When Max was nine, she and a group of other children broke out of the laboratory where they had been created and experimented on their whole lives. Now she lives in a city devastated when America was plunged into a deep depression by the electromagnetic pulse of a nuclear weapon detonated over the country. Working by day as a bike courier, she also doubles as a thief at night, using her genetically enhanced abilities to carry out impossible robberies.

Then, one night, she waltzes into the penthouse apartment of a man who turns out to be a rebel broadcaster trying to undermine those who are using the situation to cheat and lie and murder their way to comfortable lives. He is helping a mother and daughter bring down a bogus pharmaceutical magnate, but when they are snatched, Max decides that it's time to take a stand, but on her own terms.

Developed by James Cameron (of TERMINATOR fame), we had high hopes of DARK ANGEL, but it fails to live up to them in this opening feature length pilot. The backdrop is interesting enough, but comes across as just another mildly dystopian future. There is some moderate action, but nothing really to get excited about.

Of course this is the opening episode and so there is still time for the show to find its feets and come up with something better, but it will need much better plots than the thin one on display here.

Another problem here could be Jessica Alba as Max. She is a perfectly able actress, but the ultimate badass she is not and when she has to come across as threatening she fails miserably. Still, there is time for both her and the show to get better.