Marjorie Baumgarten

24 May 2012

Bettany exudes an intensity that lays the groundwork for an interesting character, but Priest hasn't a prayer of creating anything more subtle than the giant cross tattooed on his face.

Thomas Leupp

24 May 2012

A surprisingly effective piece of genre filmmaking, littered with flaws but none so glaring as to sink the film as a whole.

PWNYCNY

24 May 2012

A good movie.

Let's get down to brass tacks: This is a good movie. Okay, there aresome who might write off this movie as just another scary pseudo sci-fiflick but it's actually much more than that. The movie tells a story,is well acted, has well defined heroes and villains, has good specialeffects and is fast paced, with a beginning, a middle and an end. Themovie does not ask much from the audience accept to sit back and enjoythe ride. Setting a movie in the future is always risky because thesetting may be so ludicrous as to ruin the story. However, this is notthe case in this movie. Here, mankind is at war and people under siege.Given this premise, the behavior of the characters and theirinteractions with one another becomes plausible and comprehensible,thus making for a good movie. The movie could have benefited from morecharacter development, especially of the main character played by PaulBethany, but still there is enough information to appreciate hischaracter's role. This movie succeeds in grabbing and keeping theaudience's attention and that alone is enough to recommend it.

Jim Lane

23 May 2012

The parallels between Priest and The Searchers are extensive, and spotting them provides some fun in what might otherwise be a pretty dismal experience.

23 May 2012

Priest 3D The post converted 3D is well done with good depth

Priest the movie in 3D is a fairly entertaining, dark action film. Set in a post apocalyptic desert overrun with mutant monster vampires, there's plenty of good action with Paul Bettany as Priest, who sets out against the Church's orders, to rescue a captive girl taken by Karl Urban (Lord of the Rings, Doom) as the human vampire ring leader. After doing so, the Bishop sends out a crew of Priests, including the well fighting Maggie Q, to capture Priest.The action scenes include on foot fighting, with plenty of sharp blades and throwing 'stars' to slice up the mindless drone vampires. If you're an action fan, this is definitely worth a rental or purchase. The action is well done and easy to follow thanks to good camera work that allows the actors space to breath, and well done choreography of Priest fighting monsters and human vampires. There's also a lot of time spent on futuristic hover cycles and a good ending cycle/train chase.The setting takes place in the desert, and mostly during the day, with night scenes either underground or in the town. Action occurs in a giant cave, infested town, in/on a train, desert...The rescue quest plot was a bit basic but interesting. Could've been so much more though.Story aside, the 3D was really well done considering it's post converged, which is actually getting quite good these days when done right (Also see Thor 3D). One highlight of the 3D is it really pops in depth, so there's no wondering whether you should be wearing 3D glasses or just watch it in 2D. There's a clear and strong difference. Every other scene pops 3D.So if you're a fan of Blade or Mad Max, I'd recommend this film. Especially for 3DTV owners looking for a generally good action packed viewing experience.3D Depth: 8/10Movie: 7/10Action: 8/10Amount of Action: 7/10Fun to watch: 7/10Buy it if you need a stylish, 3D action movie during this drought of 3D movies as the big studios wait for more people to buy 3DTV's, and in turn the people waiting to buy 3DTV's are waiting for the studios to release more 3D movies...

23 May 2012

Horrific.

