Saint, The MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +3 1/2 Content: -1 1/2

A man of a thousand disguises, Simon Templar (Val Kilmer) has lived his life as an ingenious and cunningly charming thief. Unable to make attachments because of a childhood incident, Simon is not adverse to using others in order to obtain his goals. He never seems to have any regrets until he meets Dr. Emma Russell (Elisabeth Shue), a scientist who holds the secret to cold fusion. Simon is hired to steal her research by Ivan Trentiak (Rade Serbedzua), a billionaire who wants to use the information to take over Russia and crown himself the first Czar of a new Russian empire. Caught in a web of deception and power, Templar decides to protect Russell from this megalomaniac. They risk their lives and their growing love to foil Trentiak's evil scheme. Hang on to your hats, because The Saint will blow you away. Kilmer is witty, charming and great fun to watch as the unusual hero. This action-adventure is sure to win applause of audiences who enjoyed Die Hard and the James Bond movies.

However, as with most Hollywood films, some offensive elements cripple the entertainment value for discerning viewers. Sexually suggestive comments and actions are quite common. Emma is shown in her undergarments several times, and she and Simon are shown in bed together once, with sex implied. Language isn't a major problem, but there are some obscenities, crude words and regular profanities that could have easily been eliminated. In addition, there is some gun violence, car chases and rough treatment. Especially disturbing is a scene where a priest is mean to Simon when he was a child, cursing and whipping the young boy for being disobedient. The scene eventually culminates when a young girl is knocked off a balcony and falls to her death. These scenes are supposed to help the viewer understand Simon's darker side, but are somewhat distressing. Although it will probably draw a crowd, The Saint is far from saintly.

Preview Reviewer: Sherry Oswald
Distributor: Paramount Pictures, 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY, 10023-7780