First of all, I would like to reiterate that I hope that if people are interested in a movie, that they would still see it for themselves, not simply taking anyone's opinion as fact. I am also trying to keep my reviews in whole numbers, instead of sticking in the halves. It's all a part of my attempt to become a more decisive person. With that out of the way, let me elaborate on my own opinions, mostly for my own benefit, since, really, who's reading this anyway:
Legion was never going to have it easy. It's opening in January, it's being billed as an action flick starring Paul Bettany, and it has the whole apocalyptic thing going on, a subject that in the last few months is sounding a lot like a dead horse. And yes, I know a dead horse probably wouldn't be making much noise. But I was intrigued by it, and in what looks like it might be it's last week in theaters, I finally got to see it. I wasn't disappointed.
Centering on the goal of a descended archangel, Michael (Paul Bettany), Legion is the story of the end of the human race, an "extermination" as we're told. And here's where things make you go "huh?" The ones in charge of the extermination aren't demons, or monsters out of the book of Revelations, but angels themselves, doing God's bidding. As is almost always the case, humanity has disappointed, in oh so many ways, and the ref is blowing the whistle.
It all comes to a head in a diner (not coincidentally called Paradise Falls I'm sure) in a corner of the Mojave Desert that time seems to have forgotten. Owned by a father who's lost his faith (a gruff Dennis Quaid), Paradise Falls is a respite to all who walk through it's doors, until a little old lady starts sporting baby shark teeth and black pupils and crawling on the ceiling. That's when everything starts to go to hell...or heaven...for both patrons and employees. The cast is solid, the highlights of which come from veterans like Quaid and Charles S. Dutton (a personal favorite from Rudy) and an honest, if archaic performance from Lucas Black (who'll always be the kid from American Gothic to me) and the story is intriguing, with an ending that surprises a bit.
Though billed as an action movie, it is somewhat difficult to put a specific genre on this one, but for some reason it didn't feel as sporadic to me as The Wolfman. There are interesting questions brought up, but not all of them are tackled, that would be a much longer movie, but I appreciate the fact that a movie that could have been a throw-away, at least attempts to bring in some social commentary. It was very reminiscent to me of Constantine, so if you liked that, you'll probably like this.
Overall: 3 out of 5
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