Priest (Scott Charles Stewart, 2011)The idea that an American director could take a manga running sixteen volumes (when being turned into anime, the rule of thumb is one half-hour episode per manga chapter, there are usually 8-12 manga chapters per graphic novel) and turn it into a ninety-minute feature film was ludicrous from the outset. Even condensing the first volume into a ninety-minute film would have slashed way too much material. But I shouldn't have worried; Scott Charles Stewart's worthless movie has as much to do with Min-woo Hyung's manga as Hyung's work has to do with Blood, the gruesomely amusing 1997 computer game that served as Hyung's original inspiration. In other words: there are some kind-of similarities, but the plot, the characters, and even the setting are different to the point that one wonders why the licensing fee got paid in the first place.Plot: the unnamed hero (Legion's Paul Bettany) is a former member of a vampire-hunting squad who were disbanded after the vampire wars and ordered to integrate themselves into society as best they could. This has proved, shall we say, difficult. (First Blood this movie is not.) All that changes when his brother Owen (True Blood's Stephen Moyer) and sister-in-law (Twin Peaks' Madchen Amick) are killed in a vampire attack, and his niece Lucy (The Blind Side's Lily Collins) abducted. The monsignor who runs Priest-related activities in the megalopolis where our hero lives (Christopher Plummer, slumming it) forbids him to go investigate after the local sheriff, Hicks (Easy A's Cam Gigandet), brings him news of the attacks. (Here's my first major "this script is dumb" question: why didn't Bettany's character just say he wanted to go attend their funerals?) Granted, it would be short movie if he obeyed, so you know he's going to go off and do what he wants. And when he gets there, he finds out that maybe the vampire wars aren't quite as over as the Church would have people believe.I spent a good deal of time wondering how Scott, whose previous film (Legion) was just as big a mess as this, managed to con so many really good actors into appearing in this. Plummer, Brad Dourif, Amick, Josh Wingate, Gigandet, these are not people who need the money that badly (I hope). They are far too good for this film, and the best that can be said of any of them save Gigandet is that their roles are too small for them to truly embarrass themselves here. (Gigandet does that all on his own; he's normally quite good, but here he's just as bad as Bettany or main antagonist Karl Urban.) But why am I talking about acting? Here's a new rule of thumb I'm proposing: if you check the movie's IMDB page and the special effects team is larger than the entire cast, the movie sucks because its writer, director, and (most importantly) producers spent far more time thinking about the special effects than they did such niceties as plot, characterization, or pacing.This is a mess. Go read the manga instead, it's a lot more fun. *

21 May 2012

Writers, Directors and Producers - STOP IT!

I absolutely cannot stand what current Hollywood producers, Directors and writers are doing in regards to their version of what Vampires are and what they can and cannot do. Vampires don't walk around in the DAYTIME - period!! (TWLIGHT SERIES) And they do not live in HIVES! (PRIEST) I mean, are you kidding me! The films may be entertaining but please get back to the basics - which could be a really fun and bloody entertaining!

semely

21 May 2012

Not impressive, but enjoyable!

Paul Bettany & Karl Urban & Cam Gigandet = YUM!!!!!!!!!!!! If theyweren't in shirts at all times (**sigh**) then the result woulddefinitely make all ladies' jaws to hit the floor with a thud!!Unfortunately (with the exception of one –just one (!)- snapshot) theywere…Film was enjoyable but did not stand up to -at least my- expectations…As a concept and an idea it had sooo much more to give, however theactual plot was pretty much what we have all already seen in similarfilms. No gore/horror was involved (possibly to achieve the 12A rating)and the actions scenes were quite nicely filmed but nothing to rockyour world. As one of my must-see films for this season I was expectingway more. However, All in all, Priest is a stylish yet kind of flat depiction of what issupposed to be a typical, (supposedly) action packed vampire fightingfilm, with some eye-candy male actors.. Some vampires were killed faceto face with the priest but the majority was killed by a massive…waitfor it….bomb :P Hahaha, to be honest with you people who haven't seenit yet, go see Vampires (1998) instead, it's so much funnier. Those ofyou who have seen Vampires but have not the Priest, then the suggestionalone draws the picture for you! What has to be highlighted is that the 3D was completely unnecessary.There was not even a single scene where you could see any sort of depthin the film sequence or at least a part to justify why 3D was required.What a pity :(Finally, if you have limited access to cinema and are considering it,just wait for it to be released on DVD. You will not miss anythingspecial…If you go to the movies regularly, then grab a huge pack of corn andcoke, sit back and enjoy ^_^

innocuous

19 May 2012

Pretty good, for what it is.

I've got to start by confessing (yet again) that these types of filmsare not my cup of tea. (I'm just an old fogey.) Oh, I love horror filmsand I love action films, but translating the graphic novel style to afilm is a lot harder than it looks. I knock a lot on directors who relytotally on the stylized, fast-pace, almost entirely CGI actionsequences, as is the case with this film. Once again, I blame videogames for lowering the standards and expectations of many viewers.Reviews on this site have praised the visuals, but I can find no reasonwhatsoever to admire or appreciate them. They are not at all realistic,either visually or in terms of the laws of physics. They are notimaginative, just warmed-over sequences we've seen hundreds of timesbefore. And they give the viewer no sense of danger or crisis. Peopleseeing "Psycho" for the first time often gasp audibly, or even yellwarnings at the characters. A viewer would never do that while watching"Priest" because there's no sense of imminent danger. You might as yellat Spongebob Squarepants, or, better yet, a Road Runner cartoon.But, putting that aside, it's competently made and offers a fairlyinteresting (and suitably short) story. I like Bettany and Urban, so itwas worth my time.

