Utter dreck

smkroh

I won't bother recounting the story background, I just want to vent about the many things I thought were unforgivably stupid:

1. The book of Hebrews is in the New Testament, morons.

2. Don't write your script about a deep subterranean ancient site and then shoot it on a set that looks like a generic basement boiler room/custodian's office.

3. The team is supposedly a mercenary unit, but lots of dialog as the movie grinds along makes it sound like they are on active duty with the government. Note that I don't even have to get into a critique of their skill or behavior to find a fatal flaw.

4. Would an ancient religious order dedicated to preserving the entrapment of an ancient evil have so many members who look like generic modern-day clerics? Wouldn't something with monastic robes and ancient holy weapons have been more fun? Why do half of them look like scientists and half like Father Central Casting? Are they here to fight the evil or study it? The movie can't make up its mind and probably doesn't know.

5. Cuba Gooding's flashback is supposedly critical to his character, but it rehashes the same footage endlessly, only revealing about 2 seconds of new info each time. When the "big reveal" comes it's nothing that earth-shaking, and feels empty because of a total lack of context or consequences, other than "he once did something he's ashamed of," but doled out like it's going to be as vital as the Zapruder film or something.

6. Why don't all the bad guys leave while the mercs are stumbling around getting killed?

7. How many nephilim are there in this particular location? The script sets it up as one, then says "we" and "they" an awful lot. And not in a context where it makes sense that all nephilim around the world are being discussed.

8. What is the threat? Seduction by evil? Madness? Are the sores and the black gook just a symptom or a part of the corruption process? Once again, the script doesn't know or care. One minute the gook burns like acid, the next it makes you into a demon foot-soldier.

A horror/action/suspense film that plays in the unfilled areas of the theological map can be awesome. The first Prophecy film is a sterling example. But you have to do your homework. Know something about both orthodox religion and its heretical offshoots before you start playing with alternative histories and theologies. The random, bland, conspiracy pap spouted by this script is indefensible. "It's all a game! They're playing us for fools! They're just playing both sides against the middle! Everything you believe is a lie!" Yawn.

score 2/10

smkroh 4 May 2011

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2424162/