THERE comes a point quite early on in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle when, having seen our heroines break all laws of physics and biology, you will say "To Hell with it", then sit back and enjoy the fun.

And this film is, surprisingly, a lot of fun.

Natalie, Alex and Dylan (Diaz, Liu and Barrymore) work for the Charles Townsend private investigation agency and receive their instructions, via a radio receiver, from the mysterious but charming Charlie.

He has a tricky case for the girls to work on. Two government officials have been kidnapped and two special rings they were wearing have been stolen.

The rings contain valuable encrypted information about every person in the Federal Witness Protection Programme.

In the wrong hands, this information puts the lives of government informants and their families in jeopardy.

The Angels, assisted by trusty agency helper Bosley (Bernie Mac), must trace the rings and bring the arch criminal behind the scheme to book.

It seems these resourceful young women can do anything. They are mistresses of disguise. They ride motorcycles like demons and drive cars like Grand Prix racers.

And their combat skills would turn the kung fu guys behind The Matrix's fight scenes green with envy.

Everything they do is pretty much impossible. The spectacular stunts they pull off in a breathtaking motorbike racing sequence should cause more deaths than it actually does. And the girls get up with barely a scratch and come back for more and more in every punch-up they are involved in, often against a small army of heavily armed, muscle-bound men.

But the secret to Charlie's Angels' success is that it never once takes itself seriously. More comedy than action although there is plenty of high-octane stuff to fill the screen with explosions, car chases and assorted acrobatics the film is delivered with tongue firmly in cheek. You get the feeling sometimes that the Angels should occasionally tip a wink at the camera to let the audience know what a great time they are having.

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle is a sequel to a film that was a big screen version of what was not a particularly good 1970s TV series. The rules of film criticism dictate that this movie should be a load of rubbish. But try as you might, it is difficult to dislike this film.

It is made with the gloss, glamour and pizzazz of a pop music video, with just about every visual trick in the book thrown in by enigmatic director McG. Plot, script and acting also fit into the MTV school of film-making ie, there isn't much of any of them.

The storyline certainly takes some swallowing a mish-mash of intrigue and organised crime, masterminded by Madison Lee, a former Angel no less.

But don't worry about the story just drink in the spectacle. Besides the action set-pieces and there are plenty you can see a bikini-clad Diaz surfing, watch her riding a bucking bronco, ogle the saucy minxes perform a sexy dance at a dockside bar, and then see them in disguise as a trio of nuns. All in the name of criminal investigation, of course.

Exploitative? Well, yes it is, but this is Charlie's Angels and it is obligatory to see these bright young things in revealing costumes, tossing their hair and getting caught in compromising situations.

And there is no doubt they are in charge they are the ones in control and kicking ass.

Diaz, Liu and Barrymore do it all with tremendous energy sure, the stunt people and special effects team do their bit to make the fight scenes convincing, but the actresses do their fair share of the physical stuff. These are three very fit girls and they are clearly having a good time, which leaps off the screen.

And whoever chose Moore to play the queen bitch baddy deserves a medal this is sheer casting genius. Pumped up and not averse to getting stuck in herself, Moore makes a very convincing criminal mastermind.

There is a silly sub-plot which gets in the way involving a mad vengeance-seeking orphan, as well as considerable padding throughout the movie, which could have done with a bit of discipline in the editing suite.

But with a host of cameo performances, a brash, pumping soundtrack, and the overall look of a very snazzy fashion shoot, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle makes for an entertaining couple of hours.

OUT! rating: 7 out of 10