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"LEGION" (2010) (Paul Bettany, Dennis Quaid) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Extreme Extreme Extreme Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Heavy Heavy Extreme None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Heavy Heavy Heavy Extreme QUICK TAKE: Horror-thriller: When God loses faith in mankind, He unleashes His legion of angels to bring about the Apocalypse and find and kill a pregnant woman destined to give birth to a second savior. PLOT: The archangel Michael (PAUL BETTANY) descends on present-day Los Angeles just ahead of a coming apocalypse. It seems that God has lost His faith that mankind will ever be more than a selfish, war-prone race. So He orders His army of angels to possess human beings and exterminate humanity, starting with Charlie (ADRIANNE PALICKI), the pregnant mother of a possible future savior. Charlie works at a remote diner/garage, staffed by Bob (DENNIS QUAID), the surly owner; Jeep (LUCAS BLACK), his mechanic son; and Percy (CHARLES S. DUTTON), his short-order cook. As the apocalypse begins, Bob and his staff are serving Howard, Sandra and Audrey Anderson (JON TENNEY, KATE WALSH, and WILLA HOLLAND), a family of three having car problems; Kyle (TYRESE GIBSON), a young drifter who may or may not be violent; and a seemingly sweet old woman named Gladys (JEANETE MILLER) who hides a dark secret. Michael eventually shows up and helps the humans fend off repeated attacks by possessed humans. He reveals God's dissatisfaction with mankind, but vows to keep the faith and try and salvage the world. At the same time, his rival the archangel Gabriel (KEVIN DURAND) is readying a ruthless attack on the diner to try and kill both Charlie and her newborn baby. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Older teens may be attracted to the film's action and special effects. The fate of the world comes down to two characters in their late teens/early 20s. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For strong, bloody violence and language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: PAUL BETTANY plays an angel who disobeys a direct order from God to kill a young woman destined to give birth to a second savior. He goes rogue and attempts to arm himself and the surviving humans with weaponry to combat God's army until the woman gives birth. DENNIS QUAID plays a roadside diner and garage owner whose business becomes Ground Zero for the war between humans and angels. He likes to drink beer. Due to the stressful events of the film, he takes up smoking after having quit for two years. ADRIANNE PALICKI plays a young, unwed pregnant waitress whose baby is destined to save the world when God loses faith in humanity. She smokes while pregnant and has said to have had relations with many men. LUCAS BLACK plays a mechanic who takes on the role of protector to Charlie and her baby. He has troubling nightmares of her in mortal jeopardy. CHARLES S. DUTTON plays the diner's main cook, a spiritual man and a military veteran who has had one of his hands amputated. TYRESE GIBSON plays a young aimless man who has had troubles with the law and is the father of an out-of-wedlock child. He carries a gun to brandish whenever threatened, but has never actually shot it until the events of the film. He uses profanity a lot. KATE WALSH plays a wife and mother who is stranded at Bob's diner and garage with her husband and teenage daughter, who she quarrels with a lot. She is a casual drinker who blames her daughter for making her leave her home. WILLA HOLLAND plays her daughter, who dresses provocatively and has a generally bad attitude towards her parents. She is said to have gotten into trouble back in the family's hometown, necessitating the move. JON TENNEY plays the well-meaning dad who is stranded with his wife and daughter. KEVIN DURAND plays the angel Gabriel, who steps up and agrees to kill Charlie and her baby when Michael refuses. He is portrayed as loyal and unquestioning of the Almighty's motives, with little care for humanity after the centuries of understanding and love God has shown us. JEANETTE MILLER plays a seemingly sweet and innocent elderly lady who is really possessed and wants only to kill Charlie and her baby (and anyone who gets in her way). She is extremely profane. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this horror-thriller that has been rated R. Profanity consists of at least 26 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present. A man's bare backside is shown very briefly, and all of the major female characters show cleavage. Violence consists of many people being wounded or killed by gunfire and sharp objects such as knives and swords, while others are manhandled, punched, kicked, burned, run over by vehicles, hit with objects such as frying pans, and otherwise brutalized. Much of this has fairly bloody results, and those scenes and moments of potential peril will likely be unsettling and/or suspenseful for various viewers. Bad attitudes are present, as is some potentially imitative behavior and various thematic elements involving the Bible, Christianity and God losing faith in humanity to the point where He orders our extermination. Drinking is present, as is smoking, and tense family material occurs. