2010’s Legion, directed by Scott Stewart and starring Paul Bettany, is just a god-awful movie. How’s that for a subtle opening line? It’s not for want of a cast of talented actors. Though some in that squad are less than spectacular in this film, they’ve proven themselves worthy in other roles. Paul Bettany, cast as God’s soldier Michael here, has shown his acting chops in Master and Commander. Even Dennis Quaid has turned in some fine performances over the years. The rest of the cast have all redeemed themselves in other roles (except maybe Lucas Black, who is tragically called on to be the heart of Legion).
No, the cast is not the problem.
And it’s not the effects. There are some truly epic shots, from a plague of flies to an exploding Jon Tenny, to flights of angels filling the darkening sky. The effects were suitable for any blockbuster.
No, the problem with Legion is the script. Every character is a cliché. Every line is a retread or worse, a cringe-inducing bit of sap. And all of that in service of a plot that could have been a Supernatural episode. Adrianne Palicki, the mother of humanity’s savior here, is perhaps better known for being Sam Winchester’s ill-fated girlfriend in Supernatural. The plot of Legion feels like it was repurposed leavings from that show’s writers room, dressed up with big-budget effects.
With Supernatural, one can forgive the silliness of angels that can be mowed down with a machine gun, but this film, elevated as it tries to be, only points out how stupid it is.
2 of 5 stars
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