Making its premium cable channel debut this weekend on Starz was 2011′s “Priest”, starring Paul Bettany, Maggie Q and Karl Urban.
“Priest” is a movie set in the proverbial “Dystopian Future”, where large city states are controlled by a religious hierarchy, while outside their walls, vast wastelands are overrun with vampires. Due to vampire’s traditional weakness to religious artifacts and items, the warriors in charge of defending the cities and fighting vampires are priests.
When one of the priests hears that his frontier relatives have been slaughtered by vampires, and their daughter kidnapped, he leaves the protection of the city in order to prowl the wastes in search of the girl.
Comedy ensues.
I should clarify up front that the “Vampires” in this movie bear no resemblance to the fictional creature you’re familiar with. That’s ok, neither do the “Priests”. The “Vampires” are enormous, hairless mutant bears. The “Priests” are soldiers who pray before and sometimes during battle… wielding cross shaped daggers and throwing stars against the “Vampires”.
Bettany spends just enough time in “The City” to establish the ridiculously dark and dreary future they want to portray – a movie world that makes Blade Runner’s LA look like Disneyland. The religious oligarchy is sternly portrayed by Christopher Plummer and Alan Dale, who literally sit on high and try to maintain the “Church’s” hold on the populace by perpetuating the fallacy that the vampires have were eliminated in the last war.
Of course, it wouldn’t allow for much runtime if Bettany didn’t go AWOL anyways, chasing across the desert wastes in search of the kidnapped Lily Collins. Turns out, she was captured by Karl Urban, the one lone traditional “Vampire” in the film. Urban’s what’s his face used to be a Priest in Battany’s squad in the “Vampire” war, but was presumed dead and abandoned. He wound up turned, however, and now is out for his revenge.
Silly.
This movie is ridiculous from the high concept on down. The plot is ridiculous, the dialogue is ridiculous, the action is ridiculous. Anyone want to guess how the special effects were? ________
I named this movie one of my ten Worst Picture Nominees and FMR stalwart PG Cooper agrees, naming it to his list of Ten Most Hated Films of 2011. Even though it’s on cable now, and you could watch it “free”, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re a fan of movies that make you laugh due to how terrible they are.
F
Saw “Priest” in the theaters. Have no desire to see it again which means “NO” to buying it on BD or DVD.
Sound advice, Tank Sr.
I would advise “NO” to buying it on DVD even for people who haven’t seen it. LOL
How cool is it that Tanski’s dad (the original Tanski) is commenting on Fogs’ site?? I love it. Haven’t seen Mr. Tanski in years!
Its one big interconnected party Howie.
The tangled web of the blogosphere…
I know what you mean about this flick Dan. I started watching it and I sitll have to finish it but it has to be one of the worst monster/sci-fi flicks around. I wanted to see it in the theaters but I’m very happy I didn’t waste my cash. Good flick as a filler but not much else.
And that’s even WORSE, because I know damn well you have a HIGH tolerance for like low budget sci-fi/horror. LOL
So if YOU’RE saying it’s no good… It has no chance with others.
Haven’t seen it, now likely won’t. Too bad, lots of talent on this and I think the basic concept sounds pretty neat.
It’s based on a graphic novel I think.
Knowing you’re a comics guy, maybe look into that first….
Yeah, it’s been on my TPB radar for awhile.
Thanks for the shout out. And yes, Priest sucks
In the lead-up to its theatrical release, Hulu was absolutely saturating its ad content with the trailers for this. I’m not sure I’ve seen an ad campaign that was more effective at working against its intended purpose…
See, now if the priests were the bad guys who diddle little children, and the children get saved by the heroic sparkly vampires, THAT would be a good movie!
No wait… maybe not.
Oh. Oh. Gelf. Just Bad…
Wait… that doesn’t actually HAPPEN in Twilight does it? LOL
I have to see it after reading this. Thanks for sharing the review on the original Karate Kid, and don’t even know what prompted them to remake it. Feeö free to drop by me too, soon.
Well, if you do see it, have fun with it. There’s no way to take it seriously…
Thanks for stopping by.
THIS one should’ve made it’s way to the RWAs for Worst picture nomination! haha
won’t even be bothering to see this one even if it IS on cable. Although, I might just put it on when I need to get some cleaning done around the house (and hide the remote from myself). It will keep me from sitting down and watching the television and force me to stay otherwise occupied! haha
A solid plan.
Here’s another one though.
Music. You’ll do better than this shite. LOL
that’s funny. cuz I JUST turned on the music on my receiver and I am still sitting in my chair typing away! LOL
Hell no.
Amen.