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings below for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, all sorts of camera movement (often quite bouncy, including some point of view) occurs throughout the film. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Bob cracks open a beer and drinks it while cooking a steak. Bob offers Sandra a beer. She accepts it and takes a swig even though she says she doesn't like beer. Bob is shown drinking another beer on his diner's rooftop, then eventually falls asleep with the can of beer right next to him. BLOOD/GORE Michael bleeds down his face from a wound on his head after landing in a city alley. When he takes his shirt off, more blood is shown trickling down his chest. Eventually, he goes into a bathroom and attempts to sew up a particularly nasty-looking back wound that oozes blood. Rain is shown washing away a lot of Michael's blood into a sewer drain. Flies gather around a raw piece of meat that Gladys is eating. A possessed Gladys grows fangs and bites Howard, drawing a considerable amount of blood. When she is pulled off of him, his blood is shown all over her lips and teeth. Gladys' face is bloodied after Percy hits her with a frying pan. Kyle then shoots her, and we see her bloodied corpse lying on the floor. Audrey notices blood dripping from the ceiling following Gladys' attack. Jeep vomits into a toilet after the old woman attack. Jeep has deep bruising on his arms. Percy is revealed to have a missing arm, likely the result of a war injury (he has military dog tags). A non-threatening metallic claw is in its place. Bob, Michael, Kyle, Jeep and Percy shoot multiple possessed humans, causing blood to spurt and spray. In attempting to save what he believes is an innocent boy, Kyle shoots multiple possessed humans with bloody results. Kyle is bit into by a possessed little boy, causing blood to spurt. Michael shoots multiple possessed humans, with bullets ripping into the various bodies with bloody results. Using a flashlight in the dark, Bob and the others try and track the blood drippings of a possessed boy who is intent on killing Charlie. The trail takes them up a wall where they see bloody hand prints on the ceiling. Howard's skin is shown bubbling and boiling as he is crucified upside down. His torso eventually explodes in a particularly gory manner. One of the main characters is caught in the blast, and it is revealed that the character's back has been ripped open which we see in graphic detail. Charlie gives birth and there is some blood in the scene. The baby emerges appropriately messy. Gabriel and Michael get into a knock-down/drag-out angel fight, and Michael gets quite bloody as a result. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE A cop drives around inner-city Los Angeles, wishing he could burn the city down and its people and start completely over again. In general, the angels that possess human beings show a total and merciless lack of regard for humanity, slaughtering with glee. Bob says he keeps an old cigarette lighter that his wife once gave him as a gift to remind himself how much he hates her. Audrey refers to Bob's diner as a "desert sh*t-hole." A possessed Gladys tells Charlie that her baby is going to burn, that all of the babies of the world are soon "going to burn." The elderly woman then proceeds to verbally insult the other diner customers and staff before attacking them. Charlie smokes while eight months pregnant. Bob is openly doubtful of Michael's Biblical origins and that the Apocalypse is now upon the world. Audrey confesses to Kyle that she once dated a "gun freak" just to make her parents mad. Sandra tells Audrey that her bad behavior has ruined all of their lives. Sandra snatches Charlie's baby and vows to give it to the possessed outside in return for their lives. Charlie confesses to having considered abortion several times after learning she was pregnant (some viewers could see that as being a bad attitude). FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence," "Blood/Gore" and "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. A cop starts to go into freaky convulsions, briefly becomes distorted, and is ultimately possessed by a vengeful angel. When possessed, his eyes turn read, his skin become waxy, and his teeth sharpen. Jeep looks to the horizon as ominous clouds start to form. The Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) kicks in on the diner TV, but no information is given. Percy then tries to pick up a news broadcast on his small radio, but gets only the eerie tone of the same EBS system on the TV. A seemingly sweet and pleasant elderly woman suddenly reveals that she is possessed and attacks the main characters who have assembled in the diner. At one point, she even spider-walks upside down on the restaurant's ceiling. Percy, Audrey, Sandra and Kyle race to get Howard to a hospital when their SUV is overcome by a swarm of insects that enter their vehicle's interior via the air vents, forcing them to turn back. A possessed man gets out of an ice-cream truck and twists and contorts his body, while screaming, until he is able to move around spider-like. Dozens and dozens of possessed people descend upon Bob's diner in vehicles, forcing the main characters to open fire. A non-possessed father shows up at Bob's gas pumps and frantically pumps some fuel into his vehicle as cars carrying possessed humans draw closer. Kyle watches helplessly as the father is run over and the man's son and wife are pulled from the car. When he goes to rescue the boy, Kyle is surrounded and the boy reveals that he, too, is possessed and that it was all an elaborate trap. Audrey, who has come out to try and help Kyle, becomes trapped inside of a vehicle as dozens of possessed humans try and break in and pull her out. Sandra and Percy go running out as Howard, crucified upside down outside the diner, calls out to his wife. Charlie has her baby following a difficult and painful delivery. