Legion

If you were to ask me, 'Is Legion a good film?' I would have to reply a resounding 'No.' However, that flies (like an angel?) in the face of the fact that I originally hired it, then bought it on DVD and have subsequently watched it a few times since. What can I say... I clearly have little taste in films! Sometimes you don't want DeNiro's excellent acting ability, or Christopher Nolan's tales of head-scratching, mind-bending concepts. You'll even forfeit decent dialogue and little character development for simple shooting monsters with big guns. And this is what you get right here.

Basically, God himself is disillusioned with the human race and decides it's time to get rid of them (and kill a baby while he's at it). However, God's top angel (played by Paul Bettany) says 'No way!' and decides to save this special child and, while he's at it, all of us mortals. Now, if this sounds like a feat that couldn't possibly be crammed into just an hour and a half, it all takes place in a restaurant by a freeway in the middle of the desert. Our - sort of - winged hero has to help a band of human survivors fend off wave after wave of (fallen?) angels until the child is born.

It's basically a 'siege' movie. Think 'Assault on Precinct 13' but with monsters attacking those held up in a small, barricaded dwelling. There's nothing more grandiose than that, so if that's the sort of low-brow film you want to watch at the end of a long day's work then you should get what you're looking for. There's plenty of action and shoot-outs and for what it is it's not bad. Just don't go expecting anything too deep and dramatic and you won't be disappointed. Oh and Dennis Quaid is also in it - he tries to act his best with the script he's been given and occasionally comes close to succeeding. But then another battle comes along and you end up losing another extra in a hideous way possible.

It's not amazing, but then I don't think it ever tries to be. Know what it is and keep your expectations low. Don't worry, there's plenty of time to check your smartphone during the lulls in the action. You won't miss a thing.

Legion is about the apocalypse and one fallen angel who tries to save the last hope for humanity. With such a high concept, it's weird how it's actually taking place in a rather constrained space : a truck diner lost in an American desert. My first impression was that the special effects looked cheap (witness the first human transformation and the way "it" talks while barely moving its mouth). It's an impression that stayed with me throughout until perhaps the final antagonist. My second impression was that the acting wasn't that bad. I didn't recognize the actor playing the main angel character (Paul Bettany) until the day after while reading the credits. He's not one we usually see as an action hero in this kind of flick but he gave a decent performance as the strong stoic type. I also remembered Lucas Black (playing Jeep : what a lousy character's name) from the time he was a talented child actor. He still is. We also have the ever reliable Dennis Quaid in a supernatural thriller yet again.

My third impression was that the little old lady (seen in previews) reminded me of the crazy old gypsy woman from "Drag me to Hell". It's no wonder she's shown in previews, it's one of the best moments. However it spoils the surprise. My fourth impression was that following the granny, the "possessed" people were rather slow, stupid and not particularly menacing, very much like zombies even though they were not. My fifth impression was that at least the filmmakers were trying to achieve character moments instead of tiring us out with incessant action. My sixth impression ,after the film, was that considering the origin of the possessed humans and the objective desired, it was really ridiculous and unbelievable to proceed that way especially considering the supposedly superior intelligence at work. My last impression is that although it's certainly watchable as a distraction, it's not really effective or a particularly good film in the genre despite the "angels", seldom seen in features these days. Don't watch "Legion" expecting a big-budget epic fantasy, it's more like an intimate, closed space, last stand b-movie thriller without that many thrills.

Rating: 5 out of 10 for mediocre

P.S. Don't watch it expecting a "legion" of "angels" either. You would be disappointed.

God loses the faith in mankind and order the Angel Michael (Paul Bettany) and a legion of angels to bring the Apocalypse on Earth and exterminate the human race. However, Michael rebels against the order and decides to help the humans. Meanwhile in a diner in the middle of nowhere, the owner Bob Hanson (Dennis Quaid) runs the place with his son Jeep (Lucas Black), the pregnant waitress Charlie (Adrianne Palacki) and his friend Percy Walker (Charles S. Dutton). Their costumers are the Anderson family that is stranded in the place waiting that Jeep fixes their BMW and the lonely Kyle Williams (Tyrese Gibson) that is lost and wants to make a phone call. When an old woman named Glady Foster (Jeanette Miller) arrives in the diner, she attacks Howard Anderson (Jon Tenney) on the neck with her shark teeth and she is finally killed by Kyle. When a police car arrives in the spot, the stranger Michael advises that Earth is the battleground between angels and humans and Glady was only a vessel possessed by an angel. Further, Charlie's should be born to save the humankind.

"Legion" is a film with a promising beginning and a disappointing conclusion. I really expected to enjoy this film, but the story has many clichés and there is no explanation why the bastard son of Charlie would save the human race. I do not understand how people that can find religious background in a blockbuster action movie. Further, if they have trauma with this theme, why wast their time watching this movie? My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Legião" ("Legion")

The Angel Michael (Paul Bettany) plunges from heaven to Earth, after which he cuts off his wings and gets busy with gathering up an arsenal of weapons. In the meantime in an god-forsaken diner in the middle of New Mexico several lost travellers and the diner's employees surprisingly become a central point to the apocalypse. All because of the unborn baby of the diner's hapless waitress. Soon people possessed by angels appear and only Michael's arrival helps stave off the impending doom...

Even with the above basic premise it is easy to figure out where this movie is going. It that sense it is basically a homage to the brilliant Prophecy series (brilliant more in content than acting or direction). Now I must say that I am extremely surprised by the low grades the movie has on IMDb, given that so many worse movies have ratings in their 6s or 7s...

There are definitely things not right in this movie with the whole middle sequence surprisingly poor and borderline terrible in its lack of logic - possessed suddenly stop attacking and let the one thing they are preventing from happening happen... That said the acting was at least good and characters are well presented. Add to that a very good fight sequence with the angel Gabriel and I found this movie a good if uninspiring watch.

This movie didn't arrive in my country with much fanfare, so before I bought a ticket I did some research. Most reviews were negative, but I went to see it out of pure boredom. I didn't expect much and having read all the negative reviews I watched it with my critics glasses on.

I actually enjoyed this movie. Never have I given a movie 8/10 before. Why did I do it now? Performances. I reckon the people who went out to see this movie expected blood, guts and fecal matter flying all over the place. Instead they found hardcore actors doing what they do best. Even lesser known actors were up there doing it with the masters of the industry. Paul Bettany is one of the most underrated actors of our time. When has he ever given anything but a solid performance? Dennis Quaid? His prettiness might be a thing of the past, but as a performer he grows with every movie he makes. The same goes for the whole cast. They all acted like superstars.

You won't like this movie if you're into mindless B-grade BS. If, however, you like movies because the actors telling the story makes a fantasy feel so real you actually feel you're gonna break the armrests off your chair you should do yourself a favor and see this movie.

On a final note. Being a Christian myself I did not find this movie offensive at all.