Avenging Angel

Having just sat through the subpar 1984 movie "Angel", I still opted to carry on with the 1985 sequel "Avenging Angel". Though, I have to admit that I didn't exactly harbor the biggest of expectations to the movie.

Writers Robert Vincent O'Neil, Joseph Michael Cala and Sandra K. Bailey put together a script and storyline that was even less entertaining and enjoyable than the script for the previous movie. The narrative in "Avenging Angel" felt random and disjointed, as if the writers were working individually on parts of the storyline without speaking to one another, and it made for a wobbly narrative.

Rory Calhoun, Steven M. Porter and Susan Tyrrell returned to reprise their characters from the 1984 movie "Angel", so that was nice. There were a few other familiar faces on the cast list, with the likes of Betsy Russell, Frank Doubleday, Liz Sheridan, Barry Pearl and Ross Hagen. The acting performances in the movie were fair.

"Avenging Angel" was far from an overly entertaining or enjoyable movie, and it was a struggle to sit through the prolonged 93 minutes that the movie ran for.

This is definitely not a movie that will grace my screen a second time.

My rating of director Robert Vincent O'Neil's 1985 movie "Avenging Angel" lands on a three out of ten stars.

At the beginning there is some promise to this sequel - there's a little zip, some decent exploitation, and it seems there will be more of an actual plot this time. Alas, as soon as Angel swears vengeance and hits the streets again, all the positive stuff generated up to that point is quickly flushed down the toilet. The production values barely meet that of a television drama of the time, there is more blatant and utterly unfunny comic relief (Calhoun really embarrasses himself), and the story moves at a snail's-pace, with only occasional (and dreary) "action" sequences. And once again, street-life is portrayed as being not all that bad, so much so that it too promotes boredom. Don't bother!

What surprising elements redeemed the original, especially during its exciting climax, are nonexistent here. Even the wacky street characters are like something out of a TV show. Shopping Cart Sally? Johnny Glitter? The action sequences never improve from the opening, while the replacement Angel is nice to look at with zero depth. A lot of embarrassment captured onscreen demonstrates that a rushed sequel is most often a lost cause.

As with the original movie (Angel), this one's got a heavy 80's vibe, and there are some humorous and likeable characters - even some from the original. This film has a much more humorous element about it than the original, while also adding more of a crime element, and has less drama than the original film.

The movie moves at a good pace, and there are some decent action scenes as well, although much of the movie seems to lack realism and there are some pretty ridiculous (even impossible) feats that take place. However, these stunts aren't as "in-your-face" as many other movies may be.

If you've seen the original and enjoyed it, you might enjoy this one as well. However, I must admit that two of the main characters from the original movie were replaced by other actors, and I hate it when that happens. Overall, it was enjoyable to a lesser extent, and I'd have to say this one fares not quite as well as the original flick.

While Avenging Angel retains the nostalgic charm of its predecessor, it falls short in delivering the same level of engagement and intensity. The plot feels a bit more scattered, and the character replacements disrupt the continuity that fans of the original might appreciate. Despite its flaws, it's still a fun watch for those who love 80's cinema, but don't expect it to surpass the original in terms of storytelling and character development.

My heart is a flutter. Betsy Russell is so wildly dreamy that she makes "Avenging Angel" a pretty good watch. The story is kind of silly but it is well told. There is a lot of humor in this movie. This movie manages the laughs very well with the action. This movie isn't as serious as the first one. The lighter touch works well with the material. That said, "Avenging Angel" is all about the forever dreamy Betsy Russell. I wish she played Angel in the first one. Honorable mention: the cop in the shower.