The Saint
Tags: suspenseful, boring, psychedelic, violence

Plot synopsis:
At the Saint Ignatius Orphanage, a rebellious boy named John Rossi refers to himself as "Simon Templar" and leads a group of fellow orphans as they attempt to run away to escape their harsh treatment. Just as Simon is caught by the head priest, he witnesses the tragic death of a girl he had taken a liking to when she accidentally falls from a balcony.
As an adult, Simon (Val Kilmer)—now a professional thief dubbed "The Saint" for using the names of Catholic saints as aliases—steals a valuable microchip belonging to a Russian oil company. Simon stages the burglary during a political rally held for the company's owner, Ivan Tretiak (Rade Šerbedžija). Tretiak is a former Communist party boss and a billionaire oil and gas oligarch who is rallying support against the Russian President. Simon is caught in the act by Tretiak's son Ilya (Valery Nikolaev) but escapes with the microchip. After learning of the heist, Tretiak contacts Simon and hires him to steal a revolutionary cold fusion formula discovered by American electrochemist Emma Russell (Elisabeth Shue). He wishes to acquire Emma's formula—which creates clean, inexpensive energy—so he can monopolize the energy market during a severe oil shortage in Russia.
Using the alias "Thomas More", Simon poses as a South African traveller and steals the formula after having a one night stand with Emma. Tretiak learns Emma's formula is incomplete and orders his henchmen, led by Ilya, to kill Simon and kidnap Emma in order to obtain the remaining information. Heartbroken, Emma reports the theft to Inspector Teal (Alun Armstrong) and Inspector Rabineau (Charlotte Cornwell) of Scotland Yard, who inform her Simon is a wanted international thief. Emma tracks down Simon to a hotel in Moscow and confronts him about the theft and his betrayal. The Russian police, loyal to Tretiak, arrest Simon and Emma. However, they manage to escape from the police van as they are being brought to Tretiak's mansion.
As they flee through the suburbs, Simon and Emma are helped by a prostitute and her family who shelter them in a hidden room in their home. Later, they meet "Frankie" (Irina Apeksimova), a fence who sells them the directions through an underground sewer system that lead to the American embassy. Simon and Emma exit the sewer tunnel only to find Ilya and his men waiting for them among a gathering of protestors outside the embassy's front gates. Emma safely makes it to the embassy for political asylum, while Simon allows himself to be caught by Ilya as a distraction. He escapes after rigging a car bomb that severely burns Ilya.
Simon plants a listening device in Tretiak's office and learns he plans to perform a coup d'état by selling the cold fusion formula to Russian President Karpov to frame him for wasting billions on useless technology. Tretiak then plans to use the political fallout to install himself as President. Emma finishes the equations to complete the formula, and Simon delivers the information to Tretiak's physicist, Dr. Lev Botkin (Henry Goodman), who builds an apparatus which proves the formula works. Simon infiltrates the President's Kremlin residence and informs him of Tretiak's conspiracy just before Tretiak loyalists detain him. In front of a massive gathering in Red Square, Tretiak makes public accusations against President Karpov, but when the cold fusion reactor is successfully initiated, Tretiak is exposed as a fraud and arrested. He is also revealed to have caused the heating oil shortage in Moscow by illegally stockpiling vast amounts of heating oil underneath his mansion.
Sometime later, at a news conference at the University of Oxford, Emma presents her cold fusion formula to the world. Simon attends the conference in disguise and once again avoids being captured by Inspectors Teal and Rabineau when they spot him in the crowd. As he drives away, he listens to a news radio broadcast (voiced by Roger Moore) reporting that $3 billion was recently donated to the Red Cross, Salvation Army and the United Nations Children's Fund. It is implied that Simon, who had access to Tretiak's accounts, donated the money anonymously. Furthermore, a non-profit foundation led by Dr. Botkin is being established to develop the cold fusion technology.

Review: Val Kilmer bears nothing in him that even gets close to Roger Moore's character - but if you look away from that and try to see it as an ordinary film, it's really good.First of all, Val Kilmer performs fairly well, despite his weird accents.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film and not just because of Val Kilmer's accomplishment at successfully being eye-candy, but also because of the amazing personality transformations his character goes through in front of the mirror.
I don't know if the theory actually works, but after watching the film I don't really care - that isn't the point of the movie.The thing that surprised me the most though was the leading female scientist, played by Elisabeth Shue.
