Forget the formal introduction, I'm jumping right into this one.
This is yet another case of an otherwise good movie being dragged down by a crappy, cop-out ending. When will you filmmakers learn that driving off into the distance without tying up horribly loose ends doesn't work? I was really enjoying the movie, then the ending came along. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat thinking, "No, no no, don't you dare end it here without explaining what God ultimately decided. Don't even think about it." I mean, I suppose it was vaguely implied, but that just doesn't cut it for me.
Now onto the acting. Dennis Quaid is certainly to be applauded, but that's about it. He seemed to be the only really good actor in the movie. Everyone else was either overacting or didn't look like they fit their roles. Kevin Durand fit the archangel Gabriel a bit, I suppose, but Paul Bettany (as the archangel Michael) just looked completely out of place. Sure, he's a good actor and all, but he just didn't fit into the role. Then there's Lucas Black as Jeep Hanson. First of all, what kind of name is "Jeep"? Is he Sarah Palin's son or something? Second, his acting was awful. Sure, he was trying, but that's just the thing: you could tell he was trying. He overacted so much that he made Chris Farley look subtle. It was like he was desperately trying to make a bowel movement throughout the entire film. And why was he the only one with a southern accent? Yes, I know Lucas Black is from Alabama. But, again, it makes him looks out of place. Dennis Quaid, who played Jeep's father didn't have a southern accent. So why does his son? Either Lucas Black needed to lose his accent or Dennis Quaid needed to put one on.
I will say one thing, though: the possession sequences were very well done. I actually heard people in the theatre making various vocal responses to the possessions, ranging from laughter to "Oh sh*t." One great exchange of dialogue left a huge impression on both me and the rest of the audience. I have no access to a script of the scene, so forgive me if my transcript is off:
The young waitress, Charlie (Adrianne Palicki) is pregnant. She serves the sweet old lady a steak.
OLD LADY: How far along are you?
CHARLIE: Oh, just about there.
OLD LADY: Where's the father?
CHARLIE: Out of sight, out of mind.
OLD LADY: But the baby...
CHARLIE: I got it under control.
OLD LADY: But it's gonna burn.
(Everyone stops and looks at the old lady.)
CHARLIE: What'd you just say?
OLD LADY: (smiling sweetly) I said your f***ing baby's gonna burn.
It's probably worth it to see the movie just for the possession scenes. The only thing is that when the angels take control of a body, it rips off The Matrix with a very similar way that the agents took over a body.
But if you go to the movie looking for a message, you're not going to find one. Basically, the premise was that God lost faith in humanity and sent a bunch of angels to exterminate them, but Michael disagreed with him. The difference between Gabriel and Michael is that Gabriel "gives Him what He wants" but Michael "gives Him what He needs." In the end, Michael is rewarded for doing so. Is the message here that God is not all-knowing and all-powerful? That someone, anyone, even an angel, knows better than God? If you ask me, the entire premise of the film was just a big middle finger in God's face.
So, overall, the movie was okay but lacked in timing, acting, and premise. I'm not saying don't see it, just don't go in expecting anything more than some laughs, some tension, and a few good action sequences. Nor should anyone involved in the film expect an Oscar.
Grade: C+
