With a very interesting and thought-provoking concept, Legion doesn't disappoint for those with moderate to no expectations going in. What's good about the film is, number one, the overall story; God loses faith in humanity and sends his angels to exterminate them from the Earth. Not exactly the standard telling of the Apocalypse. A second smart move by the filmmakers is the use of camera work; a lot of shaking and spinning and low lighting help to make the audience just as confused and disoriented as the characters, all of whom are relatable and believable. The actors really make you feel for them on the screen, make you believe that all of the events going on are real. The CGI was a bit uneven throughout the movie, sometimes being good, a lot of times being very obvious and rather sloppy. However, some of the camera shots of the foreground (ex. a string of light bulbs against a grey sky) were simply gorgeous; photographers dream of getting shots like those. Also, the careful use of high and low angles helped to build tension during the movie rather than go for a "jump scare", something sadly not seen too often in modern movies.
About the only real issue I had with the film was why humanity's fate always seems to hinge on an unborn child for one reason or another; no reason is really given in Legion, though. Just once I'd like to see a movie like this not focus on a fetus where everyone has to protect the expectant mother and she has to stand by the wayside. Other than that glaring plot device, everything else just seemed to fit in place. The wings on the angels were an equal balance of function and beauty, the religious overtones weren't preachy given the subject matter, and the cameo from Doug Jones was a nice touch for fans of the versatile actor. The archangel Gabriel is once again handed the "jerk" card (Constantine, The Prophecy), but he's really the only other archangel whose well-enough known by the general public to fill the role of Michael's foil. Open endings mostly tend to bother me, but for a film like this with so many possibilities it was the wiser move to make; not necessarily to set up a sequel, but to allow the viewer to finish the story in whatever way he or she wants.
All in all, Legion is a good movie. Not great, not terrible, but good. It explores the various weaknesses and strengths of humanity through individuals that are believable and make us sympathetic to their plight. The storyline is inventive and smart, pitting God's angels against His own children and the latter's struggle to survive; however, the script could have been handled better. Which side will win out: mortal humans or divine messengers?
About the only real issue I had with the film was why humanity's fate always seems to hinge on an unborn child for one reason or another; no reason is really given in Legion, though. Just once I'd like to see a movie like this not focus on a fetus where everyone has to protect the expectant mother and she has to stand by the wayside. Other than that glaring plot device, everything else just seemed to fit in place. The wings on the angels were an equal balance of function and beauty, the religious overtones weren't preachy given the subject matter, and the cameo from Doug Jones was a nice touch for fans of the versatile actor. The archangel Gabriel is once again handed the "jerk" card (Constantine, The Prophecy), but he's really the only other archangel whose well-enough known by the general public to fill the role of Michael's foil. Open endings mostly tend to bother me, but for a film like this with so many possibilities it was the wiser move to make; not necessarily to set up a sequel, but to allow the viewer to finish the story in whatever way he or she wants.
All in all, Legion is a good movie. Not great, not terrible, but good. It explores the various weaknesses and strengths of humanity through individuals that are believable and make us sympathetic to their plight. The storyline is inventive and smart, pitting God's angels against His own children and the latter's struggle to survive; however, the script could have been handled better. Which side will win out: mortal humans or divine messengers?