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Legion Stars: Paul Bettany, Lucas Black, Dennis Quaid, Kate Walsh, Kevin Durand, Charles S. Dutton, Adrianne Palicki, Tyrese Gibson, Jon Tenney and Willa Holland Director: Scott Stewart Scriptwriters: Scott Stewart and Peter Schink Composer: John Frizzell Cinematography: John Lindley Screen Gems Rating: R for violence and language Running Length: 115 minutes The end of the world continues into 2010. Legion is another film of what happens when mankind is at the edge of total destruction. This time, in the script by director Scott Stewart and writer Peter Schink, it is God who is making the final decision. Angels look like us and have wings but not the soft fluffy type, heaven would appear to be more like a military camp and God is indecisive and moody at times. Demons will be demons and are present in various forms. There is a wide array of talented actors in the cast, including the renegade angel Michael (Paul Bettany), scene-chomping Dennis Quaid, the quietly effective Lucas Black, a Linda Hamilton-look-alike Adrianne Palicki, the I-don’t-want-to-be-menacing angel Gabriel (Kevin Durand), the mediator Charles S. Dutton, always-on-the-phone Tyrese Gibson, and the out-of-place high society family, Kate Walsh, Jon Tenney and daughter Willa Holland. The twist in the script is that the Angel Michael (foretold in the Book of Daniel), is more of a messenger and would appear when the world is in trouble. Angel Gabriel (meaning a sort of governor) sometimes has a female connotation and sometimes in a peace setting. In the film, “Legion,” Michael does appear just when God’s judgment comes down on mankind and Michael is a warrior. Angel Gabriel, on the other hand, is anything but feminine, carries a medieval club with spikes and is definitely warlike. Angels have disagreements and envy among themselves, and the set up between Michael and Gabriel is much like the disagreement between Cain and Abel. Envy and jealousy. Who is the favorite and why? Remember, the Devil was called “Son of the Morning Star” and is a fallen angel. The bickering continues. Mankind here is represented by a group of people who happen to end up at Paradise Falls, a roadside diner. Dennis Quaid is the owner and with son, Lucas Black, manages to eke out a living. Charles S. Dutton is the cook and Adrianne Palicki (pregnant but doesn’t know the father) is a waitress. Enter Kate Walsh and husband Jon Tenney, plus their spoiled daughter Willa Howard. Tyrese Gibson comes soon after, trying to reach his son despite a custody battle. Before long, demons start arriving and you will have seen the trailer of a grandmother crawling on the ceiling. Angel Gabriel, with enough weapons to make The Terminator happy, arrives and demands everyone protect the expectant mother, believed to be carrying the Messiah from harm, and to be watchful. You know that in thirty movie seconds, the sky becomes black and plagues hit the earth. Transmission is disrupted, electricity off, and even the ice cream man can’t be trusted. The demonized humans can be killed, but the people at the diner are the worst shots. At least ten bullets fired wildly before aiming at a “thing.” Angels wear a collar that keeps them angels, and when Michael removes his, he is human with no wings. It is when a gigantic horn sound (Titanic?) rumbles through the air that you know the avenging Angel Gabriel is on the way. This is Kevin Durand (Lost) who is an effective angel and when dialoguing with Paul Bettany (Michael) is one of the highlights of the film. They are soft-spoken, call each other brother and act like the arguing king’s sons in “The Lion in Winter.” Their battle when Michael is human while Gabriel has metal wings like five-foot razors, is another highlight. Adrianne Palicki as the young mother, looks so much like Linda Hamilton you can’t help but think of The Terminator film here. Lucas Black, as the young man who loves-from-afar, doesn’t have much to say, but his body language speaks page after page. Kate Walsh does hysterical on cue and Dennis Quaid takes his scenes with gusto. For an end-of-the-world film, Legion certainly is inventive and turns the typical angel idea sidewise. Sequel? Look to the skies. Copyright 2010 Marie Asner
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