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Assault rifles/Knives/Swords/Rocket launchers: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound and/or kill others and/or cause property damage. See "Violence" for details. Michael gains access to a massive arsenal of guns, assault rifles, rocket launchers and other weaponry. Michael disarms a cop who had been pointing a gun at him. He then holds a gun to that cop's head as the man's partner becomes possessed by a vengeful angel who also draws his gun. Quaid shoots his rifle at Gladys. When the gun goes flying, Jeep picks it up but is afraid to use it. Kyle then shoots her with his pistol. Bob points his rifle at Michael, who promptly snatches it from his hands and puts the barrel to Bob's head. Michael opens up the trunk of his car to reveal a massive collection of firearms. Michael arms each of those in the diner with guns, which they use when being attacked by hordes of possessed humans. In Michael's arsenal is a dagger-like weapon. Audrey confesses to Kyle that she once dated a "gun freak" just to make her parents mad. Gabriel wields a ball-and-chain-like weapon that has sharp blades protruding from the ball part that can actually turn on and become an electric-saw-like weapon. A reincarnated Michael returns late in the film, wielding a large sword. The end scene shows three survivors driving off in a vehicle loaded with guns and other weaponry. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "Turn the f*ck around," "Shut the f*ck up," "Do you f*cking know this guy?" "You're f*cking baby is going to burn," "Shut up you stupid f*cking c*nt," "F*cking Jesus," "Who the f*ck is this old lady?" "What the f*ck /are you talking about/ are we going to do now/ are you all looking at me for/ you mean?" "Get the f*ck out of here, man," "Yesterday I was f*cking Santa Claus," "It's all really f*cked up," "M*therf*ckers," "F*ck it," "F*ck you," "Oh sh*t," "Bullsh*t," "I guess he got tired of all the bullsh*t," "This desert sh*t-hole," "This sh*t can't be happening," "What the hell /is that/ am I gonna do with my life/ do I need that crap for?" "Go to hell," "Hell no," "They're gonna be pissed" and "This old bitch is heavy." The action and stunts might be enticing for some kids to try to imitate. A cop drives around downtown L.A. using his thumb and forefinger to fake shoot random street people. Michael steals the squad car of the two dead officers. A shirtless Michael has tattoos all over his arms, neck, and torso. Later in the film, Jeep's skin is shown with tattoos forming on them, which he gleans are instructions from God on where to locate prophets. Charlie reveals that she was impregnated out of wedlock and that the father skipped out on her. Charlie smokes while eight months pregnant. Bob likes to walk around flicking an old cigarette lighter on an off. In trying to get Howard to a hospital, Kyle drives very fast and erratically. Audrey confesses to Kyle that she once dated a "gun freak" just to make her parents mad. Charlie confesses to having considered abortion several times after learning she was pregnant. JUMP SCENES Michael lands hard from above in a previously quiet alley. A dog snarls and barks from behind a chain-link fence, startling Michael. Michael crashes through a ceiling skylight, scaring a security guard. Two cops are driving along an L.A. street at night when a massive building explosion almost causes them to crash. An elderly woman named Gladys suddenly morphs into a possessed demon that attacks Charlie and the other diner customers and employees. She even spider-walks a la "The Exorcist" across the diner's ceiling. A possessed ice-cream man contorts his body and attacks those in the diner. Gabriel swoops down and attacks Charlie, Jeep and Audrey from above when they're trying to flee the diner. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of tense and foreboding music plays throughout the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 26 "f" words (3 used with "mother"), 11 "s" words, 1 slang term using female genitals ("c*nt"), 7 hells, 4 damn, 2 S.O.B.s, 1 crap, 3 uses of "G-damn," and 1 use each of "Christ," "Oh God" and "Oh my God." SEX/NUDITY A shirtless Michael has tattoos all over his arms, neck, and torso. Michael's bare backside is briefly visible as he is sewing up a back wound. During an argument between Bob and Jeep, it is revealed that Charlie has had sexual relations with multiple men. In an earlier conversation between Jeep and Charlie, she reveals that she was impregnated out of wedlock and the father skipped out on her. Audrey is shown for the first time from behind, leaning over a jukebox and dressed in a provocative outfit that includes a very tight miniskirt and blouse that shows her cleavage. In fact, all three major female characters wear blouses that show off their cleavage. Audrey razzes her parents by telling them