Colorful characters and decent humor are not enough to salvage “Charlie’s Angels” which suffers from poor action and a dull narrative. 

Based on the 70s television show and the two films from the early 2000s, “Charlie’s Angels” stars a new generation of Angels, played by Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska.

When a technology company’s energy device, dubbed “Callisto,” has the potential to kill people by creating seizures, the Angels embark on a dangerous mission to destroy the devices and defeat anyone who wishes to use them for evil.

The film’s biggest asset is its cast which is fun to watch. Stewart, Scott and Balinska all have great chemistry as teammates and they each have unique personalities. Scott acts as the newcomer who is amazed by the world of spies, Balinska is the stick-in-the-mud, no-nonsense spy and Stewart is the wild card with no filter. 

The trio also deliver some excellent humor with a screenplay from Elizabeth Banks, who stars in the film as a high-ranking spy named Bosley and directed the film as well. While not the funniest film in the world, “Charlie’s Angels” contains several humorous sequences that are entertaining enough for viewers.

However, the action sequences are filmed horribly with too many close up shots and not enough wide shots. This makes it very hard for a viewer to interpret what is going on.

The action is also very standard with no sequence standing out. While other recent action films like “Mission Impossible: Fallout” and “Baby Driver” have distinct styles and leave the viewer amazed at the setups and stunt coordination, “Charlie’s Angels” is just dull.

The plot is also incredibly weak. This film ought to have been more over the top or have some kind of unique identity, but instead tries to balance insanity with logic. By trying to appeal to fans of extreme stories and fans of gritty action, “Charlie’s Angels” appeals to no one. 

The film also tries to hammer in a feminist narrative to the point that viewing the film feels like a boring lecture. “Show, don’t tell” is the most basic rule of cinema and instead of just showing these women taking out bad guys, the actors state how they are capable of this.

What makes female-led action films like “Star Wars,” “Aliens” and “Wonder Woman” special is that they simply show powerful women fighting for themselves and others which makes characters like Princess Leia and Ellen Ripley true feminist icons. 

“Charlie’s Angels” is a forgettable mess that contains some entertainment value, but viewers who see this film will quickly forget about it. Being boring is one of the biggest sins a film can commit and “Charlie’s Angels” is definitely boring.