But that's the very thing that makes them ideal for each other, they might just be able to help each other with their character flaws and so you root for them both on a rather grand scale.I was vaguely baffled by the inclusion of random, suffering Russian civilians towards the latter half of the film, but considering that they were a film device to make the baddie look bad, the goodie look good and the 'common people trapped in the middle' look down right fantastic, they do their job rather well (apart from one woman who rats out our hero).
I still think that the film's main achievement is putting Val Kilmer in an interesting role that shows off just how good he can be; he's observant, yet unobservable; seductive, yet not a cad; confident but riddled with insecurities.
If you're one of those people, maybe you should stay away, but if you want a good entertaining popcorn movie it's worth a watch..
They agree Simon Templar ( Val Kilmer ) , -master of disguises and great international criminal- , and send him to Oxford to steal a secret formula for cold fusion from U.S. scientist Emma Russell ( Elisabeth Shue ) who cooked up the recipe .
The Saint starring Val Kilmer is one of my all time favourites I can watch it again and again and again!The Saint is hired by Russian gangsters to get a secret cold fusion formula from a brilliant, beautiful and young scientist played by Elisabeth Shue.
Anyway he falls in love and has to outwit the dangerous gangsters.Val Kilmer plays the eccentric master thief the Saint who has a dark past and an impressive talent for disguise.
I personally like heroes with a dark past who aren't perfect and have suffered to become who they are today.The chemistry on screen between Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue is excellent - and well Elisabeth Shue is beautiful!
This is such a fun feel good film (although it does have dark elements to it) that gets better every time I watch it and personally I do find some characters touching especially the Saint himself who Val Kilmer plays perfectly.This film has a bit of everything - romance, comedy, drama, suspense and action and is definitely worth renting and is definitely in my collection!.
This film upon first viewing might not bowl you over as I thought it only o.k however after watching it many times I began to see just how good a movie it really was.
Firstly you have fantastic locations which I must admit generally don't draw the out the movie going public out in huge droves but do help the movie in my eyes, then you have the cast, Val kilmer makes a fantastic Simon Templer although I was'nt the biggest fan of the tv series upon which the movie is based so have no basis for comparison, which is probably a good thing as comparing actors again'st other actors who once filled the role can make the viewers decide its going to be awful before even giving it a chance....
good plot, great cast especially Val Kilmer pulling off the cool, dark and secretive character he portrays and last of all excellent locations all I can say is view it as a new movie and not a modern remake and see what you think..
A thoroughly enjoyable Saturday evening viewing with a stylish Val Kilmer (an actor I'm not familiar with) who combined the Templar characteristics with James Bond finesse very well, and a cute Elizabeth Shue playing her part in the manner of the unlikely earlier Saint female leads (I've never seen a mini-skirted, sexy blonde scientific genius in all my years spent in Oxford!) but adding her own feisty zest to the proceedings.I particularly liked tongue-in-cheek references such as the repeat use of the first bars of the original Saint theme tune interrupting the background music, and the stick-pin Emma produces at the end which mimics the original Saint logo, and the voice of Roger Moore on the final voice-over car radio.
I think that as a one off movie spin off from the original series it does brilliantly.The array of disguises that Val Kilmer goes through is the face enjoyment but past that I found that most of my enjoyment came from not so much a relation to Val Kilmer's character but just strangely wanting him to succeed.
Along the same lines as when I watch a Bond movie, for all the same reasons due to many similarities between the two.Although some parts of the film (the intro and ending) are maybe brief I think they do well to set up what we want to know and see and leave the main focus of the movie on the central plot.Overall a good fun movie and a happy DVD purchase :).
Val Kilmer, as Simon, and Elisabeth Shue, as Emma, give to their characters their very own souls.
Val Kilmer and Elizabeth Shue fall in love on film.
I would recommend this movie to anyone who likes Elisabeth, Val, action, romance and comedy, its truly amazing..
Thank goodness for Kilmer he decided to make this film instead of continuing as Batman in the horrible Batman & Robin which came out the same year as The Saint.
Of course, this last job will be a doozie and have him choosing between his professionalism to complete the job or to side with his newfound love interest and follow his heart to what could be his true soulmate for his life to come.Val Kilmer is The Saint, the thief, and at his best in a character you can't help but love.
Kilmer's pursuit of Shue's secret, their mutual escape attempts and the bond they make for a possible future bring the audience into a wonderful and exciting story of a lonely man's discovery of love lost many years ago.This movie has fabulous writing, plot line, acting, scenery, technology, action, camera-work, etc.
