Introductory Section:

Say the word “Angels” and chances are that you immediately think of Charlie’s Angels, a popular long-running series that everyone have seen. Rather it’s the 1970s classic tv series and modern reboots or it ongoing film series, Charlie’s Angels has become ingrained into popular culture. Enough so that over the years, there’s been numerous parodies and films that shares a similar concept or premise with the series. Usually most of these lean more into parody especially in a comedic direction but there’re some that really standout among the pact. While the Charlie’s Angels series has gone through some ups and downs in recent years especially with the 2019 Reboot Film, other films with this concept can be more interesting to watch. From the 80s Hong Kong action parodies like the Iron Angels Trilogy to more straight forward action films which bring us to Dirty Angels.

Released in 2024 and directed by Martin Campbell who’s best known for his work on 2006 Casino Royale which successfully rebooted the James Bond franchise. Dirty Angels stars Eva Green which marks her second collaboration with director Martin Campbell since Casino Royale. The film share some elements with the Charlie’s Angels series, with the biggest difference is having a larger female cast of characters led by Eva Green. The characters themselves are played fairly straight forward throughout the film with a few entertaining moments between them. As they’re a team of skilled female soldiers who were sent to the Middle East to rescue the daughter of an Afghan Minister. The plot however isn’t really that memorable but can be enjoyable to watch on some level especially seeing Eva Green become a more leading action heroine.

Official Summary:

(This section and the next contains spoilers, thus read with caution)

During the intense backdrop of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, a group of armed terrorists seizes control of a girls’ school. Capturing numerous students, including Badia (May Kurtz), the esteemed daughter of an Afghanistan’s Minister of Education, as well as the daughter of the U.S. Ambassador. While some of the girls initially manage to flee to the rooftop in a desperate attempt to escape, they are soon apprehended. Faced with this dire situation, the terrorists issue an alarming demand: $10 million ransom for each hostage, alongside the release of a notorious prisoner named Sheik Al-Shimali.

Following a failed rescue attempt orchestrated by Delta Force, the U.S. military is compelled to devise a new strategy to tackle this crisis. Enter Jake (Eva Green), a resilient female soldier who’s officially tasked with spearheading a dangerous and daring rescue operation. She assembles a formidable team of skilled women likes of Rocky (Rona-Lee Shimon), an adept mechanic, Geek (Jojo T. Gibbs), a tech guru, Shooter (Emily Bruni), who specializes in weaponry. And The Bomb (Maria Bakalova), an explosives expert, alongside them are the capable Medic (Ruby Rose), and Dr. Mike (Edmund Kingsley), showcasing a diverse range of expertise. As they pose as medical personnel with the objective of infiltrating the perilous area for the team to progress further on with their mission.

The resourceful Minister of Education aids the team in crossing the border, yet she secretly plans to pay the hefty ransom for her beloved daughter. As they navigate various perilous operations, including a risky raid on a weapons cache where they’re unfortunately detected. The team endures several hardships and losses, including the tragic deaths of Dr. Mike and Travis (Christopher Backus) amidst the battle. In a shocking turn of events, they discover that one of their supposed allies, Awina (Laëtitia Eïdo), is actually betraying them by relaying their whereabouts to the terrorists.

In a critical moment, the specialized team manages to rescue Sheik Al-Shimali from a prison transport, but at the grievous cost of losing Rocky. With their options dwindling, they attempt to leverage Sheik Al-Shimali and counterfeit money in negotiations with the terrorists. However, the plan backfires catastrophically for the team when the terrorist leader recognizes the fraudulent currency. This revelation suddenly triggers a final, desperate assault against the terrorists on their heavily guarded cavern base.

In the final battle, Jake faces off against the terrorist leader, ultimately killing him and securing a safe passage for the captured girls under the guidance of The Bomb. Even though they manage to evacuate the hostages via helicopter, the mission is not without significant sacrifice, as several brave team members are lost along the way. Jake and Malik (Reza Brojerdi), making the courageous decision to venture back and rescue Geek who selflessly stayed behind to ensure their retreat was shielded from danger.

Ending Explainer:

Jake successfully orchestrate the rescue of the abducted girls, including Badia Durani, from the dangerous compound operated by ISIS-affiliated militants. She and her team plant explosives around Amir’s (George Iskandar) den, creating a distraction that allows the girls to escape. During the chaos, Jake fights against Amir and manages to kill the terrorist leader with his own sword, finally exacting her revenge. Despite the chaos, Jake is forced to leave one of her comrades, Geek behind due to the extreme risks involved in her mission. She then provides the coordinates of the rescue site to the American forces, who arrive in time to evacuate the girls safely.

Throughout the climax, it is revealed that Jake’s informant was actually betraying her, providing intel to ISIS and explaining why their earlier attempts failed. This betrayal highlights the dangerous environment of treachery and deception which ultimately underlies the mission. At the end, Jake refuses to leave Afghanistan, feeling that her fight is not yet over and that she still has more to do. Her decision to stay underscores her sense of purpose and resilience, emphasizing the film’s themes of courage and sacrifice in a hostile environment. The film concludes with Jake looking out over the landscape, a symbol of her ongoing fight and unwavering spirit.

Final Assessment:

Dirty Angels is a decent enough action film that can be watch anytime of the day or night for causual viewers to simply enjoy. Though it’s not as good as something like the Exaction or John Wick films when it come to delivering intense or stylish action scenes. But it does has potential to go into that direction if a sequel is ever warranted that many viewers can really enjoy. While the film does a decent enough job to introduce viewers to the various characters, including Eva Green’s protagonist. However it lacks in having depth with it world building or not having enough to help set itself apart from other similar action films. The plot isn’t really that memorable though the film can still be enjoyable to watch on some level especially at the climax with it action scenes.

When it come to the female cast, Ruby Rose is one of the more notable faces and her character does have a few good moments in the film. But when it come to Eva Green, she’s good in almost every film and fun to watch her portrayed various characters, including villains. Therefore it’s refreshing to see her portraying a harden action heroine, and she does a damn good job with the lead role. Her character does much of the heavy lifting, both physically and emotionally throughout the film to keep viewers invested. While the rest of the cast does a respectable job with their characters, Eva Green carries much of the film on her shoulders. Overall, the film is average but has it moments especially at the climax while some characters, including the protagonist are memorable enough for viewers to enjoy.