I gave Dirty Angels a shot for two reasons: it’s directed by Martin Campbell and stars Eva Green. But it otherwise sounded like a generic war thriller, maybe a little inspired by The Dirty Dozen (since: dirty) only starring a cast of female soldiers and mercenaries. Which is, itself, a little interesting.

It’s about a girls’ school in Afghanistan overrun by mustache-twirling Taliban baddies who have no problem chucking people off roofs. They take some of the girls hostage and only Eva Green and her team can infiltrate the country and rescue them.

This is a perfectly good little action flick. It’s not particularly interested in characters, backstories, or even motivations. Just rescue the teenage girls before the stereotypical baddies execute them. Perhaps it could have used a little more nuance in its portrayals… but, hey, neither the bad guys nor the good girls were given much depth.

The film opens with some heinous CGI muzzle fire, helicopters, and explosions. I mean, real bottom of the barrel type stuff that tells you you are in a no budget actioner. Which was a real surprise given Martin Campbell is the director. Not that he’s the CGI artist and not that he hasn’t made bad movies, but you’d think he’d have the instinct to demand better or cut those shots.

Happily, later action scenes use more practical effects, maybe a little boosted by comparably less heinous CGI. Some bad digital blood splatter remains… and the helicopters still look pretty wobbly. Clearly the budget wasn’t high but it gets used better the longer the movies rolls on.

The action is all of the typical shooty shoot variety and isn’t bad. It’s a reasonably competent and thrilling action film once it drops its undercover infiltration angle and opens up on the baddies.

This isn’t a movie that will blow you away nor will it improve foreign relations, but it’s a good watch if you like action flicks. It has its budgetary restraints but Campbell avails himself well.

Score: 78