The opening scene of ‘Elektra’ tries its best to capture the dark and seedy flavor that ‘Elektra’s’ creator, Frank Miller wrote about when he first brought her to the pages of comics in the eighties, but the dopey dialog and over scored soundtrack ensure that anything cool or good about the original ‘Elektra’ story will be left at the door. For some reason, the producers of ‘Elektra’ enlisted screenwriters unconnected with the now classic comic series, which ensures that the avid readers will be equally disappointed with the ‘Elektra’ movies as the audience of filmgoers who must haplessly endure all 96 minutes of this misguided movie.

From the outset, the ‘Elektra’ movie smartly distances itself from 2003’s ‘Daredevil’, the disjointed comic book turned movie infected with Ben Affleck’s underwhelming presence. We briefly see the final frames of ‘Elektra’s’ life end in one horribly directed movie, to be resurrected two years later in another.

Jennifer Garner fans will be thrilled to finally see their hero have a an action movie all her own. A vehicle to let her show off her own stunt work on the big screen, though I’m certain Garner fans would be happy with a feature length ‘Alias’ flick than trying to adapt a comic television viewers most likely never heard of. Readers of the ‘Elektra ‘comic would at least be spared the effort of trying to reconcile how the ‘Elektra’ character who is supposed to be an exotic olive skinned black haired beauty is portrayed by Garners all-American corn flake girl.

The movie is geared toward the same thirteen-year-old boys that the original comic series aimed for. Titillating us with erotic costumes filled to the brim with every muscle-toned curve that Jennifer Garner has to offer. She barely breaks a sweat after mowing down an army of ninja’s in the forest, and looks good doing it in a bright red bustier with matching red leather boots.

The dialog is awkward and matches the early teens mindset of the film. The screenplay fumbles with the English language to express ideas about love and devotion, that sound as out of place as the character actors hired to say them. Clearly this is of little concern for ‘Elektra’s’ makers whose casting provides supermodels for everyone to gawk at. Those who don’t gorge themselves on Garner may prefer to indulge in Goran Visnjic a leftover from television’s ER who plays the role of actor eye candy in need. The young Kirsten Prout delivers a top-notch layer of sappy emotions that are as unbelievable as the absurd bond that supposedly forms between her and ‘Elektra’, the world’s deadliest assassin.

And all this ranting is for the good guys. It’s difficult to convey how disappointing the needlessly hokey super villain team that is brought in to finish 'Elektra’ off is. Suffice it to say that when the tattooed mans slithery illusions fade away, its’ down to the buxom Goth girl who’s toxic touch is more effective than any pesticide used today.

By the end of ‘Elektra’, you’ll wish you were back at home, where you can watch Jennifer Garner bounce about on TV and indulge your guilty pleasures in private. Hoping that ‘Sin City’ the next Frank Miller comic to movie isn’t as bad as the ‘Elektra’ / ‘Daredevil’ adaptations, for Movie Magazine, this is Purple.

© 2005 - Purple - Air Date: 1/19/05