La vengeance de l'ange

"Avenging Angel" is a worthy, but different sequel to "Angel". The same seedy Hollywood Boulevard locations, are again used to great advantage. Betsy Russell plays "Angel" this time,and along with her street comrades, Rory Calhoun and Susan Tyrrell, they go after the mobsters who killed their friend, Lt. Andrews ( Robert F. Lyons). Karin Mani has a brief, but memorable nude shower scene, Robert Tessier is a helpful tattoo artist, while Ossie Davis plays a police captain. The movie has moments of welcome humor, especially relating to springing Rory Calhoun from a sanitarium. Sure the violence is cartoon-like, but "Avenging Angel" is entertaining, and that's really all that matters. - MERK

Completely tone than the first movie. Where the first Angel has a serious, somewhat sad, and grim take on the story of a young, smart woman working the seedy streets of Hollywood to pay for her private schooling and apartment, this movie is made with a much lighter tone.

Betsy Russell takes over the role from Donna Wilkes. She does fine, but lacks the vulnerability and hurt that Wilkes brought to the role. Rory Calhoun is back and any restraint he used in the first movie is gone here. He plays WAY over the top, along with Susan Tyrell as the wacky, psychopathic apartment landlord. It is great! He is very likable and brings heart to the movie. Something, as much I as love her, Russell can not manage too well.

The plot is more of the same. This time, Angel's cop buddy/mentor (played by a completely different looking actor from the first) is murdered and since the cops aren't doing much, it is up to Angel and her gang of misfits to avenge his death. The tone, as mentioned before, is quite silly this time around. It now feels more comic book adventure and less gritty drama.

Everyone in this movie is out of their minds. Calhoun is convinced (and it never proven he is wrong) he is Kit Carson, legendary cowboy. Tyrell is a rodeo clown without a rodeo. Every time she shows up, the movie cranks up to an eleven! There is Micheal J Pollard look-alike,Steven M. Porter as "Yo-Yo Charlie". He is fun, but underused in this critics opinion. And finally, they add a new character, Johnny Glitter, played with zero restraint by Barry Pearl. I love how every time he enters the scene he is accompanied with a cloud of glitter. He is a very silly, unreal character. Somewhere is in all of this mess, Ossie Davis shows up a police captain who doesn't follow the rules, and a baby that is very well behaved, even while being hung over a high drop.

Avenging Angel can be a fun movie if you go in with little expectations and just want to have some fun. Sit back, riff with your friends, and forget about the movie soon after.

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.

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.