Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Charlie's Angels Blu-ray Movie Review

Is Sony's release Heavenly?

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 27, 2010

Once upon a time there were three very different little girls.

There aren't too many movies that are as over-the-top ridiculous as Charlie's Angels. Fortunately, the entire movie's one gigantic wink-and-a-nod, and while there's nonsensical tripe packed into almost every frame, the picture's lighthearted "hey don't take me seriously" attitude helps alleviate some of the more ludicrous moments that will have even the staunchest of viewers watching with jaws agape and contemplating things in life that may or may not be worse than some of the stuff that happens in the movie, like a dish full of peas, a trip to the dentist, or parachuting into a nuclear explosion. Starring three of Hollywood's hottest commodities and directed by an up-and-comer who would go on to helm one of 2009's best action movies, Terminator Salvation, Charlie's Angels oozes talent no doubt, but can the film's good cast and solid production values overcome 90-some minutes of overzealous goofiness that threaten to completely overwhelm whatever positives may exist in this, a modern take on a classic television show?

Three's company.

They're the world's most fearsome (female) fighting team -- they're Charlie's Angels -- and they've just thwarted a plot to blow up an airliner. For Natalie (Cameron Diaz, The Holiday), Alex (Lucy Liu, Kill Bill), and Dylan (Drew Barrymore, 50 First Dates), though, the celebration is short-lived. They're called to action once again by their mysterious millionaire employer, Charlie (voiced by John Forsythe), and his in-the-flesh right-hand-man, Bosley (Bill Murray, Ghostbusters). Their next mission: locate the kidnapped Eric Knox (Sam Rockwell, Moon), a well-to-do technological innovator who has designed advanced voice-recognition software that, in the wrong hands, could spell trouble. The suspect: billionaire Roger Corwin (Tim Curry, Alice), owner of a communications empire called Redstar and a man who would stand to profit from the theft of Knox's technology. The Angels are about to find themselves in the fight of their lives as they attempt to unravel a deadly mystery while also trying to keep what semblance of personal lives they enjoy intact.

Charlie's Angels gets off on the right foot by, in a roundabout way, poking fun at itself with a brief scene that sees two characters lamenting another classic television show-turned-modern-motion picture. The culprit: "T.J. Hooker" in name, "Charlie's Angels" in spirit. That little self-deprecating jab is about the only way the movie could open, at least if it wanted to establish that, yes, the entire thing is an exercise with but the sole objective of getting several attractive girls in tight outfits onto the screen along with some Matrix-lite action scenes for some value-added entertainment. Indeed, Charlie's Angels cares nothing about its plot; make no mistake, it's interesting enough but highly predictable, and it's only a gateway to the film's bread-and-butter elements, namely Diaz, Liu, and Barrymore looking good, licking steering wheels, popping up in lingerie that's straight out of Oktoberfest, giving sultry massages, walking around with their shirts most of the way unbuttoned, prancing around in their underwear, and cracking just about any and every sex joke in the book. It's old hat, but it's still attractive and, yes, fun when it works. Plus, when the old ball-and-chain starts griping about all the T&A on the screen, well, "hey! It's just an action movie, it's rated PG-13, and it has Bill Murray! How bad can it be?"

Though it's packed with plenty of innuendo and tight-fitting clothes, Charlie's Angels doesn't quite sizzle in the way that it should through its fast-moving but nevertheless thematically-challenged opening act. The picture just relies too much on visuals and not enough on story to keep interest up for the entire runtime, but just when it seems that the routine has run its course, Charlie's Angels dives headfirst into a slightly-more-serious final act that's all about action and mayhem, but not without its own little quirks and offbeat humor that keep the spirit of the first part of the movie alive but at the same time energizing it with some added adrenaline. McG's action sequences show the promise he'd ultimately demonstrate in the serious-in-tone Terminator picture. The action has a Michael Bay-meets-the Wachowski Brothers feel to it; it's fast, relentless, and involved, and it's a good compliment to a movie that more often than not feels like a cartoon, and not a vintage television program, come to life. Unlike the grim and bleak Terminator, though, McG's Charlie's Angels is an excessively bright picture with extraordinarily vibrant colors that are almost blinding in several scenes, again supporting the notion that it's more akin to a living cartoon and, by extension, a movie that's more fantasy than reality and something that's best enjoyed on a lazy Saturday evening and not picked apart in film class.

