LEGION

Written by Joseph B. Mauceri

Friday, 22 January 2010

RELEASING: Screen Gems SYNOPSIS: Unaware of the chaos unfolding around the globe, Bob Hanson (QUAID), the owner of a remote roadside café, and his partner Percy (DUTTON) go about business as usual. The restaurant’s beautiful and very pregnant waitress, Charlie (PALICKI), serves breakfast to Sandra and Howard, a well-heeled suburban couple (WALSH and TENNEY) and their teenage daughter Audrey (HOLLAND), as they wait for their car to be repaired by Bob’s son, Jeep (BLACK). When the television goes on the fritz and the phones go out, the group realizes they have lost all communication with the outside world. As they attempt to make sense of what’s happening, an elderly woman (MILLER) arrives. When her steak arrives, she begins spewing shocking obscenities. In a heartbeat, the fragile old lady develops superhuman strength, launching a grisly attack that leaves Howard critically injured. A desperate attempt to get medical help ends when an impenetrable cloud of flying insects turns the diner into the only safe haven for miles. As the horrifying truth of their situation sinks in, a stranger (BETTANY) joins them with an arsenal of stolen weapons. He informs Charlie that her unborn baby is now humanity’s only hope, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to save it. The world is about to become a waking nightmare for the last remnants of mankind as rolling caravans of crazed killers arrive in search of fresh victims and an army of warrior angels bent on total destruction follows close behind them in a unique and terrifying glimpse of the End of Days. (Provided by Studio) CREW: Director/Screenplay - Scott Stewart; Screenplay - Peter Schink; Producer – David Lancaster; Cinematographer – John Lindley; Score – John Frizzell; Production Designer – Jeff Highbotham; Editor – Steven Kemper; Costume Designer – Wendy Partridge; Visual Effects Supervisor – Joe Bauer; Visual Effects Companies - Great FX, Optic Nerve Studios, SPIN VFX, and SPIN West VFX. CAST: PAUL BETTANY… Michael; LUCAS BLACK… Jeep Hansen; TYRESE GIBSON… Kyle; ADRIANNE PALICKI… Charlie; CHARLES S. DUTTON… Percy Walker; JON TENNEY… Jay; KEVIN DURAND… Gabriel; WILLA HOLLAND… Audrey Anderson; KATE WALSH… Sandra Anderson; DENNIS QUAID… Bob Hansen; DOUG JONES – Ice Cream Man. OFFICIAL WEB SITE: www. legionmovie.com ** "REEL" Value: Story: $5.50 Direction: $10.50 Acting: $12.50 Editing: $10.50 Production Design: $12.50 Special Effects: $10.50 Score/Music: $12.50 Costumes: $12.50 VALUE: $10.88 - Following up the end of times films like “The Road” and “Book of Eli,” Scott Stewart’s attempt at a possible End of Days plays out like a great idea that is never fully realized. There seems to be a big chunk missing to the background of this story as to why god is exacting this particular form of vengeance, despite the scripts meager explanation that god is upset with mankind yet again. On top of that I just didn’t buy the demon like creatures that humans become when they are inhabited by angels. From a biblical point of view, I don’t ever recall angels appearing or possessing people where they become these hellish looking, stretchy creatures with shark-like teeth. Still, it is a scary effect. I just could not help but feel there was this flaw with the internal logic of the film that seemed to be fully manifested in a line of dialogue near the end of the film, “You gave him what he wanted. I gave him what he need.” Ok, so it gave LEGION this “Brokeback Mountain” moment. LEGION is a much better film due to cast, visual effects, and score. Bettany, Dutton, Gibson, Quaid, and Durand anchor the drama and deliver lines of dialogue that could easily have been laughable in the hands of less or actors. There is some great cinematic moments between Quaid and Dutton and Dutton and Gibson. The visual effects add to the epic feel of the film as well as adding a genuine creepy atmosphere. Nicely enhancing the performances and effects is the equally epic and haunting score by composer John Frizzell, whose work includes such remakes as “Thirteen Ghosts, “The House on Haunted Hill,” and another Dark Castle film “Ghost Ship.” For all its good points LEGION is just not a film I can tell you to rush out to see. With films like “Book of Eli” still in theaters, “The Road” hopefully due at any time soon, and films like “The Prophecy” and “The Seventh Seal” available thru Netflix, you better serve your craving for apocalypse films with one of those films then joining LEGIONS. ** Based on the regular $12.50 ticket prices at a Manhattan theater Jan. 22nd, 2010.

 

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