My Charlie's Angels review * Contains spoilers *

While Charlie's Angels had its funny moments, thanks in large part to Kristen (e.g., the opening scene set the groundwork for what the film would be about), it played more like a spy thriller than an action-comedy, due to its ingenious espionage scenes, the underlying theme of elite power players weaponizing, of all things clean energy, edge-of-your-seat action sequences, double-crossings, and a bevy of plot twists which kept this film unpredictable. Of course Elizabeth Banks' feminist vision was spot on--if this wasn't the very definition of a girl power movie, then honestly I don't know what is. I mean, all the lead male characters, especially the misogynistic villains, either ended up dead or by the end of the film they were emasculated, walking around with their tails between their legs. Heck, even Charlie himself--or should I say, herself--is a woman. While the CA reboot payed homage to previous films in the franchise as well as to the original television series, Banks took female empowerment to another level. And this movie, despite its engaging storyline, wouldn't have been as enjoyable to watch if it wasn't for the noteworthy performances and chemistry exhibited by Kristen, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska. This is the heart and soul of the movie, the way they acted and interacted with each other gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside for the entire duration of the film.

Getting back to Kristen's character Sabina, I now understand what director Banks and costar Scott meant when they remarked concerning how spontaneously hilarious Kristen was, as many of her comedic quips weren't even in the film script. And it wasn't just what Kristen said verbally, but what she did that made her funny. Take for example the crazy faces she made to a child sitting across from her while traveling on a boat, contorting her face almost beyond recognition. That, in my humble opinion is comedic talent on the level of say, Jim Carey. Thus the critics and moviegoers are probably surprised by Kristen's performance--although I knew she had it in her to pull off such a role after watching her absolutely own it during her two guest host appearances on Saturday Night Live. Judging by this, Kristen has the ability to act in such a way if the material calls for it and if the director cuts her loose and allows her to act in an impromptu and impulsive manner.

So I would give this movie 3 stars out of 4, similar to how I would rate the other CA films in this franchise.