Earlier this summer, Angelina Jolie had a big hit with the mediocre Tomb Raider. That picture was absolute genius compared to the dull mess of her latest Original Sin. I say this in spite of the regular appearance of her beautiful breasts and Antonio Banderas' near perfect ass.

Original Sin is a strange pulp noir period piece in which the compelling Jolie plays a sort of mail order bride, purloined by Banderas to be his new wife. The two take an immediate liking to one another, but before long, a bizarre mystery unravels. Is Jolie's character who she claims to be? This is just one of many plot revelations that unfold amid a total absence of "who gives a shit." You'd think, at the very least, a film with this many double crosses and naked stars would be a little exciting. You'd be wrong.

Jolie does have a commanding screen presence. There's alot going on behind those deceiving eyes. Banderas, by comparison, can't quite seem to hold his own, although he tries awfully hard. Thomas Jane (Deep Blue Sea) shows up as a private investigator hot on Jolie's trail. Jane is nothing special here. Still, this is hardly an interesting character, so it isn't all his fault.

Director Micahel Christopher (Gia, Body Shots) actually got his start in screenwriting (Bonfire of the Vanities, Witches of Eastwick) and here, he pulls double duty. He is going for a strange kind of lurid melodrama, but the film is quite predictable and moves at a sluggish pace. The story deals with themes of passion, lust, obsession, and revenge but the film never manages to make you give a friggin' hoot. Even the obvious sex scenes are sorely lacking in sparks.

Although I was a bit surprised by Banderas' ultimate fate in this picture, it was all pretty silly as a whole. I must have looked at my watch seven or eight times through the screening. Original Sin owes a lot to Dangerous Liasions, Eyes Wide Shut and Basic Instinct, all of which are far better films. This forgettable picture was actually slated for release back in May, but apparently MGM didn't have much faith in it. After watching it, I could see why. Despite talented leads, Original Sin ends up committing the ultimate cinematic sin--boredom.