The late Oscar winner,Sean Connery, is known for many iconic roles, especially Agent 007,James Bond, inthe Bond film series. Connery was the first actor toportray Bond on the big screen. However,Connery’s illustrious careeronly had one villainous turn inThe Avengers. No, not Marvel’sThe Avengers! The other Avengers!The Avengersis a spy movie with British source material.This film featured Connery portraying a Bond-style villain, Sir August de Wynter, opposite an A-list cast. However, the poorly edited film failed to garner any success. It’s time to take a deeper look at Connery’s rare wicked outing in the 1990s big-budget adaptation of the classic 1960s hit television show of the same name!
‘The Avengers’ Is Based on the Classic 1960s Television Series
The Avengerswasa popular spy show that ran from 1961 to 1969. The British series eventually found its way to the U.S. airwaves and became a bonafide hit. The show is best known for its stars,Patrick MacneeandDiana Rigg, for their respective portrayals of British Intelligence agents John Steed and Emma Peel.The Avengerswasa trendsetting, groundbreaking showfor its time, and it was a huge success. Rigg joined the series as Emma Peel midway into its run, and her character became a feminist icon of the era as a lady spy and heroine. Ms. Peel’s trendy black leather outfitsproved symbolic of the 1960s and became historically influential.
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WhileThe Avengerswas enjoying great success on television,the James Bond franchisemade its cinematic debut in 1962. Connery starred in the first five films as Bond, which were global smash hits.The Avengers’Rigg would even join the Bond series in 1969, portraying Bond’s love interest, Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo, inOn Her Majesty’s Secret Service, oppositeGeorge Lazenby. Macnee would also join the Bond franchise, appearing oppositeRoger Moorein 1985’sA View to a Kill. In many ways, James Bond andThe Avengersenjoyed parallel success in the 1960s.
‘The Avengers’ Featured an A-List Cast
The Avengersmovie boasted an impressive cast. Rising Hollywood it-girlUma Thurmanportrayed the famous Emma Peel oppositeRalph Fiennesas John Steed, who was fresh offhis acclaimed, Oscar-nominated performanceinThe English Patient. Fiennes was actually up for the role of James Bond in the mid-1990s, but the role ultimately went toPierce Brosnan. The film features Peel and Steed against the villainous Sir August de Wynter, played by Connery. For once, Connery was playing against type in his performance as a megalomaniacal scientist who wants to hold the world hostage by controlling the weather. Yeah, that sounds exactly likethe modus operandi of a Bond villain.
Sean Connery Delivers a Scene-Chewing Performance as August de Wynter
Unfortunately,Connery’s charisma and acting abilitycould not salvageThe Avengers, as the film suffered from tonal whiplash. In one scene, Connery’s August de Wynter meets with his allies in a room where they are dressed in giant, plush teddy bear costumes. Connery’s performance is too campy, goofy, and silly to take seriously. Unfortunately, his attempts to imbue the role withhis trademark wit and some Bond-style double entendres failed to elevate the role. At one point, Sir De Wynter tells Peel, “One should never fear…being wet,” in a groan-inducing line. The film’s disjointed editing and nonsensical plot didn’t help matters.
‘The Avengers’ Flopped With Both Critics and Audiences
Despite an impressive cast, beloved source material, and a relatively high budget for its time,The Avengersflopped critically and commercially after hitting theaters in the late summer of 1998. Audiences were not inspired to check outThe Avengers, even with Connery in a rare villainous role. The film suffers from choppy editing and an incoherent plot. ScreenwriterDon Macphersonexplained during an August 2023 interview withYahoo! Entertainmentthat Warner Bros. studio executives panicked after disastrous test screenings,so the film was butchered in the editing room. As a result, the final cut was horrendously disjointed and lacked proper narrative cohesion. Critics ripped the film apart, andThe Avengersfailed to ride the wave of the more successful spy films of the era, such asBrosnan’s Bond filmsandMission: Impossible.
The Avengersisa unique oddity in Connery’s career, as it’s the only time he portrayed an outright villain. Sir August de Winter more closely resemblesthe goofier, campier James Bond villainsofthe Roger Moore Erathan the Bond films starring Connery. Regardless,it’s still somewhat amusing to see Connery play the antagonist for a changeand dressed in an absurd, plush teddy bear costume.The Avengersis an underwhelming movie, but it’s still interesting to look back at how a film with such a strong pedigree fumbled the ball.
The Avengersis available to rent on Apple TV+ in the U.S.
The Avengers
A formidable enemy endangers global security, prompting Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D., to assemble an extraordinary team of heroes. As tensions rise, this diverse group must unite to prevent a looming catastrophe, leveraging their unique abilities to uphold peace and protect the world from impending disaster.
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