Perhaps you already know Julie, Linc, and Pete. Maybe you were a rabid devotee of Aaron Spelling's late '60s/early '70s drama and can rattle off every episode without breaking a sweat. Congratulations. Now be warned: this Mod Squad was made to impress one group only -- those who've already propelled Carrie 2 to the top. In other words, it's intended for people who weren't even born when you were sitting in front of that T.V. so many years ago.

The basic plot is the same: three lousy kids, Linc (Omar Epps), Pete (Giovanni Ribisi) and Julie (Claire Danes), turned into three reluctant cops. When each one is busted, Captain Greer (Dennis Farina) gives them their choice of jail or narc work. Naturally, none chooses jail, and thus is born this motley squad. Their duty is a little hazy, but it doesn't matter; when a friend is killed and posthumously framed, they jettison their assignment and set out to find the real evildoers, making the world safe for its citizens once again. Unfortunately, since they were only trained to gather info for the real police, all three are relatively clueless, and have no protection whatsoever: no guns, no badges, and no authority.

What follows is a run-through of cop-movie cliches, so outrageously by-the- numbers that even the characters mock the predictability. Some will no doubt object to the lack of imagination, or even logic, behind the plot. Since I was having a good time, and it appeared that most onscreen participants were as well, I chose to assume that director Scott Silver intended his film to be a parody of the genre, rather than a straightforward remake. That may have been a generous assessment, but his movie offers two things most blockbuster-wannabes lack: a genuinely electric performance, and thoughtful, often thrilling visuals. The first comes care of Omar Epps, as Linc. While Ribisi steps into the Steve Zahn-comic relief role with a little too much dopey zest, and Danes, way out of her element, flatly attempts to convince us that she's been vastly overrated, Epps brings the screen alive every time he appears. So, too, does cinematographer Ellen Kuras (Swoon), whose camera confidently captures Silver's slightly off-center vision of '70s cool filtered through '90s eyes.

After such appalling fare as The Avengers and My Favorite Martian, why would anyone willingly take on another remake? Judging by this mixed bag, as a chance to showcase three rising young actors in cool clothes to the ever-important teenage audience. It only partially succeeds, but these days, just one revelation per studio hit -- and Epps and Kuras make two -- sounds solid to me.

http://www.film.com/film-review/1999/11891/1470/default-review.html