The Saint

Directed by Phillip Noyce, The Saint follows master-of-disguise Simon Templar (Val Kilmer) as he’s tasked with stealing the secret to cold fusion from a beautiful scientist named Emma Russell (Elisabeth Shue) – with complications ensuing as Simon finds himself developing romantic feelings for his target. Filmmaker Noyce, working from Jonathan Hensleigh and Wesley Strick’s screenplay, delivers a sluggish and terminally uninvolving thriller that remains unable to capture the viewer’s interest and attention right from the get-go, and there’s little doubt that the movie’s complete lack of forward momentum, coupled with an initial lack of compelling sequences and set-pieces, exacerbates its arms-length atmosphere – which is surprising, to say the least, as the picture seemingly possesses all the ingredients one might’ve anticipated from such a high-concept premise. (Kilmer’s exceedingly charming turn as the intriguing central character does remain a highlight throughout, admittedly.) The hopelessly underwhelming vibe is perpetuated by a midsection devoted to the astonishingly tedious romance between Kilmer and Shue’s respective figures, with this stretch’s emphasis on Simon’s endless flirtation with Emma essentially bringing the proceedings to a dead stop and paving the way for a predominantly ineffective third act – which, despite the presence of a very small handful of effective chase interludes, cements The Saint‘s place as a misbegotten misfire that wears out its welcome almost immediately.

*1/2 out of ****