Some 20 years ago, some alleged genius in Hollywood thought it might be a good idea to reboot The Saint in a feature film that had Leslie Charteris' modern day Robin Hood, Simon Templar, repackaged as a master of disguise who was in fact searching for who he really was. The film, with Val Kilmer as Templar, was a dud from the get-go.
Sixteen years later, a proposed pilot for a new Saint went unsold until it was released on digital DVD earlier this year, and landed on Netflix, four years after production had been completed. Adam Rayner is the latest to essay the role of Templar, and certainly could've continued had anyone bothered to take a chance.
When the film begins, Templar is in Russia, disguised as a Russian soldier, infiltrating an arms deal that the CIA had been monitoring. He spikes the vodka, serving up the world's biggest mickey, if you will. That gets him in the crosshairs of a young CIA agent, and an older agent who had been pursuing Templar for years. Flashbacks explain a previously untold and, in truth, unnecessary origin for Templar. You see, the creative personnel on the film decided to borrow some elements from more familiar sources (i.e. Batman) to explain Templar's mission in life. His parents were killed, and the family, very wealthy to begin with, were linked with the legendary Knights Templar in some form. None of this fits Charteris' original vision, but what does in the 21st century anyway?
Today's writers are obsessed with making their heroes as dark, moody, and brooding as possible, following the template of Denny O'Neil's makeover of Batman in the 70's. These writers think that because it works for certain characters, it can work for other pop culture icons such as The Saint. The truth is, it doesn't, because it falls under "if it isn't broken, you don't fix it".
On the other hand, viewers are introduced to Templar's sexy associate, Patricia Holm (Eliza Dushku, ex-Dollhouse, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), who hadn't been seen on screen since the George Sanders series of "Saint" movies in the 40's. My brother & I were discussing what needs to be done to bring other popular heroes into the present day, such as The Shadow, Doc Savage, or The Avenger, who also have teams of associates working for them, as long as it adheres to the current Hollywood obsession with cultural diversity. This film heads in that direction, but relies too heavily on Bat-influences (not just the origin), and that may explain why it didn't sell.
The film also serves as a final coda for the late Sir Roger Moore, who played Templar in the 60's, and appears briefly prior to the climax of the film. Ian Oglivy, who top-lined Return of the Saint in the 70's, is seen as well.
Let's take a look at the trailer.
It took four years for this version of The Saint to see the light of day, and that was largely in tribute to Moore, as if someone realized this film was out there, waiting to be released. Let's just hope it doesn't take another four years or more for someone else to try to get it right.
Rating: B--.
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