This movie would make a great double-feature with "Gymkata." Indeed, there are so many similarities between both films, I wonder if "Spitfire" was intended as a sequel. Could be...
In "Gymkata," gorgeous Kurt Thomas played a champion gymnast recruited by the U.S. Government as a Double 0-type agent; he flick-flaked and fought his way through a fictional European country, where he tripped over his missing-and-presumed-dead father.
In "Spitfire," gorgeous Kristie Phillips plays a champion gymnast who becomes a Double 0-type agent by accident; she flick-flaks and fights her way through several non-fictional countries, where she keeps tripping over numerous half-brothers and half-sisters (all secret-service types in their own right) she never knew she had.
If only "Spitfire" had done more along the lines of this charming homage to James Bond! Unfortunately, the nifty martial-arts sequences are negated by too many likable characters getting killed off. Even worse, poor Kristie is repeatedly upstaged by morally slack super-spy Lance Henriksen and obnoxious sports-reporter Tim Thomerson...even though she packs more charisma than the two of them put together! Nevertheless, Phillips makes for a sensational gymnast/martial artist AND a pretty good actress...oh, and she looks great in a leotard to boot. Too bad the script doesn't do nearly as much for her as she does for it! That is, unless you count seeing her dodge bullets. (Where was she when they cast "The Matrix"!?) Of course, they DO leave the door open for a sequel; better luck next time, Kristie...
In "Gymkata," gorgeous Kurt Thomas played a champion gymnast recruited by the U.S. Government as a Double 0-type agent; he flick-flaked and fought his way through a fictional European country, where he tripped over his missing-and-presumed-dead father.
In "Spitfire," gorgeous Kristie Phillips plays a champion gymnast who becomes a Double 0-type agent by accident; she flick-flaks and fights her way through several non-fictional countries, where she keeps tripping over numerous half-brothers and half-sisters (all secret-service types in their own right) she never knew she had.
If only "Spitfire" had done more along the lines of this charming homage to James Bond! Unfortunately, the nifty martial-arts sequences are negated by too many likable characters getting killed off. Even worse, poor Kristie is repeatedly upstaged by morally slack super-spy Lance Henriksen and obnoxious sports-reporter Tim Thomerson...even though she packs more charisma than the two of them put together! Nevertheless, Phillips makes for a sensational gymnast/martial artist AND a pretty good actress...oh, and she looks great in a leotard to boot. Too bad the script doesn't do nearly as much for her as she does for it! That is, unless you count seeing her dodge bullets. (Where was she when they cast "The Matrix"!?) Of course, they DO leave the door open for a sequel; better luck next time, Kristie...