[6]
Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue star in this spy thriller adaptation of a British television show, based on a book series by Leslie Charteris. Kilmer plays Simon Templar, a rogue thief who uses technology and clever disguises to rob from the rich and give to the poor. A Russian oligarch (Rade Serbedzija) hires him to steal a formula for cold fusion from an American scientist (Shue), but the assignment gets complicated when Simon falls in love with Shue’s character. The two are pursued by the oligarch and his goons while trying to share the life-saving realization of cold fusion to the world before anyone can profit from it.
If you like Kilmer or Shue (I like both), there’s a good chance you’ll find The Saint modestly entertaining. Their love story is what works best in the film, but it gets sidelined for long stretches by the larger plot involving Serbedzija’s attempted political coup and law enforcement’s ongoing pursuit of Simon. Most of the dramatic stakes are tied to the film’s socio-political backdrop instead of the main characters, so the threat often feels distant or abstract. Kilmer obviously chose this film because he wanted the chance to play a handful of different identities. He changes hairstyle and accents many times. As amusing as this can be, it also prevents us from ever getting to know who Simon Templar really is. It’s Shue’s character we identify with more, as her character falls for Simon, then begins to doubt him, and finally teams up with him.
Even though The Saint looks and sounds like a James Bond movie, it doesn’t feature the same level of action or exotic locales. Apart from a few foot chases and a single car explosion, the action is minimal. The only exotic locale is Russia in wintertime. It’s not really thrilling enough to be a thriller or action-oriented enough to be an action movie. But it works moderately well as a love story and it has a recurring, healthy sense of humor. The score by Graeme Revell (The Crow) is another highlight, alternating between propulsive techno-rhythms and ethereal choral voices. If the script were a bit more character-driven, Kilmer and Shue could have carried the film over the finish line and The Saint might be better remembered.
Directed by Phillip Noyce (Dead Calm, Clear and Present Danger). With Valery Nikolaev, Henry Goodman, Alun Armstrong (Krull), and a voice cameo from Roger Moore, who starred in the TV series.