The Saint (1997)

     Simon Templar (Val Kilmer) is the best thief there is. He  can steal anything from anyone. He is so good; he has decided that he will retire after his bank account hits 50 million bucks. He is only one job away from his goal and he is not even 40 yet (just calculating Kilmer’s age, really ) But this last mission is going to put him in most complicated of situations. Russian mafia hires him to steal the “cold fusion” formula: an energy formula that is going to solve the heating problem for the world. But of course the gangsters have no intention of doing the world any favors.

      Simon has some really good methods. He disguises himself under the name of a different Catholic saint for each job. He fakes his accent perfectly and changes his look accordingly. The police are after him but they can’t catch him. And of course for our sophisticated thief, seducing women isn’t a problem at all. His current target is Emma Russell (Elizabeth Shue), an American scientist who is working on the formula. For Emma, he becomes a tortured soul; a mysterious, socially awkward and equally sexy artist/traveler. Emma is a sweet, beautiful and sensitive woman with a weak heart and somehow she really connects with Simon – even through his disguise. They fall in love but the mafia forces Simon to complete the job.

      Well, the movie isn’t exactly slow by any means but the real adventure begins when Emma finds out and follows him to Moscow- only to find out that no Russian cop can be trusted. Her best shot at survival is a thief.

      Gentle, romantic and non-violent thieves have always been a popular theme with Hollywood. The movie itself was inspired by the 1962 TV series of the same name, starring Roger Moore. I liked The Thomas Crown Affair remake with Pierce Brosnan as well. However The Saint is much more fun in many ways, especially if you like espionage stuff. Surely Simon is not a spy- but he uses many disguises, the movie takes place in different countries and we have our heroes trying to escape many perils. Of course Simon is a pro, and he knows how to take care of himself and protect his love interest.

      As far as entertainment goes, The Saint is the perfect choice to have fun. It has enough action and romance to keep you glued to the screen and it is one of those movies that don’t get boring, no matter how many times you have watched it. It doesn’t intend to keep you guessing. The good guys and the bad guys are obvious from the start. You know the ending is going to be a happy one for our hero. The fun isn’t in the suspense but in the espionage, traveling and dodging the bad guys. A good thriller with not a very unrealistic romance attached to it. I recommend it.