Guardian

1st watched 8/12/2001 - 5 out of 10(Dir-John Terlesky): Interesting yet unfulfilling strange action/sci fi yarn with good performance by Mario Van Peebles. This was an enjoyable movie until the tel-al demon seemed invincible and although I won't give away the ending, it really took the movie from "thumbs up" to "thumbs down" status for me. I was routing for this picture because of the variety of bad-movies that Van Peebles has been involved with, but despite Van Peebles well-done performance the movie didn't quite make it.

The plot really wasn't even much of one and I thought it meandered all over the place like a drunk leaving a bar. In the end, I felt that the director (if he can really call himself one) left far too many loose threads than should be allowed.

The premise of the movie didn't make much sense, either. The way it started off was pretty lame. Following 'Telal' from his 'escape,' if you can call it that, made no sense. Having Selena conveniently explain stuff didn't make it any easier to swallow, either. The superstitious mumbo jumbo didn't make the movie any more interesting, it just provided more of a convenient vehicle to drag it out.

Overall, a really bad movie. I think it lowered my IQ several points! I wouldn't recommend it to anybody.

May Telal be a curse upon this horrid movie!

I watched this for free on Tubi, it was very similar to the Denzel Washington Film Fallen where a demon can travel through people's bodies.

Mario Van Peebles and James Remar play two detectives who get drawn into spiritual warfare and a battle for humanity.

Sure, some of the effects are dated by today's standards but there is a solid story there.

I guess it resonated with me because I believe that spiritual warfare is actually real, Ice-T and WC from Westside Connection also play a club owner and his friend respectively.

It won't be for everyone but give it a go if this is your type of thing.

28 July 2005. The production values and the made-for-television look is all over this little movie, yet the sincerity of the script, the actors that just don't quite have the polish make this movie a rather difficult one to just jump to judgment. Unlike most of the low-budget movies, this movie's script didn't take the easy way out with its characters and normally the American version is more pat than happens in this movie. At times it's almost a movie from one of those religious stations but without the heavy emphasis on preaching and following the path of right or wrong. Thus, this movie is a cut above, but its production values and stilted style bring it down as well. A somewhat hollow but admirable movie in its unwillingness to be just one of those one of many movies that cop out (pun intended). By the end there is a lingering memorable resonance, an emotional recycling of both sacrifice and redemption.

I just saw this on the WB, and I can see why the previous comments weren't favorable. "Guardian" (2000) is put together like any of a number of books I've read over the years; important information is handed out at the beginning, then the story/action distracts and pulls the viewer or reader into another scenario, then the two are blended and brought to an end that refers back to the beginning info. I think the reason the end isn't fulfilling to some is that they aren't catching the hint given part way through the movie: "She'll take good care of him". And some perfectly good innocents get zapped along the way, which is a bummer. But that's all I'll say about that stuff.

As for comparing "Guardian" to "Fallen", well, I think the movies have only one element in common, and I disliked "Fallen" so much it sits on my shelf collecting dust.

Relatively formulaic, "Guardian" (2000) starts with an archaeologist digging up something he shouldn't, then the world as we know it is in danger unless a very human "chosen one" succeeds in saving the day. Mix that up with some modern cops-against-drugs scenes, a mysterious new drug, a couple protectors of a god's prophet-to-be, some supernatural goings on, and you have yourself a pretty good movie with several main characters portrayed by people you'll recognize even if you don't know their names. On the down side, if you don't read a lot, or if you read only non-fiction, you might not be able to follow the story.

I thought the effects were great in that nothing was *obviously* computer-assisted, and the movie contained a healthy mix of stunts and other effects opportunities for variety. I didn't get bored at all. By the way, the "Matrix" reference made by another user is half correct; the woman's coat makes me think of "The Matrix" but the woman's stunts (IMO) are better compared to Alice's of "Resident Evil" fame, and very well done at that.

I can recommend "Guardian" (2000) to anyone who might like the mix of detective story with supernatural and hero elements. And I'd like to mention that I didn't see anything I would call Sci-Fi; I'd label this Action/Supernatural/Thriller, or just a Supernatural Thriller.