LEGION: Exorcist meets Rambo meets Crouching Tiger

So I finally watched Legion.  A movie review site that I trust recommended it as a strong rental.  So for the uninitiated, Legion is a film about the apocalypse.  Angels are sent to Earth because the big man upstairs is once again at his wits end with humanity, ala Moses and the Arc.  The movie has some horror vibe, in addition to some nice action scenes.  Special effects are decent, of course CGI plays a large role.  Call me old fashioned but if used wrong CGI can kill a flick.  I'm not saying that happened here, just throwing it out there so you know where I am coming from.



Basically, the plot feels familiar because you've probably seen it before.  Hey, I like apocalypse stories, probably more than the next guy, and I dig movies with biblical references as well, and I like action films too.  So I should love this movie right? Right?  Wrong!  The movie was o.k.  It had a lot of potential, but sadly it just didn't come through in any department.  Some scenes are cool.  No doubt you have seen the grandma from hell from trailers and previews, and there is a reason for that, it's probably the best part of the whole damn movie.

The movie starts out vague, and then gets even more cloudy.  The movie just goes nowhere and never really develops.  Pacing is off and the whole thing just leaves you saying, "that was it?"  A whole lot of nothing happens.  And the worse part is that nothing is explained to us, such as "why now," "why this baby," "why the horrible actor?"  Looking at the talent in the film, Dennis Quad, a favorite of mine, he does alright.  Tyra, of Friday Night Lights fame, makes the film watchable, if you know what I mean (yes I just made the 'wink wink' face).  Charles Dutton probably gives the best performance.  But for the life of me I just cannot figure out how Lucas Black continues to get roles.  Black plays "Jeep," a stereotypical 'hick,' with no future and a dumb accent, basically the same schmuck Black has played in every other film.  We get it, you're not the brightest bulb (if you want to know what Black's character is like and you have seen Jarhead, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, or Friday Night Lights, then you have already seen it) who keeps hiring this guy?  And yes, I only know his name because I looked it up to see what the terrible actors name was.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Some may say I am being too harsh.  Truth be told, maybe I am.  Legion isn't a bad movie.  It is a movie that had potential and wet the bed, so why waste your time when there are so many better films?

For better films in a similar vein rent or buy:




















The Verdict: Pass, unless you really have nothing else to watch, or your aunt Velma gave it to you as a present.

Pass the popcorn and stay tuned for a classic review: A Nightmare on Elm Street is coming up next!