TV OR NOT TV Let's face it...this movie is terrible, whether or not you compare it to the brilliant sixties series. I went in with an open mind, knowing that Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg will always be John Steed and Emma Peel. I thought the addition of Sean Connery as the villain would be a delight. WRONG. The tv shows' wonderful theme by Laurie Johnson is used quietly in a couple of scenes, but the main theme is another one of those preprogrammed pieces of musical nothingness. Uma Thurman acted like she was on Prozac and Ralph Fiennes looked like he was a little boy playing like he was John Steed. And Sean, what a lousy performance..you know you could have done better. I did like the mechanical bees sequence; the only true original touch in the movie. The teddy bears was preposterous and almost worked, but since the whole movie was such a drag, I'm not sure anything could save it. Macnee was smart in his invisible cameo role. Too bad Uma didn't back out and get replaced by a more lively Mrs. Peel.
Classic Camp in a '90s Film I just got this on sale...to all the reviews that pan this revisit; quit being Avengers snobs! You won't ever see a duo as well suited to each other as Patrick MacNee and Diana Rigg but give the current duo their propers! This a 1998 feature film version of a '60s British TV series, not a retrospective! It has the same over-the-top technology spin that the original producers would have incorporated in a heart beat, updated for the late '90s. If you paid attention to the original series it had the same eccentric characters and the same outlandish plots. That's what made the series and this film fun to watch. P.S., I could have gone for Elizabeth Hurley as Mrs. Peel.Fun and action filled This is a very watchable action flick, with Uma Thurman doing what she does best - wearing something tight and kicking the bad guys around. Sean Connery goes over the top as the mad Scottish scientist holding the world ransom. Mostly, though, it's comedy of manners. Steed and Dr. Peel (that's Thurman, but her friends can call her Mrs. Peel) maintain a relaxed tea-time manner no matter what the chaos around them or between them.
I can't compare this to the original series, which aired more than 35 year ago. I suspect that fans will find this wanting. So be it. If you can take this for itself, you'll find a decent piece of humorous action entertainment.
