La vengeance de l'ange

Wow, Molly Stewart, AKA former prostitute 'Angel', sure has changed in the three or four years since she quit hooking on the Boulevard: now played by Betsy Russell (replacing winsome Donna Wilkes, star of the first film), she's gained a couple of cup sizes, developed longer legs, sports an impressive perm, and is training to be a lawyer, thanks to the help of her guardian, Hollywood vice cop Lt. Andrews (Robert F. Lyons).

Molly's new life goes on hold, however, after Andrews is shot dead by gangsters; teaming up with her old pals, aging cowboy Kit Carson (Rory Calhoun) and lesbian landlady Solly Mosler (Susan Tyrell), she once again walks the sleazy sidewalks of Hollywood as Angel, this time looking for revenge.

For this cheesy sequel to his 1984 exploitation movie Angel, director Robert Vincent O'Neill throws any sense of realism in the nearest side-alley dumpster, opting instead for a much campier approach, his eccentric misfit characters even more exaggerated than before, his villains ridiculously reprehensible, and the violence about as cartoonish as it gets.

The film begins promisingly enough, with a car full of gangsters loading their weapons while heading downtown to 'off' a big-breasted undercover cop (who is busy taking a shower, natch!), a blaring Bronski Beat soundtrack giving everything that delightfully tacky 80s vibe. When the killers make their move, they blast their victims in the guts, resulting in some messy squib-work. Unfortunately, after this impressive opening, everything gets rather too comical for my liking (Rory Calhoun riding a gurney like a rodeo champ, as Angel and Solly bust him out of a sanitarium being the most cringe-worthy moment).

Still, even though Avenging Angel lacks the gritty edge that I generally look for in my vigilante/revenge flicks, and gets really, really dumb towards the end, the ever present sight of the delectable Miss Russell in a series of tight-as-you-like outfits, including a very sexy nurse get-up, makes the film just about bearable (no nudity from the star, but hey, I've always got her 1983 film Private School for that!).

Having just sat through the subpar 1984 movie "Angel", I still opted to carry on with the 1985 sequel "Avenging Angel". Though, I have to admit that I didn't exactly harbor the biggest of expectations to the movie.

Writers Robert Vincent O'Neil, Joseph Michael Cala and Sandra K. Bailey put together a script and storyline that was even less entertaining and enjoyable than the script for the previous movie. The narrative in "Avenging Angel" felt random and disjointed, as if the writers were working individually on parts of the storyline without speaking to one another, and it made for a wobbly narrative.

Rory Calhoun, Steven M. Porter and Susan Tyrrell returned to reprise their characters from the 1984 movie "Angel", so that was nice. There were a few other familiar faces on the cast list, with the likes of Betsy Russell, Frank Doubleday, Liz Sheridan, Barry Pearl and Ross Hagen. The acting performances in the movie were fair.

"Avenging Angel" was far from an overly entertaining or enjoyable movie, and it was a struggle to sit through the prolonged 93 minutes that the movie ran for.

This is definitely not a movie that will grace my screen a second time.

My rating of director Robert Vincent O'Neil's 1985 movie "Avenging Angel" lands on a three out of ten stars.

My heart is a flutter. Betsy Russell is so wildly dreamy that she makes "Avenging Angel" a pretty good watch. The story is kind of silly but it is well told. There is a lot of humor in this movie. This movie manages the laughs very well with the action. This movie isn't as serious as the first one. The lighter touch works well with the material. That said, "Avenging Angel" is all about the forever dreamy Betsy Russell. I wish she played Angel in the first one. Honorable mention: the cop in the shower.

As with the original movie (Angel), this one's got a heavy 80's vibe, and there are some humorous and likeable characters - even some from the original. This film has a much more humorous element about it than the original, while also adding more of a crime element, and has less drama than the original film.

The movie moves at a good pace, and there are some decent action scenes as well, although much of the movie seems to lack realism and there are some pretty ridiculous (even impossible) feats that take place. However, these stunts aren't as "in-your-face" as many other movies may be.

If you've seen the original and enjoyed it, you might enjoy this one as well. However, I must admit that two of the main characters from the original movie were replaced by other actors, and I hate it when that happens. Overall, it was enjoyable to a lesser extent, and I'd have to say this one fares not quite as well as the original flick.

While Avenging Angel retains the nostalgic charm of its predecessor, it falls short in delivering the same level of engagement and intensity. The plot feels a bit more scattered, and the character replacements disrupt the continuity that fans of the original might appreciate. Despite its flaws, it's still a fun watch for those who love 80's cinema, but don't expect it to surpass the original in terms of storytelling and character development.

I recently watched Avenging Angel (1985) on Tubi. The storyline follows Molly from the first film, who has turned her life around, begun attending law school, and left her life on the streets. When the police officer who made all of this possible is killed, she heads back to the underground to uncover who is behind his death.

This film is directed by Robert O'Neil (Blood Mania) and stars Betsy Russell (Saw III), Rory Calhoun (Motel Hell), Ossie Davis (Do the Right Thing), Susan Tyrrell (Cry-Baby), and Frank Doubleday (Escape from New York).

This was a worthwhile sequel to the first film. The filmmakers did a great job bringing back some characters from the original and introducing new ones. While the subplots aren't as deep as in the first film, they are still engaging enough to keep you invested in the outcome. The opening shower scene and drug raid were elite and very well executed, probably my favorite part of the film. There wasn't as much nudity as in the first picture. The acting was solid, and Ossie Davis is always a fun addition to the cast. The ending wrapped up the movie perfectly.

In conclusion, Avenging Angel is a step down from the first film but still a fun watch. I would score this a 6/10 and recommend it to fans of the first film.