they deserve to see her "double-teamed" by a couple of truckers as punishment for the family car breaking down at this out-of-the-way garage. SMOKING Charlie, eight months pregnant, takes a smoke break at work. Kyle bums a cigarette from Charlie and promises her two when he buys a pack inside the diner. Bob claims to have quit smoking two years earlier, but still plays with an old lighter. After the first major attack, Bob is seen lighting up a cigarette and enjoying the first couple of drags. Also after the first attack, Charlie lights up a cigarette then almost immediately stamps it out. TENSE FAMILY SCENES In an opening voiceover narration, Charlie reveals that her father left her and her mother when she was very young, and mom soon after going from being a happy woman to someone who began talking about dark prophecies and God losing his faith in humanity. Father-and-son Bob and Jeep quarrel over Jeep wasting his time taking care of Charlie when she doesn't love him and is carrying another man's child. Kyle calls to talk to his son, but the mother of his child won't put him on the phone. Howard and Sandra have a hard time communicating with Audrey while stranded at Bob's roadside diner and garage. Audrey razzes them by saying she hopes a couple of truckers come and have sex with her. Sandra later blames Audrey for them being at the diner under siege, telling her daughter that she has ruined her life and forced her to give up a home she loves. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT End-of-the-world prophecies in the Bible and otherwise. The effects of divorce and parental abandonment on young people. The dangers to one's baby when the mother smokes during pregnancy. VIOLENCE Two cops are driving along an L.A. street at night when a massive building explosion almost causes them to crash. Michael crashes through a skylight window and lands hard on a security guard below. A possessed police officer shoots and kills his partner who Michael had been holding at gunpoint after disarming him. Michael shoots the possessed cop. A possessed Gladys grows fangs and bites Howard, drawing a considerable amount of blood. When she is pulled off of him, his blood is shown all over her lips and teeth. Gladys' face is bloodied after Percy hits her with a frying pan after Gladys hits Bob, sending him flying across the diner. Kyle then shoots her twice. Bob points his rifle at Michael, who promptly snatches it from his hands and puts the barrel to Bob's head. A possessed man driving an ice-cream truck is shot repeatedly by Bob, Michael, Percy, Jeep and Kyle. Dozens of zombie-like, possessed humans then descend on the diner, and the men perched atop the diner open fire. They also shoot at dozens of cars and trucks that the possessed were driving, causing multiple crashes and explosions. At one point, Michael uses a rocket launcher in all of the shooting. A father is run over by a car driven by those who are possessed, and a boy and his mother are pulled out of their vehicle by angry mob of zombie-like humans. Kyle goes running out to save the boy, shooting multiple possessed humans, kicking some and punching others. The boy reveals that he, too, is possessed and bites hungrily into Kyle. This causes Audrey to go running out into the zombie hoard, firing her gun and killing several of the possessed only to have to retreat into a minivan, which is immediately wolf-packed by the possessed. Michael goes running out of the diner to save Audrey, firing hundreds of rounds of ammunition from two assault rifles and killing many of the possessed. He then takes a lighter and ignites gasoline, burning multiple possessed humans before rescuing her. The possessed boy makes his way into the diner and attacks Charlie with a knife. She kicks him off of her, and he eventually attacks Bob until he is thrown across the room and shot multiple times by Michael, Jeep and the others. After being seized by the possessed the night before, Howard is shown the next morning outside the diner still alive and crucified upside down (it does not appear he has been nailed, though). His skin, though, is boiling and his torso eventually explodes. The ensuing blast kills one of the main characters. Michael shoots one of the main characters for attempting to hand over Charlie's baby to the possessed. Gabriel attacks with his razor-ball weapon, causing a mortal wound to Bob before punching him hard and sending him across the diner. Gabriel and Michael then have an extended fight in which multiple kicks and punches are thrown. Gabriel ends up skewering Michael and killing him. Bob, still alive, uses his lighter to ignite a gas leak and blow the diner up just as Gabriel tries to make his escape. Soon after, Gabriel swoops down and attacks Jeep while he is driving away with Charlie, Audrey and Charlie's newborn baby. Jeep speeds the vehicle to above 100 miles an hour, then slams on his break sending the archangel out the front window. Jeep then promptly crashes his vehicle, killing one of the passengers. Gabriel punches Jeep and seemingly knocks him out. But, moments later, the two are tussling on the side of a cliff and fall off. Just as Gabriel is about to kill the young man, a reincarnated Michael swoops down with a massive sword and inflicts a mortal wound on Gabriel. Reviewed January 22, 2010 / Posted January 22, 2010

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