3 out of 5 StarsDrew Barrymore set out to make an updated version of her favorite childhood TV show that emphasized the hip sexuality and independence of three highly skilled private investigators — and she succeeded.

“Charlie’s Angels” delivers fistfuls of action and manages to exceed the normal limitations of this retro TV genre of films while remaining true to the original.

The plot is better than average and that helps. Everything starts typically enough for a “Charlie’s Angels” episode. We are introduced to Angels Dylan, Alex and Natalie (Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz). Each one has special skills, but all are beautiful bad-asses recruited by reclusive millionaire Charlie Townsend to solve the toughest of cases with style.

The Angels are called in to solve the case of a kidnapped software king Eric Knox. Knox has apparently been kidnapped by Roger Corwin, president of Red Star Communications. The ladies need to retrieve Knox and determine whether or not Red Star has pirated his revolutionary voice recognition software, which would allow them to end privacy as we know it.

The Angels go undercover with Bosley (Bill Murray) to a party at Corwin’s house where they hope to tail a suspect known as Thin Man, played by Crispin Glover, who is known for his role of George McFly in “Back to the Future.” Thin Man shows up, takes a hike and the Angels immediately get into it with him.

Now any movie that can make Crispin Glover look like a martial arts expert who could hold his own against three women of any skill level deserves some kudos.

This first taste of plot-related action makes heavy use of the same special effects we saw in “The Matrix.” This made for impressive cinematic martial arts violence, but became distracting later on as the action increased and pushed beyond the boundaries of believability.

The Angels get their software king, but soon learn they and their boss have been set up. Knox is obsessed with Charlie because he believes the former Green Beret killed his father. Now the Angels and Bosley must stop Knox before he stops Charlie permanently.

First and foremost, this is an action movie. It’s in the same vein as “Mission Impossible” but goes much lighter on the drama. “Mission Impossible” is bucking for the James Bond audience, while “Charlie’s Angels” is taking a definite stand as something new the original series never managed to be: a tough, female action film that appeals to both men and women.

Say what you will, the original series was all about the T&A, the action and the plots took turns being the weakest thing about the show. “Charlie’s Angels” appealed to men and women for different reasons and even though it objectified its female cast, girls had no better role models on TV in the late ’70s.

What Drew Barrymore has managed to do as producer is take this show out of the disco decade and modernize it. A tongue-in-cheek gag about the original pops up every few minutes and these jokes act as a constant reminder that we are watching a parody. There will surely be a sequel, and that movie will do well to turn the parody down a notch.

One of the worst features of this feature is the music. The soundtrack plays like a cheese-filled best of the ’80s and ’90s double disc set. The Vapors, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Blink 182, Rod Stewart and more. The music never stops, it’s like an episode of “The Real World” with 15 seconds of one song followed by five seconds of another just for a couple of lines that apply indirectly to the action.

Diaz, Barrymore and Liu looked right for their parts and in spite of the heavy use of special effects to heighten their martial skills, it was obvious they had trained hard to pull some of the moves they used.

Crispin Glover’s Thin Man was spooky in only the way Crispin Glover can be spooky.

Bill Murray was a joy as usual. His Bosley was so much more entertaining than the original because the original was just a blank slate. Murray made the part his own. He made it Bill Murray and that was good enough.

The film is a couple hours of light entertainment that could have used fewer special effects, songs and cliches, but most viewers will have fun.