The Avengers

THE AVENGERS

REVIEWED BY CHARITY BISHOP

Our rating: 3 out of 5

Because of: profanity, mild sensuality

Rated:

Sometimes exceptionally witty, at others a bit ironic in its own right, The Avengers is the kind of stylized action caper that gives a good laugh now and again but more often intrudes puzzles audiences. The beginning scene flippantly tells us what we’re in for—a stylized caper befit with wry British humor (read as dry humor) and a few unexpected surprises. It may not make much sense, but it’s fun anyway.

John Steed (Ralph Fiennes) is a gentleman. He’s also a member of British security involved in an elite crime fighting group known as “The Ministry.” This fashionable gathering of agents who all go by code names are very appropriate—they have tea every day at five. The humor is dry, the tension less than evident, and they’re a little concerned about a recent explosion that severely impaired their experimentation with controlling weather patterns. Their chief suspect in this recent implosion is Dr. Emma Peel (Uma Thurman), a scientist, swordsman, and very nicely put together woman of many talents. Steed is assigned to her as something of a guard dog, and together they attempt to find out who is responsible for the destruction of her research. Their search leads them to Sir August de Wynter (Sean Connery), a fellow agent and weather extraordinaire. His sprawling manor in the English countryside is home to many unusual changes in weather... sun one moment, rain the next, off and on a blizzard or two... it’s all really rather unusual, and at times inconvenient.

You never know what you'll find inside an unbrella Just what he’s up to, they can’t tell... it will take more than a cup of tea to get de Wynter to reveal his devious plans. Fortunately, this extraordinary duo are more than up to it... with a host of electronic gadgets, invisible alleys, and unexpected road trips to lend a willing hand. The film starts off with a bang as Steed marches down an alley in a seemingly quiet British suburb, only to be accosted at every turn by a devious foe. This marks merely the beginning of the dry British satire many people won’t get and even fewer fully appreciate. There’s nothing serious about the plot, but fortunately the film comes across as being more comical than anything else. It’s often difficult to follow and doesn’t explain itself very well, leaving characters underdeveloped and overlooked under the weight of the impressive visual effects.

The main flaw, aside from a script that has more holes in it than a hunk of Swiss cheese, is that the characters view their endangered states with such droll humor that the audience doesn’t feel too concerned for their fate. Still, there are numerous laughs... such as Steed’s infatuation with punctuality, the way he looks in his pinstriped suit, and his adoration for his beloved bowler hat. And let’s not forget tea hot out of the car motor at five o’clock on the dot, rain or shine, war or peace, in peril or not in peril. There’s also the corny but memorable meeting between the villain and his newly-appointed board of secret directors... all dressed in enormous teddy bear outfits. Boy, are they cute! It’s really a joke on the English sense of propriety and decorum, but there are some good scenes between Uma and Ralph when thrown together just after some life threatening situation or another. The maze, the change of shoes, and the chess game are all prime examples of chemistry in motion. Sexy and yet sophisticated to the last. Heaven forbid we should show some human emotion or interest. How the neighbors would talk!

I think the shoes will have to wait Content issues are subtle but still a minor problem. Violence is the worst, although it never goes beyond what you would see in an average PG rating. A man is impaled and struck by lightning, several bad guys are shot, and numerous mechanical things explode, twice killing someone. Language is surprisingly absent, which makes an included (and badly dubbed) f-word an obvious push to make a PG13 rating. Sensuality is present, but more alluded to than seen. Partial backside nudity is seen of Steed in a sauna; an open newspaper hides anything in front. The scene is uncomfortable since Emma is present.

Emma Peel’s husband is presumed lost overseas, his plane having went down in the war. But she still insists on going by her formal title of “Misses,” and once kisses passionately her costar. It’s the smooch we’ve all been waiting for. She often wears form-fitting outfits and on several occasions shows a lot of leg. There’s some mild innuendo. One of the more disconcerting elements is that de Wynter drugs Emma and takes her into his room, where he lays her on the bed. He’s interrupted before anything happens, but the scene still bears mentioning. (The included trailer on the DVD includes a shot of him unzipping her bodice.) If you “get it,” the movie is a lot of fun. If you don’t, it’s often over-the-top. If you like cynical humor, you’ll find a lot to enjoy about the film despite its cravats, and even though it seems at times absurd, I like a film that tries a different approach. Tea, anyone?