever see. Take a bow Mr Jeremiah Chechick (also director of the fine Benny and Joon and the awful National Lampoons Christmas Vacation). The movie also boasts a fine English accent from Uma Thurman but a truly awful acting display not just from her but an incredibly wooden and uncharismatic performance from Ralph Fiennes.

This movie was so bad that Warner Bros. wouldn't even let the critics see it prior to it's theatrical release but word of mouth soon spread about how bad it was and it sunk like a stone anyway. According to Total Film Magazine the movie was originally two and a half hours long and was hacked down to a mere 89 minutes for its theatrical release after a disastrous test screening, thus making Don MacPherson's screenplay (supposedly based on Shakespeares The Tempest) make even less sense. Voted the second worst blockbuster ever made by readers of the UK's Total Film magazine, this movie didn't help anybody's career but particularly harmed Uma Thurman whose previous outing had been the sequally awful Batman and Robin.

The saddest thing is it could have been good and I really did want to like this.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Better than some people would like it to be
Review: There seems to be a lot of argument over how good is this film. Some people love it, some loath it. Actually, it's somewhere in the middle. I liked it, and found it entertaining. There are some movies I lose interest in halfway through. I didn't lose interest here. There are some films that are so sappy or preachy I turn them off. This isn't one of them. It's a decent film, if you don't take it too seriously. The film may be a bit disjointed, and not entirely believable at times, but it isn't boring. Most films are not entirely believable, as far as that goes. So, as long as you're not expecting too much, and are willing to suspend your disbelief (which most films require - come on, Castaway?) This can be an enjoyable film.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Fine if you don't take it too seriously
Review: This isn't a patch on the original TV series (especially that featuring John Steed teamed with the inimitable Emma Peel), but it does capture enough of the 1960's British campiness of the original Avengers to be entertaining. Some aspects do annoy - such as Uma Thurman's (much though I like her other work, e.g. in Gattaca) attempt to portray some finer shades of the original Emma Peel's characterisations. But as a stand-in, she's a tad more convincing than is Ralph Fiennes for Steed. Overall, treat this in the tongue in cheek spirit in which it was probably meant to be taken, and enjoy...

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The worst major film of all time?
Review: "The Avengers" may be the most dreadful film ever released by a major studio. A laughable plotline, an infantile screenpaly, an embarrassing script...this movie has it all. If you did not see it in the theaters, by all means rent it (DON'T buy it, for heaven's sake). Everyone who enjoys movies needs to see this incredible barker. It makes the second half of "Barton Fink" seem like best picture material.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The Avoiders
Review: I tried not to set my hopes too high but this was ABSOLUTELY awful, and embarrassing to boot. Thurman is a fine Peel and Fienes is quite OK (although there's not much found in the way of the strange ambivalence (like? love? mere professionalism?) in the relation between Steed and Mrs. Peel from the series), but Connery does this one straight from the teleprompter. No credibility, no presence, no strength. Arguably his worst performance to date.

The retro-look is too glib, and a sense of humour sorely lacking. The film tries VERY hard to be surrealistic (with the Baddies dressing up as teddybears and not-quite-but-almost Bond-like gadgets) but everything the desperate producers throw at us is hollow (You can almost hear them pleading with the audience: "Now THIS is really funny and weird? Isn't it? Isn't it?").

A pathetic excuse for a film, even when not compared to the original Avengers. Give this one a miss. It's REALLY not worth your time.

Best Avengeresque part: Peel trying to escape DeWinter's castle, running through the same hallway over and over again... Oh, and yes, that IS Patrick Macnee's voice as Invisible Jones!


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