Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
The captivating crime-fighting trio who are masters of disguise, espionage and martial arts are back! When a devious mastermind embroils them in a plot to destroy individual privacy, the Angels, aided by their loyal sidekick Bosley, set out to bring down the bad guys. But when a terrible secret is revealed, it makes the Angels targets for assassination.
Charlie's Angels (2000) is a glossy, high-energy adaptation of the classic TV series that leans hard into campy fun and MTV-style action choreography. The plot is thin and convoluted — a fairly generic spy caper with twists that don't land particularly hard. The three leads (Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu) have genuine chemistry and commit fully to the comedic tone, elevating the material. McG's direction is visually kinetic and stylized, borrowing heavily from Hong Kong action cinema in a way that felt fresh for mainstream Hollywood at the time, though it hasn't aged as gracefully. The film's self-aware, burlesque sensibility gives it some distinctiveness as a post-ironic blockbuster, but the finale is messy and unsatisfying. Overall a fun, disposable romp that knows exactly what it is.