Charlie's Angels 2: Full Throttle - Warning: not to be taken seriously

The first 'Charlie's Angels' film, starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Lui, was a success, therefore it got the inevitable sequel. However, despite much promotion from the studio, it picked up more than its fair share of harsh criticism, turning it into a bit of a `flop.'

Personally, I really enjoyed it. In fact, I actually preferred it to the original!  Making it technically - at least in my case, anyway - up there with sequel-that-are-better-than-the-original such as 'Aliens' and 'Terminator 2' (but even I wouldn't say the quality is up there with those two!).  Yes, 'Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle' is daft. Yes, it's cheesy. And, yes, some scenes look more like they belong in an advert for shampoo that was converted to be shown on a Playstation 2. But, at the end of the day, it's pretty harmless fun. Before you watch it, you just have to sit down with the biggest pinch of salt you've ever taken to get the most out of it.

This time round the ladies have to retrieve a pair of rings which, when combined, contain the names of spies.  Or something.  I've already forgotten.  It's probably not important.  I'd be lying if I claimed I watched the film for its deep and complex plot and storytelling.  The phrase `in real life' isn't needed when watching this big screen adaptation of the seventies TV show. Nothing here is applicable to real life. Three wafer thin women kick the hell out of numerous muscular men (and Demi Moore) without coming away with a scratch, despite being hurled across rooms and being bounced off solid objects like tank-top wearing crash test dummies. Yes, it's stupid. But - and more importantly - it's stupid fun. It never tries to take itself seriously, with its playful use of daft sound effects and numerous sexual innuendos. It's about as true to life as a Roger Moore James Bond film (of which I'm also a huge fan!).

Men will doubtless have the added bonus of watching three Hollywood women in a range of `flattering' and most revealing costumes. Maybe the producers of the film will try to make us believe that this is some sort of `feminist' movie with powerful women beating up men. Hmm, that's one I won't dare to even try to debate!

Ultimately, think of 'Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle' as a life-action cartoon, as it's more cartoonish than real - especially when you take into consideration the colourful shots/pallet used here.  Everything is 'primary coloured' and looks like its been coloured in. If you think you can enjoy a film like this then you'll probably enjoy it. If you're all for realistic, gritty, dark action, then you're probably better off with something like 'The Bourne Identity,' Christopher Nolan's 'Batman' trilogy, or Daniel Craig's 'Bond' reboot.  Or, seeing as the film is about to be rebooted in a more 'gritty' and realistic take (based on from what I've seen in the trailer) then maybe that would be more for you?

Note: added kudos for the film-makers for getting Bruce Willis assassinated by his ex wife - made me chuckle anyway!

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that