John Beifuss

18 May 2012

The inspiration may be John Ford and the credited source may be a Korean comic book, but it resembles one of producer Roger Corman's 1980s 'Mad Max' rip-offs, pumped up with charmless and overbusy 21st-century digital effects.

17 May 2012

Could Have Been A Smash Hit

I wanted to like this movie, I really did. But in the end, all the awesome graphics/effects, actors, scenes, motifs, and moods are all overshadowed and washed out by a terrible script/plot/dialogue.I don't know if it was the director, the writer, or a combination of both, but they fell short in making this one a definite keeper. Sad, because this theme is definitely in "style" now too. If anyone was to ever remake this movie and fix the shallow plot and dialogue I have no doubt it would be a mega hit that could even turn into a series.I guess the only thing I can say is, it is worth watching, because depending on how you view movies, you may really enjoy this. Basically it is one of those movies that I think you just have to see for yourself, because it is hard to describe how it's great and bad at the same time without you having seen it.

Adam Markovitz

17 May 2012

Adapted from a graphic-novel series (and what isn't these days?), this unholy mess of horror and Western clichés is, at least, blessed with a wonderfully loony premise.

15 May 2012

Priest

This review is from: Priest (Rated Version) (DVD) Really different take on a vampire movie! You really have to watch more than once to take it all in.

14 May 2012

Vampire western?

This was a solid film. A mesh of a few different genres: sci-fi, horror, western. I say western because of the environment as well as the whole revenge/hostage part of the story. Mostly though this was just a good escape film.My initial interested in Priest was the cast, which included Madchen Amick (Shelly from Twin Peaks) and Stephen Moyer (Bill from True Blood). It was cool to see those two worlds connect, but sadly they were only in the film the first five minutes. However the Priest and the rest did fine in their roles. The vampires looked much more demonic than any I've seen in other movies. Monsters really. However the main vamp was half human, and looked it.In closing remember this, "when you go against the church, you go against God".

11 May 2012

Great movie! Better as a t.v. movie though!

I watched Priest with my cousin and brother. It was a good movie. I liked the plot about a totally hot priest (Paul Bettany) is trying to rescue his neice from vampires along with the neices equally hot boyfriend (Cam Gigandet)and Paul Bettanys love interest Maggie Q. I thought the acting could have been a little better and I wanted to see more romance action between Paul Bettany and Maggie Q. But other than that I liked the plot. And at least you'll get to see two hot guys in the movie. I hope They make a sequel to this movie. Because the end left me hanging what will happen next?

James

11 May 2012

Fanaticalaboutfilms Review Priest

The only interesting thing with vampire films these days is trying towork out what kind of vampire your going to get and what rules havebeen thought up to govern them in the world. The vampires of Priest areactual gruesome monsters with sharp claws and fangs which makes achange from the usual humans with slightly bigger incisors. That beingsaid, they do exist as the human-turned-vampire slaves to their truevampire masters.Based on Hyung Min-Woo Korean graphic novel, Priest is set in a worldwhere humans and vampires were at war. Realising that they wereloosing, the humans invested in training up an elite group of warriorswho could combat the vampires and turn the battle in their favour.Interesting really since the original comic did not involve vampiresbut rather fallen angels and daemons hence why the name of this filmdoesn't completely fit the content.The church decides that after the war is won they no longer need theircrack team of assassins and so fearing what they could do, they aredisbanded and sent away to live normal lives with the authorities andsociety shunning them. (I got the impression this was at least in partattempting to parallel modern day war veterans but it was a theme thatwas only briefly passed over.) When Priest (Paul Bettany) finds out hisfamily have been attacked by vampires and his niece (Lily Collins)taken, he goes against the word of the church and teams up with hisnieces boyfriend Hicks (Cam Gigandet), the local sheriff to get herback.Then follows some fighting, more CGI and special effects (which as awhole are good) and an attempt to fashion a story out of the situation.I just felt that this movie didn't have much going for it with theacting rather disappointing, the 'scary' parts failing to let my heartracing let alone make me jump from my seat and I began to lose interesthalf way through- never a good sign. Watch the trailer and saveyourself a trip to the cinema and a few quid.The film also didn't know what direction it was heading in. By this Imean that it amalgamated a western theme with horror and action and aslight attempt at romance and threw it into a Mad Max post-apocalyptictype world. Maybe this might have worked in the graphic novel where youcan imagine a cowboy western world to be more god fearing but it justdidn't adapt to the big screen.Although a didn't see the 3D version the general consensus is that Imade the correct choice in opting for the 2D. This is probably down tothe fact it was post-converted into 3D rather than shot in 3D and withlarge parts of the film set in the dark (one guess why), the additionof 3D glasses isn't going to help your viewing experience.Finally, you like me may be surprised to find that it's only a 12Arating. If I ever saw some of the stuff in this film when I was youngerthan 12 I wouldn't have slept for weeks but then maybe the kids todayare made of harder stuff! So I was not the biggest fan of this movieand I have a feeling that I will not be the only one. If it wasn't forthe cross shaped tattoo across his forehead, I would have had troubledistinguishing Bettany from his role in this and the equallydisappointing Legion. One word sums this up and that word is poor.For further reviews feel free to check out:http://www.fanaticalaboutfilms.com