Charlie's Angels Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Charlie's Angels' Blu-ray presentation features a color palette that seems to surreptitiously switch monitors to "torch" mode, but worry not; bright as it may be, Sony's 1080p, 2.40:1-framed high definition presentation seems pretty much in-line with Director McG's intended visual scheme. Indeed, the picture is awash in rich, bold, and excessively vibrant colors; reds in particular are almost blinding, but the playful color scheme plays right into the picture's style and mood. The transfer is also steady and free of extensive artifacting, print debris, or unwarranted digital manipulation. A few soft shots seem inherent to the source and not a mistake on the transfer-to-Blu-ray process. Fine detail ranges from flat to extraordinary; faces don't always showcase the finest nuances, but there are plenty of scenes that come alive with a breathtaking array of eye-catching details and texturing, notably as the Angels infiltrate a rocky compound in the film's final act. Black levels are good, and flesh tones are, too, if they're observed through the prism of the picture's intended color scheme. Grain is retained over the image, and while a few elements display something of a slight digital sheen, Charlie's Angels offers up what is, more often than not, a transfer that's nicely filmic and generally reflective of McG's intended visual appearance, as harsh as it sometimes may be.

Charlie's Angels Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Charlie's Angels features a full-throttle (lame joke alert!) DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. In fact, "full throttle" might be an understatement. This's one incredibly loud at reference volume. Turn it down a few notches; it's not worth going deaf. Once it's been properly adjusted, the track yields a positively aggressive and virtually nonstop barrage of action movie goodness. Surround speakers are used extensively to create not only rip-roaring action scenes but also subtle and, oftentimes, not-so-subtle atmospherics that sometimes threaten to overtake the primary sound elements, but usually the track finds a nice balance that proves its potency but also delivers a healthy but not overbearing support structure. Bass pours into the soundstage in abundance; it's not quite as precise as that found on the best tracks, but it's throbbing and potent every time it makes an appearance. The low end's aggressive posture is certainly befitting the picture's mood. Gunshots ring out with a good bit of authority, and listeners will duck for cover as bullets whiz through the listening area and impact onto surfaces across the back channels. Dialogue is strong and center-focused, too. Charlie's Angels requires some fiddling with the remote, but once that happy medium is found, the track delivers a powerful and entertaining sound mix.

Charlie's Angels Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Sony's Blu-ray release of Charlie's Angels yields several supplements, chief among them a commentary track with Director McG and Cinematographer Russell Carpenter. No surprise, this track hits plenty of technical talking points that revolve around stunt work, cinematic trickery, the picture's visual schemes, lighting, and its many sets and shooting locales. They also discuss the professionalism of the actors, cutting back to reduce the size and scope of the film, costumes, special effects, and much more. Listeners more interested in commentaries that focus on the technical end of the filmmaking process will want to check this one out. Getting G'd Up (480i, 6:32) is a pat-on-the-back piece that features cast and crew laying the praise on the Charlie's Angels director. The Master and the Angels (480i, 7:25) takes a look at the contributions of Cheung-Yan Yuen, the film's martial arts choreographer, and the training regimen followed by the lead actresses.

Next up is Welcome to Angel World (480i, 4:48), a piece that looks at the picture's tone that reinforces its playful and none-too-serious feel. Angelic Attire: Dressing Cameron, Drew, and Lucy (480i, 3:25), no surprise, focuses at the clothing worn by the actresses in the film. Angelic Effects (480i, 6:45) looks at how several of the picture's major effects shots were achieved, while Wired Angels (480i, 2:35) examines the extensive wirework utilized in one of the film's action scenes. Also included is a collection of three deleted scenes (1080p, 4:42); outtakes and bloopers (480i, 2:39); the music videos "Independent Women Part 1" by Destiny's Child (480i, 4:06) and "Charlie's Angels 2000" by Apollo Four Forty (480i, 4:13); BD-Live Functionality; MovieIQ connectivity; and 1080p trailers for Stomp the Yard: Homecoming, The Back-Up Plan, Beastly, The Runaways, and "Damages"

Charlie's Angels Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Smart cinema this is not; Charlie's Angels won't ever be popping up as a part of the Criterion Collection (wait, Armageddon did, so anything's possible), so those in search of intellectually-stimulating cinema should pass this one by and forget it even exists. For those looking for a movie that could very well serve as the definition of "escapist entertainment," look no further. Charlie's Angels is hot -- the girls look great, the film looks like it's on fire, and the action scenes are well-done -- and it works as mindless cinema precisely because it has no allusions of being anything more or anything less. Sure, it's got plenty of wobbly plot elements, a story that's as transparent as they come, and more than a few scenes that are downright dumb, but McG's 2000 Action flick works well enough as a good popcorn movie for a lazy day and as eye candy for fans of its lead actresses. Charlie's Angels arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Sony with a 1080p transfer that's harsh but seemingly in-line with the filmmakers' intent. It also sports a terribly loud but enjoyably aggressive lossless soundtrack and a handful of extras. Fans will want to pick this one up, and for the curiously-inclined, Charlie's Angels would make for a solid rental.