THE SAINT (PG-13)
Director: Phillip Noyce
Stars: Val Kilmer, Elisabeth Shue, Rabe Serbedzija, Valery Nikolaev, Roger Moore
Hollywood's fascination for taking hit tv series from the past and updating them by injecting 90's technology and touches of graphic violence has worked successfully before, with The Fugitive, The Untouchables and Mission: Impossible the best of such recent adaptations. However, this contemporary update of Leslie Charteris' The Saint, a reformed thief, debonair playboy and do-gooder with a nose for trouble, is not as satisfactory as one would have hoped, given the calibre of talent involved in the production.
First created in the 1920's, the suave Simon Templar (aka the Saint) has previously been portrayed on screen, most effectively by George Sanders, in a series of films in the '30's and '40's, and Roger Moore, who virtually made the character his own in the popular tv series of the '60's. In this big budget version of The Saint, Val Kilmer steps into some well-worn shoes, but his interpretation lacks the charm and sly wit of those previous incarnations, and gives the character a darker edge. The producers of this undeniably slick and technically proficient escapist thriller have taken enormous liberties with the original concept, transforming Templar into a master international thief who breaks into impenetrable places and eludes capture easily through a variety of disguises, turning the character into something of a cross between the dashing but elusive Scarlet Pimpernel and James Bond.
A brief prologue somewhat unnecessarily traces the origins of Templar's identity and his fascination with using the names of Catholic saints as his aliases, destroying that air of mystery that was an integral part of the character's allure. Writers Jonathan Hensleigh (Die Hard With A Vengeance, etc) and Wesley Strick (the Martin Scorsese remake of Cape Fear, etc) have certainly given audiences plenty of action and treachery on an international scale, with a complex story line that races from Moscow to London and back again. If you thought that the plot of the recent Mission: Impossible was unnecessarily convoluted then wait until you get a load of The Saint's twisting and labyrinthine plot - it's a doozy!
The enigmatic hero becomes involved with a megalomaniacal Rasputin-like Russian oil billionaire Ivan Tretiak (Croatian actor Rade Serbedzija, from Before The Rain, etc), who plans to use the current crisis gripping Russia to overthrow the beleaguered premier and seize control of the country. The key to Tretiak's ambitions lies with beautiful American scientist Emma Russell (Elisabeth Shue), who has invented a new safe, cheap and environmentally friendly fuel system. Tretiak hires Templar to steal the formula from Russell and deliver it him. But Templar has a pang of conscience and decides to ruin Tretiak's ambitious scheme and rescue Russell from his ruthless hitmen.
The Saint is great escapist entertainment, but there is a vague feeling that it could have been so much better. There's plenty of chases and some breathtakingly unbelievable narrow escapes on two continents, but somehow the twisting narrative doesn't completely grip audiences, and there is a lack of suspense and sustained tension to the material. Ex-patriate Philip Noyce has previously proved himself adept at handling big budget formulaic action thrillers, with the two Harrison Ford/Jack Ryan films Patriot Games and Clear And Present Danger to his credit, but while he directs with assurance, he lets the romance between Templar and Russell unnecessarily slow down proceedings and occasionally get in the way of the mayhem and the action. Noyce has been granted unprecedented access to shoot certain key scenes in Red Square outside the Kremlin itself, and the Moscow locations add a grim authenticity and timely urgency to the film.
While undoubtedly a charismatic screen performer, Kilmer's interpretation of The Saint here is erratic and uneven, and his bizarre array of accents doesn't help matters either. Shue brings a touch of quality to the film with her strong performance as the sensuous but somewhat naive scientist. According to rumours, the pair were not exactly acting during their love scenes, but the expected sizzling sex has been somewhat muted in the editing room. In keeping with the tradition of using cameo appearances from the series' original stars as a way of stamping their approval on the remake, the producers have even found a clever way of allowing Roger Moore to participate in the film.
Ultimately though, this new screen incarnation of The Saint is something of a disappointment as an action adventure, and it is to be hoped that the producers and writers get the formula right for the inevitable sequel!