The Avengers (1998)

Two British Agents team up to stop Sir August de Wynter from destroying the world with a weather-changing machine.

Director:

Jeremiah S. Chechik (as Jeremiah Chechik)

Writers:

Sydney Newman (television series The Avengers), Don MacPherson

Stars:

Ralph Fiennes, Uma Thurman, Sean Connery

Bottom Rated Movies #87 | 4 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ralph Fiennes	...	John Steed
Uma Thurman	...	Dr. Emma Peel
Sean Connery	...	Sir August de Wynter
Patrick Macnee	...	Invisible Jones (voice)
Jim Broadbent	...	Mother
Fiona Shaw	...	Father
Eddie Izzard	...	Bailey
Eileen Atkins	...	Alice
John Wood	...	Trubshaw
Carmen Ejogo	...	Brenda
Keeley Hawes	...	Tamara
Shaun Ryder	...	Donavan
Nicholas Woodeson	...	Dr. Darling
Michael Godley	...	Butler
Richard Lumsden	...	Boodle's Porter

Storyline

British Ministry Agent John Steed, under direction from "Mother", investigates a diabolical plot by archvillain Sir August de Wynter to rule the world with his weather control machine. Steed investigates the beautiful Doctor Mrs. Emma Peel, the only suspect, but simultaneously falls for her and joins forces with her to combat Sir August.

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Plot Keywords:

good versus evil | heroine | evil man | villain | avengers | 

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Taglines:

Two amazing secret agents. One diabolical madman. Conditions are dark. The forecast is deadly. Tea, anyone?

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language

Details

Official Sites:

Emma Peel: mrspeel.com (Warner Bros.) John Steed: mrsteed.com (Warner Bros.)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 August 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Los vengadores

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,305,957, 16 August 1998

Gross USA:

$23,384,939

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$23,384,939

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Jerry Weintraub Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min 115 min (original cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nicole Kidman was unable to take the role of Emma Peel due to already being contracted to make Eyes Wide Shut (1999).

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Goofs

When Steed and Mrs. Peel are drinking tea in the car, from the way the sun shines through the cups it is clear that there is no liquid in the cups.

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Quotes

Sir August de Wynter: Rain or shine, all is mine!

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Alternate Versions

The original cut of the film ran around 115m., according to advance reviews. Many of the scenes cut include:

• The original opening sequence featured the "Evil Emma" infiltrating a secret base, the Prospero Project. She drives up to the base in a blue Jaguar on a secluded London highway, and enters through a red phone booth by uttering the words "how now brown cow? After gaining access to the base, she proceeds to kill several of the scientists and security personnel, and destroys the base by blowing it up.
• The scene of Sir August De Wynter playing organ was originally shown after the opening. As the base blows up, he exclaims "let our revels begin!"
• When Emma Peel enters the Gentlemen's club, the attendant who insists that she not enter because she is a woman continues to prevent her from entering, and which point she Karate chops him, which sends him flying down a flight of stairs.
• A scene of Sir August De Wynter, dressed in the teddy-bear suit, rhythmically slicing the face of a scientist to classical music while trying to figure out the clues to the Prospero Project.
• The first meeting between Emma Peel and John Steed was originally longer. You can see her walking through the corridors before she finally makes her way into the sauna. The dialogue is longer, more frank, and it isn't dubbed, as it is in the theatrical release.
• A more coherent explanation of why Emma's Jag exploded after the mechanical bee attack.
• Emma Peel drops from De Wynter's arms as she is escorted to his room. He doesn't let go of her, and brings her back up swiftly.
• When Sir August De Wynter has Emma Peel in his bed, he lowers the zipper on her shirt just a little more.
• More scenes of Peel and Steed walking through the corridors of Wonderland Weather.
• Emma Peel bounces back and forth between the walls of her padded cell.
• Sir August De Wynter drives to the World Council meeting in a Rolls Royce snowplow after it begins snowing heavily as a result of his weather machine.
• More shots of Mother witnessing the worldwide destruction that the weather machine is causing.
• More scenes of Peel and Steed walking through De Wynter's headquarters after they lower in through the telephone booth.
• An extra shot of Big Ben exploding, shown from slightly farther away.
• During the climactic battle between John Steed and Sir August De Wynter, De Wynter slices Steed with his sword several times. De Wynter raises his arms as the battle nears it's end. Steed becomes enraged toward the end of the battle. Note how Steed's shirt is inexplicably cut and bloodied after the fight begins.
• After the Prospero Project self-detonates, a countdown clock begins to tick, nearing toward the explosion. When the explosions begins, the silver dome in the headquarters ( the one Steed and Peel pass when they enter) is shown exploding.

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Connections

Featured in HBO First Look: The Avengers (1998)

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Soundtracks

I Am
Written by Suggs (as Graham 'Suggs' McPherson), Nick Feldman
Produced by Stephen Lironi
Performed by Suggs
Courtesy of Warner Music U.K.

User Reviews

Waste of Cast and Budget

In London, the agent of the Ministry John Steed (Ralph Fiennes) and Dr. Emma Peel (Uma Thurman) are summoned by the Mother (Jim Broadbent), who shows a footage where the Prospero Project that controls the weather is damaged by Dr. Peel. They head to meet Sir August de Wynter (Sean Connery), who is a weather specialist, but soon they discover that he wants to rule the world, using his machine that controls the weather.

I saw "The Avengers" in the 90's and did not like this movie. Today I have just seen it again on DVD and I found again a silly and boring movie that wastes cast and budget. It is hard to believe that Sean Connery accepted to work in this turkey. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "Os Vingadores" ("The Avengers")