Angel III: The Final Chapter

When I bought the box-set trio of movies, I didn't expect much. Something controversial, yes, something in sexy movie history, yes, but not necessarily any good. The first two has a plethora of oddball characters which go way, way over the top, often chewing up the scenery, ruining what had been built up, especially in the original (see my recent review). It is as one of the other reviewers said, this one's the best. By far. Unfortunately I am not a Mitzi Kapture fan, and she's really the least convincing ANGEL of the lot. But I had a great surprise finding Laura Albert (the G-string not nude dancer very early on) and discovering Tawny Fere (wow, sigh, anybody else ever noticed the influence Kylie Minogue had on Tawny's nightclub appearance?).

Hey, you buncha IMDbored commentators... In this genre, you should know, this is a gem. There's an actual story, not too much ghoulish gruesome bloodiness, some really really pretty scenery of the two-legged kind, and a really pretty kid like Tawny Fere thrown in as a co-star.

Good thing they dropped the cowboy and the old auntie. Don't wanna step on too many SILK STALKINGS toes, but the lead lady kinda doesn't do it for me...

Perfectly acceptable and fun sequel that does manage to add a few interesting twists and turns along the way. This time, Angel is avenging the death of her estranged mother who's been mixed up in a sex trafficking organization run by Maude Adams and is trying to save her long lost sister from being the next victim of the organization.

It's nice to see Angel's real family, the cast is pretty good, there are some exciting action set pieces, and funny bits of satire on the adult film industry. It breezes by with very few slow spots, which makes it a very easy viewing experience.

Lt. Andrews will be spinning in his grave: after rescuing Molly Stewart from a world of vice (in the original Angel) and financially supporting her through law school (in Avenging Angel, the second movie in the series), she decides to go to New York and become a blinking freelance photographer instead. Now there's gratitude for you!

But being a snapper doesn't prevent Molly (now played by Mitzi Kapture) from crossing paths with dangerous criminals: after realising that the L.A. art dealer in one of her photos is actually her estranged mother, who she hasn't seen since she was abandoned by her at the age of twelve, Molly returns to California in search of answers, only to find out that her mum is involved in a cocaine smuggling racket and her sister, of whose existence she was previously completely unaware, is in danger of being sold into white slavery. When her mother is killed in a car bomb, Molly once again adopts her Angel persona, entering the world of adult films to try and rescue the only family she has left from a lifetime of forced sex with sweaty foreigners.

Considering all of the trashy possibilities open to an exploitation film-maker by such sleazy subjects as prostitution, white slavery, drug dealing and the porn industry, Angel III is a very disappointing film. Sure, there's plenty of T&A on display (the first pair of bare knockers appears on screen within seconds, and the nudity continues throughout), but the pacing is dull, the direction uninspired, the story pedestrian and the less said about the acting the better. Plus, it's kinda ironic that of the three actresses to play Molly, the one with the name that sounds most like a genuine porn-star or hooker is actually the least sexy (yes, Mitzi Kapture is pretty, but she lacks either the jail-bait charm of Donna '25 going on 15' Wilkes, or the sheer va-va-voom of Betsy Russell).

This was the first time that I saw this movie. I thought it was really good. This was the first time that I saw her acting before Silk Stalkings. So far every time I see her in movies or on tv series she plays a good person mainly roles as cops or security guards or a naval investigator. The only other role that I have seen her play was a lifeguard on Baywatch. I think that she is a really good actress and a great role model for girls of all ages.ý

My review was written in May 1988 after a Cannes Film Festival Market screening.

Third entry in New World's "Angel" series is a tired-blood melodrama about sisterly devotion. Prospects are extremely weak, even among devotees of the first two sexploitationers.

All-new cast (though several of the characters are the same) is headed by Mitzi Kapture as Angel, now a 26-year-old shutterbug in New York City, who recognizes her long-one mom Gloria (Anna Navarro) in a photo and tracks her to L. A. Mom reveals Angel has a 14-year-old sister, Michelle (Tawny Fere), who is involved with bad company. Mom is killed by a car bomb and Angel decides to go back out on the street as a fake prostitute to find sis and avenge her mom.

Baddies are led by Maud Adams, running a combo white slavery and drug smuggling ring. Padded film wallows (with too many in-jokes) in the world of porn filmmaking as Angel takes many risks en route to saving sis and a poorly staged shootout finale.

Kapture is miscast as Angel, playing it too hard-edged to generate any sympathy and Fere too mature and far from innocent-looking in the youngster role. Comedian Mark Blankfield gets no laughs (his dialog is awful) as Angel's stereotyped street-person friend, played as if written for Craig Russell in "Outrageous". Rest of the cast phones it in.

Technical credits are chintzy.