Priest (2011)

   

Directed by: Scott Charles Stewart

Written by: Cory Goodman
Min-Woo Hyung (Novel)

Starring:

Paul Bettany .... Priest
Karl Urban .... Black Hat
Kam Gigandet .... Hicks
Maggie Q .... Priestess
Lilly Collins .... Lucy Pace
Christopher Plummer .... Monsignor Orelas

Special Appearances:


Brad Dourif .... Seller
Stephen Moyer .... Owen Pace
Alan Dale .... Monsignor Chamberlain
Mädchen Amick .... Shannon Pace

Release Date: Theatrical: May 13, 2011

*Images courtesy at: www.outnow.ch

 

 

Rating:

 

A Priest (Paul Bettany) disobeys the orders of his church called the Roman Clergy in order to go to battle against a nest of vampires that he knows is there because they stole his daughter Lucy Pace (Lilly Collins) who had always thought of his as her uncle and not knowing in dact that he was his father.
When the clergy Monsignor Orelas (Christopher Plummer) took him as a priest she had just been born and never remembered him and left him in the care of his best friend.
The head vampire Black Hat (Karl Urban) came into her home and kidnapped her in order lure him to their fighting grounds so they could get him to join their cause of trying to make the Earth human free.

 

The opening on the film seems to start off nicely showing a narration and an animation gory sequence with the history on what is going on as this looked pretty well done as well as showing a family in a shack and a daughter acting a bit rebellious and arguing with her parents as well as them saying grace at their dinner table. Then suddenly they spot some terrifying ghoulish creatures outside as this looked very out of the ordinary along with them locking their daughter in a cellar to protect her while they are about to do battle in which this gives you a sinking and sad feeling that they know their lives will get taken which seems to have an okay start to the film.
There's scenes on a fututistic looking city in which I had a feeling this was a futuristic vampire flick adding alot of sci-fi elements to the story as well as a boring moment on a Monsignor commanding Priest to do a duty in which the writing was nicely put in with what was to be told about his mission but yet it didn't do anything for me.
Yet there's an amusing moment when there's a salesman discussing vampires to an outdoor city crowd which seemed to fit into the story as well as Priest and his sidekick Hicks ruining his fun which there's some interesting action moments here for all of this.
Also some nice dark shots on a vampire named Black Hat imprisoning Lucy Pale in some sort of a case while a train is driving and her being scared trying to convince him about letting her go as this seemed to look interesting enough while some of the other scene's were a bit bland.
Plus there's some nice scenery with a cave infested by those vampire type creatures which seemed cool to watch as well as Hicks and Priest doing battle against a giant one showing good effects here.
There's a great creepy moment with a dark railway station and a train suddenly speeding and stopping with things being silent in which you have a creepy feeling that something bad is going to happen here.
Some good stuntwork with Priest, Hicks and Priestess doing battling against a bunch of creatures on their futuristic types of battling motorbikes as well as speeding by a railroad track as the excitement looked well done here. Plus there's also great battling sequences between Priest and Black Hat when they are on top of a train car. We also spot this train running through a deserted area and it is a futuristic looking steam train as this looked pretty nifty.
There's also nice explosions and other things going on with these moments offering more good special effects and dynamite action like you'd picture in the Terminator movies.
In one of the train cars there's larva eggs with these types of creatures inside of them as this looked nicely done while Hicks tries to go past them while they break out and the creatures try to attack him as the suspense is at high pace here. Another nice pointer here.
Bottom line is that the film was well done with a great budget and nice effects along with creative futuristic looking transportation devices along with terrific scenery but yet the story didn't do anything for me. Again that's me. I just find that stuff like this has been done before like in Resident Evil for one. Lots may get a great enjoyment out of this since it's very crefty in it's battling moments and it's prologue too. So not the terrible film at all and suits action horror films for this time period in which I don't find these types the same like it was 20 odd years ago.

The acting was good and solid with a strong cast like lead actor Paul Bettany (Priest) seemed to draw a great seriousness to his character as well as knowing on how to get tough with his battling skills which looked powerfully done as well as not letting an ounce of energy down into what he did with his part in the film. Plus had the masculine looks which was a great plus to his role looking like a true warrior. A nice aggressive expression with him storming in a cathedral.
Karl Urban
(Black Hat) certainly shows off a perfect dark appeal to him making him seem very threatening as well as having a great hissy type of speech in his voice making him come across as a great mysterious head vampire in the flick. I loved what he did in the film really bringing out alot of great evil characteristics and wicked charm into his role.
Kam Gigandet
(Hicks) had a nice clean cut but good tough guy looks at the same time with what he does looking good portraying a soldier type of role and knowing on how to get aggressive whenever he needed to along with showing a good suspenseful attitude too to top it all off. A true character actor he is.
Maggie Q (Priestess) seems to do well with her anxious type of behavior really bringing role role to life big time as well as knowing her fast paced movements well as she really studied hard with her work in the flick and really grabs your attention in her heroic type of image. A nice reaction with her acting stunned at first and then slowly drawing in her lines and showing good energy on trying to struggle with two of her cast members through a cave. Great raging reactions on her vehicle while struggling to battle against creatures and using weapons for a train showing terrific intense expressions and energy here. Two thumbs up for this woman indeed.
Lilly Collins
(Lucy Pace) shows a good emotional and frigtful attitude into what she did in her role making this become quite effective and knew her stuff as a victim to the head vampire in the flick. Does well with her crying emotions while going down in a cellar. Does well sobbing and choking out her words towards her fellow cast member. She shows some nice reactions with the troubles surrounding her.
Christopher Plummer
(Monsignor Orelas) draws a great gruff and seriousness to his part of the film coming across as a strict type of preacher who seems to have an unlikeable type of attitude in everything that he does with his actions as well as showing some good aggressions too.
Brad Dourif
(Seller) had a small role in the film but yet he does well with his high strung and hyperactive speaking with his role as well as showing a great intense nervousness to his role as well in which he drew it in perfectly well and can be well remembered for his role in this film.

Graphic animated violence is revealed during the opening of the film with bodies being torn up and sliced
Lots of bloody stabbing with various warrior type weapons
Creatures are eating people
Bodies are sliced up during battling moments
A heart is ripped out
A decapitated monsters head is revealed
A person's body is nailed to a wall of a passenger train car

There's alot of great powerful classical music done by Christopher Young as there's lots of chanting sounds which really has a good echoey feel to it and of course the quick violin playing and drum beats too that flows in very well when the suspense rises up here. It is really mainstream with all that's playing here and full of energy. Alot of the typical traditional gothic sounding classical music was played as well which seemed necessary to be used in this flick with how the story went too.