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The Avengers (1998)
Rating: 4 1/2
Dir: Jeremiah Chechik
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Main Players: Ralph Fiennes, Uma Thurman, Sean Connery.
Story: The weather in the UK is going crazy, so its time for ... not Bond ... but Steed and Mrs. Peel.
Comment: Adaptation of TV series to the movies have always been problematic. There will be new faces replacing the old, new stories since times have changed; and the fact that if you liked the original TV series, that would automatically prejudice you instantly against the pretender - especially if it was a cult TV series.
The Avengers made a mark for itself in the 60s because it was 'avant-gardish'. People loved it for a variety of reasons: the banter, the sexy Mrs. Peel; the far out stories. Those people, now in their forties, will watch this movie maybe for a trip down memory lane. Will they be pleasantly surprised?
Yes and no. For one, Uma is by far so much more sexier than Diana Rigg - much much more sexier. But then, Fiennes looks absolutely emaciated as Steed. A bit more weight might do justice to Patrick MacNee's original Steed.
The story is a classic Avengers tale. A nut-case, super-rich, planning world conquest by the weather. The teddy bears scene, the snow during summer, the twister at London bridge ... all these are classic elements to an Avengers story. The mechanical bees scene was a nice touch - to show us that this director knows how to play with CGI.
So does all this work? Yeah. If you're an Avengers fan, you'll like the concept, which is true to the TV series. If you're watching it for the first time, then you'll not really like it. I never liked the TV series, but then I can tell you that this movie IS true to the series; unlike Mission: Impossible.
As a movie, it is terrible - it's not a movie that you can feel good with, eventhough you like the good guys. The Avengers is, essentially, an "acquired taste". I never did enjoy the series, so I cannot recommend the movie with a clear conscience - knowing that you might be terribly disappointed with its style.
But I have resisted placing it in the Bad category because it is just so much fun to look at Uma - really, she gives you a testosterone "high". The sets and the costumes are simply awesome! So much attention to detail, to beauty ... makes you wish you'd at least LIKE the movie ... but I wasn't impressed THAT much.
Because the movie does do justice to the original series swayed the ratings to include that extra 1/2 points.
Conclusion: If you're a fan, watch it. If this is your first time, don't expect too much.