I was a little apprehensive going into the new Charlie’s Angels, as twelve year old me loved the 2000 version and I am still kind of in two minds about straight out and out remakes. They tend to have a ‘been there, done that’ kind of vibe – a la 2016 Ghostbusters – but the rebooting of a franchise with a sequel seems to be working for me. There is a feeling of planning for the future whilst still acknowledging the past and it gives a great opportunity for inside jokes and little easter eggs.

Thankfully, writer, director and star of the refreshed and reimagined Charlie’s Angels, Elizabeth Banks went down the sequel route. And whilst it didn’t quite live up to the mark left by it’s predecessor, I still enjoyed the overall experience.

Taking place decades after the Liu/Diaz/Barrymore storyline, The Townsend Agency has expanded into an international giant of the espionage game and the man behind the rapid expansion, alongside the bodiless voice of Charlie Townsend of course, is the John Bosley – this time played by Patrick Stewart. The much loved liaison is so integral to the organisation that his name is now synonymous with a ranking equivalent to Lieutenant.

After 40 years in the business, Stewart’s Bosley is finally retiring and the agency’s first Angel-turned-Bosley (Banks) is taking over his branch, which includes the new pairing of Sabina Kristen Stewart), a wild child with something of a sarcastic streak, and Jane (Ella Balinska), the tough cookie with a soft side. Their first client, Elena (Naomi Scott) is a scientist who has been developing Calisto – a portable energy device that will help resolve the world’s energy crisis. The trouble is that the technology can be hacked and weaponised, a problem that Elena could easily fix if only her douchebag of a manager would let her but problems delay launches and delayed launches don’t look good to the company’s CEO.

With her manager stonewalling her, Elena reaches out to The Townsend Agency but an assassination attempt leads them to believe there is something – or someone – more serious at play.

Although I enjoyed the film overall, there were some elements that worked well and others that just felt a little off. The story itself was solid enough with enough miss-directions to keep us guessing, although the final reveal wasn’t exactly a shocking revelation. I think in its bid to be up-to-date and avoid the ‘male gaze fantasy’ of the original Angels, the film lost some of the punchiness that worked so well before.

On paper, the casting of the Angels reads as though it shouldn’t work but the central trio were actually pretty good and fairly relatable (all things considered), although they may need another film to really gel cohesively. Still often thought of as ‘the miserable one from Twilight’, Kristen Stewart is actually pretty darn good as Sabina, bringing an interesting blend of sarcasm, sensibility and craziness. Despite being the closed off ass kicking tough cookie, Balinska’s Jane is also the sweet one, her insecurities and vulnerabilities simmering just beneath the surface of her tough exterior. Scott follows up her success as Jasmine in Guy Ritchie’s remake of Aladdin with another solid performance here.

Despite consisting of the likes of Patrick Stewart, Elizabeth Banks and Sam Clafin, there isn’t a huge amount to celebrate with regards to the supporting cast as no-one is really given much of an opportunity to shine. Banks’ Bosley was a little vapid and one-dimensional, Stewart’s original Bosley felt like something of a cop-out and Sam Clafin (one of my celebrity crushes) was a bit of a non-entity, which is a shame because he can deliver so much more.

Although Elizabeth Banks’ Charlie’s Angels is not without its flaws, overall, it is a solid watch with some strong action sequences and girl power flowing through its veins. Will I watch it again? Probably not. Will I watch a sequel? Absolutely!