Charlie's Angels Full Throttle

Kick-ass japes in gorgeous shoes. As with the first film, its primary weapon remains the dynamic ensemble of Diaz, Barrymore and Liu: not only wet dream 'independent women', but genuinely entertaining comic actresses, padding out their flimsily written roles with charismatic gusto. This time, a plot involving a leaked witness protection programme forms the excuse for a frenetic succession of elaborate ruses, an encounter with erstwhile Angel Madison Lee (Moore), and typically ridiculous Hollywood baddies. Of course, the film is intensely derivative, packing in nods to the likes of Flashdance and 'T2', flow-motion shots and tacky product placement. But, whipped into blockbuster shape by a director whose music video background is in clear evidence, it's a bombastic blast while it lasts.