Once again we see a graphic novel based story reduced to a PG-13 rating for the sake of potential monetary gain. I hate when studios pull this scheme, and it seems to be a habit as of late. Hindering the violence for the sake of a more lucrative product, Screen Gems walked a find line with Scott Charles Stewart's Priest. Luckily for them, the film survives the monstrous editing and still finds a way to come out on top - well mostly.
In Priest, Paul Bettany reunites with his Legion director for yet another religious-themed action tale. The story is centered around a legendary Warrior Priest who wonders in obscurity among other regular human inhabitants in a futuristic city ruled by the Church. When his niece (Lily Collins) is abducted by a murderous pack of vampires, our leading heroine breaks his sacred vows and ventures out on an action packed quest to find her. He is joined on his crusade by his niece's boyfriend (Cam Gigandet), a trigger-fingered young sheriff, and a former Warrior Priestess (Maggie Q) who possesses otherworldly fighting skills.
What the film lacks in originality it makes up for in action. The explosions are big and the fighting scenes are intense, especially considering the film's PG-13 rating. Many will see the post-apocalyptic theme as a 'been-there-done-that' storyline, however, in this context, it works.
The 3D adds little to the overall effect of the film, and the increased ticket prices makes the added dimension an easy one to pass up. And if you are looking for a comparable analysis, Priest is far better than Legion - thought that really isn't saying too much. I mean, the film is good, but you gotta be in the mood to really enjoy it. If you aren't, well, it won't be received well.
