It has to go down as a Could have been film.
I'm a fan of the Diana Rigg era of the TV version this try's to be and fails.
Why?
Start with the Producers culling it down to an 80m (Excluding Titles) film, the film left is unevenly paced and minus back-story elements that would have helped.
It's still stylish and has moments of pure Avengers-ness but...here we must mention the leads...
The Dialogue between them want's to ape the wit of the best Steed/Peel shows but ends up stilted and filled with lines that Benny Hill would have shook his head at. The Trust between them changes from scene to scene and they have no Chemistry.
Ralph Fiennes plays Steed stiff upper-lipped and that's all...
Uma Thurman looks like a wax doll (She still manages to be sexy despite this) and is robotic at times.
Sean Connery is Sean Connery but given little to do and again his Back- story (The portrait of Emma...) isn't given.
Eddie Izzard could be played by anyone and his last words (Oh F**K) is so badly dubbed as to be an insult.
It does entertain despite this and maybe in a 'Directors cut' could be reevaluated, but I can't see Warners ever doing it.
An Opportunity Missed.
I'm a fan of the Diana Rigg era of the TV version this try's to be and fails.
Why?
Start with the Producers culling it down to an 80m (Excluding Titles) film, the film left is unevenly paced and minus back-story elements that would have helped.
It's still stylish and has moments of pure Avengers-ness but...here we must mention the leads...
The Dialogue between them want's to ape the wit of the best Steed/Peel shows but ends up stilted and filled with lines that Benny Hill would have shook his head at. The Trust between them changes from scene to scene and they have no Chemistry.
Ralph Fiennes plays Steed stiff upper-lipped and that's all...
Uma Thurman looks like a wax doll (She still manages to be sexy despite this) and is robotic at times.
Sean Connery is Sean Connery but given little to do and again his Back- story (The portrait of Emma...) isn't given.
Eddie Izzard could be played by anyone and his last words (Oh F**K) is so badly dubbed as to be an insult.
It does entertain despite this and maybe in a 'Directors cut' could be reevaluated, but I can't see Warners ever doing it.
An Opportunity Missed.