Meet the New Angels: "Charlie's Angels" a fun-enough rebranding with the Kristen Stewart we've always wanted


Charlie’s Angels (2019)
118 min.
Screened on November 12, 2019 at UA Riverview Plaza in Philadelphia, PA
Release Date: November, 15, 2019 (Wide)

Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, and Lucy Liu had their fun in the aughts with 2000’s McG-directed “Charlie’s Angels” and 2003’s “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,” bubblegum action-comedies that gave the titular 1976-1981 TV series a cheeky, giddily entertaining cinematic treatment. Now in 2019—because every property needs a reboot—writer/director/producer/co-star Elizabeth Banks (who comes equipped with a bigger budget after directing 2015’s “Pitch Perfect 2”) brings more of a distinctly feminist vision and no objectifying male gaze with the new “Charlie’s Angels." It’s not quite as rambunctious and over-the-top as McG’s movies, but Banks knows when to revel in the silly escapism and when to let her angels feel empowered, albeit not always in a faux-girl-power way.

After the Townsend Agency has expanded globally, the original Bosley (Patrick Stewart) is about to retire and has the new Bosley (Elizabeth Banks)—one of many—put together a team of Angels. Disguise expert Sabina (Kristen Stewart) and former MI6 agent Jane (Ella Balinska) are already established Angels, and then in comes whistleblowing scientist Elena (Naomi Scott), who wants to expose tech entrepreneur Alexander Brock (Sam Claflin) and her superior (Nat Faxon) for trying to weaponize energy conservation device Calisto. Sabina, Jane, and soon-to-be-an-Angel Elena must trot the globe to track down the mysterious buyer of Calisto and steer clear of the real enemy at hand. 

Even if it takes a while for the film to shake off a certain flatness and find a badass, girly-girl groove, “Charlie’s Angels” is definitely made for 2019 with a feminist bent leaning over the proceedings. Writer-director Elizabeth Banks puts a heavy hand on the “women can do anything” throughline, particularly in the opening sequence where a tarted-up Sabina seduces a sexist businessman, but eventually, the film makes that notion pretty clear through showing rather than telling. In a rare opportunity to cut loose, Kristen Stewart (2017's "Personal Shopper") is a blast to watch here as Sabina, a former spoiled Park Avenue heiress, game for anything that comes her way and slaying one-liners and asides with spontaneity and swagger. It’s an especially irresistible moment when Sabina and Jane strut into a party, clothed appropriately in shimmery dresses, and jump into a choreographed dance to Donna Summer’s “Bad Girls.” Beyond her stunning, statuesque beauty, relative newcomer Ella Balinska (TV’s “The Athena”) has a commanding screen presence as the no-nonsense Jane, and Naomi Scott (2019’s “Aladdin”) gets to be brainy, resourceful, and even sometimes believably clumsy as Elena. 

In a film centered on women being able to do anything and take care of themselves, the male characters clearly take a backseat to the angels. Patrick Stewart is well-cast and brings a touch of class as the recently retired Bosley; Jonathan Tucker is an intimidating presence as tatted assassin Hodak without speaking a word, a choice most likely a homage to Crispin Glover’s creepy Thin Man in the previous movies; and Noah Centineo (2018’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”), resembling a younger Mark Ruffalo, is a real charmer, even when the role of programmer Langston doesn’t give him much to do.

“Charlie’s Angels” isn’t always successful in landing the jokes and shooting the action, but as the film moves along, there is enough zip, charisma, and playfulness to entertain. Unless it’s a one-liner slung by Kristen Stewart or a funny reference to “The Birdman of Alcatraz” that spirals into a riff on “Birdman” and then “Batman,” the banter occasionally falls flat. The action sequences can be exciting when the choreography isn’t getting lost in the excessive cuts and tight framing; letting the punches and kicks play out would have been preferred. The ins and outs of the plot don’t quite matter here, but there are a few double-crossing surprises along the way. There are also a fair amount of nods to the original incarnations of the Angels, making one wonder if this is more of a sequel that exists in the same universe, and a slew of cameos as the end credits roll. Despite coming off a bit generic in form at first, “Charlie’s Angels” is fun enough, if only just, and gets most of its personality from the Kristen Stewart we've always wanted.

Grade: B -

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