Legion

When I first saw previews for this film over the past summer I knew right away that I couldn't wait to see it. After finally viewing it yes, I was slightly disappointed. But it wasn't as extreme as some films when they make the film look like it is going to be the best film ever through its trailer and then its really not at all. For me, personal examples include 21 and 30 Days of Night.

First The Book of Eli. Then Legion. In 2 weeks 2 movies heavily centered on the religion & God topic. I'm surprised there isn't rioting in the streets. The first missed the mark by a mile. Legion not so badly, even though it was a far from perfect movie. Legion stars Paul Bettany as an angel from heaven sent to kill a baby that will potentially save from mankind only he can't do it so he joins Dennis Quaid, Tyrese Gibson and others who are holding up in a diner to fight off whatever and whomever God is going to send there way to protect the baby, themselves and mankind. Right off the bat, the plot does not sound Oscar worthy and it sounds immediately like a movie that the critics will start bashing. Which, as of this writing, it holds 18% on rotten tomatoes. As the film opens, Michael (Bettany) the God defying angel is cast down from heaven and loses his wings and all of the people that are going to get stuck inside the diner arrive. Personally, Kyle (Gibson) is my favorite. He plays the role of the stereotype "black guy with a gun who has a heart with a kid." Again, yes a stereotype role but he does it well. After some of the stranded people try to leave the diner and run into a wall of bugs, the battle is on. Yes, the wall crawling old woman (and she brings along with her a few words that you won't hear in the previews) and the man with the long fingers and huge mouth that you see in the previews are in film. Neither one of them stay in the film for very long but while they are in it, they missed the mark. I mean, come on. Really? How do they except me to take that seriously? The film even includes a shot of heaven. No film has ever been able to pull that off and this one is no exception. The film continues to move along with the survivors trying to put the whole thing together and fight for their lives as different "tests" or waves of blood seeking God possessed people are placed before them. But hey, at least God isn't going back on his word that he won't ever flood us out again. The film overall did have several pluses for me. Including Dennis Quaid who is always awesome no matter where he shows up. The film managed to bring some emotion out of me when some characters were killed. You can't believe in the plot, the angels, the possessed people but I could believe for the people in film. Maybe I'm a sucker, but that was enough to keep me entertained. If their faith wasn't being tested, they were having problems of their own to deal with.

Just by reading the first line of a plot summary of this film, you know that it won't be a film that you're going to be able to take seriously. And you really can't either. That's the problem today with most critics. They expect every movie to be as good as The Godfather, as powerful as The Shawshank Redemption and as entertaining as The Dark Knight. It doesn't work like that. I walked into this film knowing I wasn't going to see the best thing but that I was going to be entertained for the next 2 hours. And was I right? Damn right I was. The filmed failed on the level that the only real believable aspect of it is the characters. I just couldn't totally buy into the angles or the "angel demons". The people that God possessed to come and kill the baby were a little overdone. Well, actually very overdone. The wall crawling old woman and Mr. Fantastic who comes driving in in an ice cream truck don't exactly scream serious. I also didn't care much for the last 15 or so minutes. Otherwise, by not excepting the next movie to sweep the country in pandemonium, it was good.

Final Verdict: C+