It’s a funny thing, the expectations one has when going to a sequel. I can say personally that there were only two movies I was looking forward to at the beginning of this summer 2003 season. I’ve seen a few others that blew me away, some that have disappointed terribly.”Full Throttle” is the first of the two I’ve been looking forward to, and it certainly did not disappoint.

Natalie Cook (Cameron Diaz of “Gangs of New York”), Dylan Sanders (Drew Barrymore of “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”) and Alex Munday (Lucy Liu of “Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever”) are still at it, doing what they do best. Saving the world in style with new confidante Jimmy Bosley (Bernie Mac of TV’s “The Bernie Mac Show”) and the Charlie Townsend Detective Agency.

The database containing the country’s witness protection program participants, called HALO (the acronym of which I can’t remember what it means, not like it mattered anyway), has been stolen. It can be found in the form of two unfashionable rings which must be joined to make sense of the list.

Former Angel Madison Lee (former starlet Demi Moore, in a gray-area performance), Alex’s father (British comedian John Cleese in a throwaway, but delightful role) and the Creepy Thin Man are entangled in the Angels’ lives amongst this latest case. Motorcycles chases, warehouse brawls and more are in store for the crime-fighting trio with the most.

If you’re wondering what that most is, I’ll say this. You won’t like this movie.

In its own way, “Full Throttle” is to “Charlie’s Angels” as “Toy Story 2” was to “Toy Story.” The original was good, but the sequel was 10 times better. The thing is, “Toy Story” was a great movie in general. “Charlie’s Angels” was great popcorn fun, no brains attached.

It could translate into “Full Throttle” being 10 times dumber, but alas, that would be missing the point. The film, and everyone involved, is very well-aware of what goes on in “Charlie’s Angels.” The wire-assisted stunts are executed with just enough exaggeration as to say, “We know this is stupid, but it’s so stupid, it’s funny!”Not exactly the kind of mentality that goes into making legendary cinema, but if you want to make a few bucks entertaining today’s “it” generation, it’s a good way to go.

The cast is clearly having fun here. Starting with an opening where Diaz is in the sort of scantily clad white fur outfit that makes her look like a giddy school girl without the plaid, straddling a mechanical bull a la “Urban Cowboy,” you know the rest of the cast won’t be far behind with playing off of their own unique personalities and sexuality.

Barrymore gets some down time by being the Angel in doubt of her part in the agency, while Liu has an opportunity for regulation double-entendres versus Cleese, surely one of the world’s top comedians.The action pieces are a full-on sensory assault, so far-fetched that it can’t help but be as big a barrel of laughs as all three girls dancing to “U Can’t Touch This” by M.C. Hammer (yes, that does happen here too).

Summer is about kicking back, scoping out the biological scenery and letting things explode in one form or another in style. Charlie’s Angels delivers that, in “Full Throttle.”