THE SAINT

the-saint
Val Kilmer’s version of The Saint (1997) bears little resemblance to the Leslie Charteris character created in 1928. Where Charteris’s Saint was an adventurer, Kilmer’s Saint is a high-tech contract thief. The movie opens with Kilmer stealing a valuable micro-chip from a heavily guarded building in Moscow. His next assignment is to steal the formula for Cold Fusion (remember that?) from a beautiful physicist played by Elizabeth Shue. But, of course, Kilmer falls in love with Shue so that complicates the caper with the Russian Mafia. I particularly liked the chase scenes in the Moscow slums and sewers. Kilmer and Shue are far superior to the clunky plot and dialogue they’re forced to endure. If you’re in the mood for a silly espionage thriller featuring Val Kilmer in a chameleon role, The Saint might amuse you. But after watching The Saint I wanted to drop everything and watch Roger Moore as the Saint! GRADE: B-
roger-moore-saint

18 thoughts on “THE SAINT

  1. Sergio (Tipping My Fedora)

    The movie is utterly infuriating – it could have worked, but really doesn’t as any level. The last part of the film was completely re-shot and I think you can tell as it really loses momentum. A really wasted opportunity – it didn’t have to follow the books of the previous versions, but to me fails on its own terms. And leaves the cast high and dry, as you say.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Sergio, you’re right about the potential of THE SAINT. It could have been very much better. But the lame plot and insipid dialogue doom it.

      Reply
  2. Patti Abbott

    Kilmer made a few good pictures but that was a long time ago. I can really only think of THE DOORS right now.

    Reply
  3. Jeff Meyerson

    Kilmer is very hit or miss for me, mostly miss. As Patti said, I thought he was a good Jim Morrison.

    I deliberately skipped this one, but then I was never a big fan of the Roger Moore show either.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jeff, I was a sucker for THE AVENGERS and THE SAINT back in the 1960s. I have some of the old episodes of THE SAINT on DVD that I’m tempted to dig out and watch.

      Reply
  4. mary mason

    I watched that recently, as I hadn’t seen it probably since it first was on tv. It was entertaining, but not as good as it could have been. I thought it was interesting with the back story of Templars childhood, which I wondered if that was ever in the books. I remember one part where I wanted to scream ACK at the script, but don’t remember what it was specifically.

    We have some channels that show old tv shows (METV among them) so I’ll look for Roger Moore. I enjoyed him as Beau Maverick

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  5. Rick Ollerman

    I didn’t see this one–Kilmer lost me after TOP GUN when he was giving pressers talking about his “leading man good looks” and how he could do everything. I thought he was a little too full of himself. Okay, a lot too full of himself.

    I picked up the complete Saint series with Roger Moore and I love it. And the constant parade of actresses that would go on to greater things is pretty amazing. The only problem I have with “complete series” sets is that I always lose track of where I am. I’m still lost somewhere in the Batman series from the ’60s. Speaking of which, Van Morrison, the Green Hornet, just passed away at age 82.

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  6. Steve Oerkfitz

    Kilmer was very good in Heat and Tombstone. He has gotten a bit heavy in recent years. There has been a lot of talk about his health. That he has throat cancer. He belongs to one of those religions that don’t believe in medical care.
    Van Morrision was The Green Hornet? I thought it was Van Williams?

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Steve, Kilmer had a lot of talent but he wasted it in making some regrettable choices in the movies he got involved with. Like this one.

      Reply

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