The Saint (1997)

As a young orphaned boy, Simon Templar, honed his skills as a thief, con-man and thrill seeker. Assuming the names of obscure saint, Simon (Val Kilmer) eludes his pursuers and sells his skills to the highest of bidders. But when Russian politician, Ivan Tretiak (Rade Serbedzija) hires him to steal the formula for cold fusion, he never bet on falling in love with Emma Russell (Elizabeth Shue). Dr. Russell, the trusting Oxford scientist, has unlocked the process and is determined to bring light and heat to all of Russian for humanity's sake. Simon must then choose between the money and the girl.

In a whole filled with James Bond and Ethan Hunt, Simon Templar is practically unheard of. This 1997 movie from director Phillip Noyce (Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games) isn't even a blip on the radar. That doesn't keep The Saint from being a memorable thrill-ride.

Val Kilmer is remarkable as the many faces of Simon Templar. He plays each role with developed, believable nuances that entertain and amaze. Elizabeth Shue is beautiful and plays the faint-proned doctor well. Their chemistry together is excellent.

The film's pacing is solid containing the keys elements of the genre. Car chase, narrow escapes, mystery, intrigue, and humor. Noyce throws in a bit of random for good measure. There is nothing deep here--good and evil are clearly defined-- except in Simon's case. He is the gorgeous enigma everyone wants a piece of.

The dialogue {and soundtrack} is perfect. The settings throughout Russia have an authentic Cold War feel as does the skill set of Simon Templar. The Saint never gets to clever or scientific. Instead, the audience gets a believable rogue to root for.

Sexy cool, The Saint is an entertaining thriller that demands a viewing by any fan of the genre.

Side bar: I've never understood why Val Kilmer gets no respect. Since his days of Top Gun, Kilmer has been a solid actor, but has never seemed to crack the leading role, I think, he deserves. Whether its as Doc Holiday in Tombstone, Gay Perry in Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang or Jim Morrison in The Doors, Kilmer has proven himself a versatile, albeit somewhat odd, actor.