I cannot remember a movie that was as captivating and sweet as this was in showing the dynamics of individuals falling in love.Beyond this, Val Kilmer is so entertaining in his many disguises; it makes for many funny elements.Although there are some flaws with execution and details, for those of us who want movies that reveal the depth of characters and story lines beyond the action (although this movie does bring that element in), this is immensely satisfying..
Great action film and the best acting Val Kilmer ever formed.
I thought this movie was great..Elizabeth Shue is a babe, and Val Kilmer rocked in it.
I personally enjoy the TV series, but I believe that this Saint more closely resembles the character Leslie Charteris had in mind when he wrote his novels and stories.
I just finished watching the Saint again, it's the sort of movie you remember seeing a few years back and when you get home after a long day at work your glad it's being re-run on TV.
Simon Templar (Val Kilmer) is a big time con-artist/thief who operates to further his own financial position, charm some very attractive ladies and buy himself a Volvo that actually looks good.
The romance between Elisabeth Shue's character and Kilmer's isn't bad either, they're both convincing in their own way and there are some nice moments for sentimental folk like me.
As far as I'm concerned, this is an accomplished, rousing and satisfyingly complex espionage thriller.The plot finds a master of disguise/super-thief, Simon Templar (Kilmer), being hired to track down and steal a brilliant energy-saving formula.
Oh yes, then there's the small problem of the swarm of Russian agents who also want the formula....Kilmer is OK as Templar, but the character was better portrayed in previous incarnations by Ian Ogilvy and Roger Moore.
The action scenes in the film are well done, but this is no surprise since the director Phillip Noyce is a dab hand at this kind of thing thanks to his work on a couple of the Jack Ryan movies, not to mention the unbearably taut Dead Calm.If you've never seen The Saint, I would encourage you to do so.
performance of Kilmer, it has a less abrasive edge.The plot, acting and dialogue probably won't stand up to close inspection, but then this isn't the sort of film you're going to watch more than once.
Simon Templar is more than just a "saint", he's a chameleon in the process.Elisabeth Shue, is great, I remembered her from "The Karate Kid" and "Leaving Las Vegas", did very well playing Emma, she looked great throughout the movie.
I give it 10 out of 10.The Saint will keep you entertained for an hour and a half.This movie has fabulous writing, plot line, acting, scenery, technology, action, camera-work, etc.
This is one of the best movies i have ever seen...i don't know why but i love it...i think i watch it 15 times a year...characters are great,scenario is great,film is GREAT!i don't think there's something missing in the film,humor,romance,action it has everything in it.
Like 'Mission Impossible' (the movie), it bears no such resemblance to previous 'Saint' films.On the other hand, it's an interesting espionage tale with the usual heroics and mixes of suspense and humor when Kilmer changes his identity to suit his purpose.
Val Kilmer makes the perfect action hero in this surprisingly entertaining movie that was not given as much hype as it deserved upon release.
I could list all the holes, but it would waste yet more of my time than the film did and you might not read this warning if I had to tick the 'Contains Spoiler' box.It is like watching a Bond movie directed by a first time director.
Val Kilmer and Elizabeth Shue show some really good acting and portray strong characters.
Cloak and Dagger, espionage thriller is what this story is, with Elisabeth Shue as an essential love-interest character for Kilmer's Templar.
It was obvious from the moment he met Dr Russell that he would fall in love with her, although there was a bit too much kissing and sloppy stuff.The best thing about the film I think was the many characters Val managed to do.
But I was proved wrong in "The Saint", which pushes acting to the limit with Kilmer playing a variety of characters very well, and also having romantic and action scenes."The Saint" features Simon Templar, aka The Human Fly (Kilmer), who travels the world in disguise to steal and sell whatever he can for the highest price.
Elizabeth Shue and Val Kilmer had such amazing chemistry in this movie and I hope that some day they make a sequel..
Quality Rating: *** out of ***** (three stars out of five) The Saint is a good, above the average action movie.
Kilmer does a good job as an action hero, he plays the saint with humor and creates a likeable character, it's impossible to stop cheering for him.I recommend this great movie!.
Throw in a troupe of British character actors for the minor roles and what we have is an adventure film with a flimsy plot in which Val Kilmer displays all the personality of a plank of word whilst donning a range of silly disguises which do not work.
As an industrial espionage thriller, The Saint is fairly predictable, but Val Kilmer has fun with his character's master-of-disguise shtick playing several neat cameos within the film that re-defined gentleman adventurer Simon Templar for the 90s.