andrefcasimiro

09 May 2012

An average action movie.

I was waiting anxiously to watch Priest, because I really enjoy post-apocalyptic movies and vampires. But what I truly enjoyed the most inthe movie was the story background, the dystopic city ruled by theChurch, like the old days, in the Middle Age.I can't say I was expecting too much from it. It was an average actionmovie, not bad, just not surprising. I loved the special effects, thedesign of the city, of the wasteland. In the end, I can say I wassatisfied. Thumbs up for the final scene. I though it was very good andmade me want more. I recommend you if you like post-apocalyptic moviesand like vampires... just don't expect too much.6/10 - Average

09 May 2012

Love this movie

This review is from: Priest (Rated Version) (DVD) Love the special effects. A new take on an old favorite. The whole movie rated 5 stars for me. Scary without being a slasher movie about time we had some new blood so to speak.

heather-mewis

09 May 2012

Amazing

I bought this movie on the spur of the moment, looking for somethingnew. I could not believe how well done this movie was and how well thecast was put together. There is something about mushy vampires thatgets old. Over time vampires have become a sex symbol so to speak.Iitsrefreshing to finally see what some one else's perception on vampireslooks, opposed to Dracula or the infamous Twilight. Priest was a greatchange, and opened a whole new world to vampires. This movie kept meand my family involved, on the edge of our seat and wondering what wasgoing to happen next. I'm hoping for a sequel. This movie was so welldone that I hope there is more. 10 stars, great movie!

MYeah_Gorlomi

08 May 2012

An under developed screenplay, but stylish to boot.

This review is kind of special to me, as it marks my one-hundredthreview.The title character (Played by Paul Bettany) is a former member of agroup of warriors created by a Church - being portrayed as a corporatesuper power - to slay armies of Vampires, who have been at war withhumans for centuries. But it appears that they've returned, despitehaving been thought extinct for a long time. Priest is sought after bya sheriff (Played by Cam Gigandet) from a town outside the grip of thechurch, seeking help to locate Priest's missing niece, which,unbeknownst to them, also includes dealing with a mysterious foe(Played by Karl Urban).I expected to completely hate the movie, but I was pleasantly surprisedthat, even if only for a few moments, I was actually enjoying myself.The movie starts off with some serious intrigue, and the atmospherereally hooked me, and there are a lot of potentially interestingcharacters... therein lies the biggest problem with Priest: The factthat we never really learn much about the characters. The screenplaydoesn't answer quite a bit, and at times, it seems needlesslycomplicated. That, and the ending kind of made me think "That's it?"Still, the problems that I have with the writing don't diminish otherfine elements. I just dig the film's dark, sometimes even disturbingimagery. The film is incredibly well designed, boasting cleverproduction design, costumes, makeup, and Visual Effects (Well, theeffects aren't ALWAYS convincing). I also enjoyed most of the actionsequences, which were very well choreographed, and I gotta givecomposer Christopher Young credit for a great orchestral score. DannyElfman he is not, but he appropriately takes influence.My final rating for Priest is ** out of ****, but, you know what, Idon't regret seeing it. In fact, with the right persuasion, maybe I'deven watch it again.So that concludes my one-hundredth review. Here's to the nextone-hundred!