The saint starring Val Kilmer is a terrific political thriller based on the Russian government.A man who takes the name of Saints is about to unravel a conspiracy being developed to overthrow the Russian Government.The movie revolves on a scientific experiment called Cold Fusion.The saint portrayed by Van Kilmer has given a good performance.His acting is very good.Elisabeth Shue(Dr.Emma) has also given a decent enough performance.This is a decent enough political thriller.You would love to watch it again after you have seen this.Good direction with a thrilling plot & good enough performances will keep you on your toes.Not the perfect but still very good.I give it 7/10.Must watch for all those,who believe in the cold fusion mambo-jumbo..
Fun, and good looking (as only Val Kilmer can be), but he's not the same character.
So let's just some up by saying that it's a fun adventure film but Val Kilmer is no Saint..
It's a movie that's difficult to watch because of the contrast between Roger Moore and the seriously miscast Kilmer who even has an American bowery-type accent when "being himself" yet the Saint is English.
They had all the 30's charm and the movie could have been fashionably period, there was the tragedy of Norman Kent to pull at the heart strings (just compare it with the tedious romance in Kilmer's film tho' the actors did their best admittedly), and the entertaining story that starts in Germany - Getaway - to give a European setting.
The less said about the U.S. remakes of "The Italian Job" and "The Avengers", the better and sadly, the trend continues with "The Saint" where a half-forgotten TV character from the Sixties is brought back to life and promptly crapped on.Val Kilmer takes the unlikely role of Simon Templar, an English public-schoolboy who grows up to be an international thief and mercenary for hire.
Well, if you wanna give me some bad time then let me watch a movie with Val Kilmer as this good-looking dude must be the dullest actor I have ever seen and that's the biggest problem I have with this movie...
It's dead complicated but in essence it's just The Saint (Val Kilmer) who has to get back a stolen formula from some student (Elisabeth Shue, beautiful babe who can't act).
International super thief for hire Simon Templar (Val Kilmer) is in for a challenge of conscience when he's hired by leading Russian business mafia figurehead/oil magnate Ivan Tretiak (Rade Serbedzija), who has designs on becoming the Russian president, to steal the secrets of cold fusion from a brilliant young scientist named Dr. Emma Russell (Elisabeth Shue), something which will ensure Tretiak his reign of power in Russia.
not bond but it was a good movie enjoyed it but not somthing i will watch 100 times val was as good as he could be with the script given shue looked great on the screen some of the humur wasnt there and some of what got lost by not being filmed right 6 out of 10.
But perhaps the worst thing about watching this version of THE SAINT is that it's like watching a sub standard Bond movie , director Phillip Noyce and the screenwriters don't really have a standard bearing as to where the movie is going so keep switching locations with little rhyme and reason , one minute we're having a talky scene in Moscow then there's a fast paced shoot out in London then we're back in Russia with Val Kilmer in yet another goofy disguise with Dr Emma Russell there as an unconvincing plot device/love interest .
Val Kilmer, who I think has probably the best head of hair in Hollywood, puts out a good performance as "Simon Templar" and enthrals the audience with his characters, and use of disguises...
It has some good suspense and action scenes and there is nothing wrong with Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue as the leading actors.True, it wasn't as smooth or even believable as MI but it's still entertaining and worthwhile watching strictly for the adventure.
Extra information, but more than that just cheesy stuff that you would see in a bad 'B' movie.Val Kilmer was a great choice for the role that he played.
It just shows how good a character actor he can actually be and still play the handsome love-interest.But, I was most impressed with Elisabeth Shue's performance.
I think even as a lighter drama, this could have been such a better movie than it turned out.However, it is quite entertaining and one of the only films I actually like Val Kilmer in.
Val Kilmer makes a good thief who would go from several disguises (he even played a gay), to using names of saints, to helping Elizabeth Shue reach the embassy, telling a professor to make a certain formula work, and the list goes on!
Elizabeth Shue makes a good lead lady as well and she really got me surprised.After watching many kinds of spy or action or adventure films, The Saint is a refreshing experience.
I liked the movie for what it is to me: an action film about a thief, who has to steal the formula for cold fusion.
I have not read the books so I do not know how well the movie actually relates to the books but I have to say that I was a little disappointed to see a Simon Templar that was not reallyhim.I have never really been a huge fan of Val Kilmer and I do not really think he is the best match for the role.
Although the location work is great and both Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue are actors who do very well with the right material, they don't do well here.