- “Dogma” – A Review by ‘Efil’s God’ (Mixed/Negative – Minor Spoilers)
I saw a private screening of the “work in progress”. The score wasn’t set, a couple of shots were grainy and the special effects weren’t completed.For those unfamiliar with the story, Bartleby (Ben Affleck) and Loki (Matt Damon) are two fallen angels who try to get back into heaven using a loophole involving the pope’s power to decree dogma. Unfortunately, if these angels succeed, they will prove God wrong and undo existence. To stop this, God employs an abortion clinic worker Bethany(Linda Fiorentino) to stop them with the aid of two “prophets” (everyone’s favorites, Silent Bob and Jay). A very interesting plot, and Ben and Matt are very good in their respective roles. Loki is a slightly over the top character with a penchant for death and destruction, while Ben Affleck plays excellently as more of a straight man, mocking Loki when he gets overdramatic. Unfortunately, this movie fails because Kevin tries to do too much, although he does have an awful lot of time to do it in (2:15 or so, by this cut). The film starts off strong, but often, scenes that started off humorous drag as he heaps on criticisms of organized religion and other such sermons. Another irritating factor is a constant use of movie references, some funny (Silent Bob says “No Ticket” after hurling guys off a train a la “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”), some not funny… Many of the characters, while playing major roles in the film, seem tacked on in order to get some of the director’s friends involved, to create cameo opportunities, or to make the film “big budget”. The movie could’ve worked a lot better if it just stayed to about six or seven main characters. This is not to say that the added characters do not make a contribution. Chris Rock is extremely funny as the forgotten “13th apostle” and Jason Allen (Chasing Amy)is also very good as a renegade demon with his own agenda. Unfortunately, Salma Hayek isn’t particularly impressive as a muse and as a seraphim, Alan Rickman is often hard to understand. Generally, fans of the Kevin Smith holy trilogy will go see this no matter what I say. Be prepared though, it tries to be a lot more complex than his earlier films, and only partially succeeeds. There will DEFINITELY be some kind of backlash from the Catholic community. So go see Dogma, if only to laugh at SB and Jay’s (extremely funny) antics and to play “Find the extraneous character”.
- I also attended Monday’s screening and like a total and complete moron(and judging from the talkbacks on my review of The Mummy some of you think I am becasue I typed suburb instead of suberb*sheesh*)I didn’t even think about writing to you until I saw Wed. reveiw of DOGMA
Now as you can maybe tell by my “name” I’m a religous person. That means I’m not into orgnized religon it just means that I belive there is a big guy(or gal or space alien or my personal opion a dog) in the sky. i’ve been involved in several different organized religons (including catholism)and have seen the kinds of messes they’ve made, the poor and homeless not getting the help they deserve because the Methodists and the Babptists are fighting over…dogma…I’ve seen Ireland and the fighting going on between the protestants and the Catholics…I’ve seen the fighting between the Shite and Sunni Musilms and between the Muslims and the Isralies and it all just sickens me because if these groups were really about GOD then they would relize that GOD is a loving God, now I relize I will probably get flamed in the talkbacks for posting this but I belive it’s true.
ok I’m done with the religous rant, onto the review. Most of your readers have probably read the script, like I did, or if they haven’t know the basic story. Two renegagde angels are gonna destroy mankind and it’s up to Linda Fiorentino, Chris Rock and everybody’s favorite stoners scince Bill and Ted to stop them.
I’ve been a big fan of Smith’s since “Clerks”(which I saw pre-Dante not getting shot at Sundance) His writing has always been great and at times thought provoking. Now I didn’t really *care* for Chasing Amy, only because of the threesome suggestion, the rest of it was great EXCEPT for that part in my opinon but what do I know right. This film continues the thought provoking/humourous vien. I would consider Smith to be the film era’s version of Aristhophines, the great and sole surviving greek playwright. He’s not afraid to push boundires to make points. Now where as his last films delt with love and realtionships this movie, as has been mentioned, deals with religon and organized religon. And He pulled it off. When I first heard that Smith was going to tackle religon I thought “shit! no way” a bit skeptically. And boy was I surprised. My only fear about his writing is that with the pop-culture refrences people who are getting introudced to Smith for the first time will think that he is just copying that other Kevin writer (Williamson) I hope they don’t but I think they will.
The acting was great, wonderful performances from Linda Fiorentino, Chris Rock*(who I was pleastenly surprised by…Damn they boy CAN act) and it was great seeing Jay Mewes and Kev. on the screen again along with the cameos from Smiths crop of actors, Brian O’Halloran, Dwight Ewells. Ethan Suplee, Jeff Anderson and producer Scott Moiser. I saw in a previous Kevin Smith talkback someone thought that the cameos from Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Alanis Morrisitte would stand out. Well i wouldn’t exactly call Damon and Affleck’s roles cameo’s as they are the leads and they are good…Damon is very belivable and did pull off the comedy well and the chemisty between him and Affleck is great, I won’t comment on Benny-boy (this is the only place I would dare comment on him like that) mostely becasue he annoys me, it’s not his acting or anything, he just reminds me of the football players that used to beat me up in High School so I have a thing against him. Alains did seem a little out of place. I would have rather seen Sarah Mclaughlan in the Alanis role if they were going to cast a Candian female singer. Your previous poster mentioned the weakness of Jason Lee and I don’t think that was really his fault, just from watching the movie and reading the script that’s on the net I think his part is just an underdevolped part. Lee has about as much screen time here as he did in Enemy of The State, his acting is good, just not much there to work with
Like your previous poster mentioned it came out to about 2:15 and from what I’ve heard it’s not going to get cut down much more then that, wipes and dissolves were rough but most of the effects were done. I’m thinking work on a track comes next. Altough the Batman theme was a great introduction to Jay and Silent Bob, but Idon’t think they can use that can they(doesn’t Warners own the themes or something)
- I mostly agree w/ your spy – the film rocked, and I’ll get into that, but I don’t know where he got this 2 hours and fifteen minutes crap. The film started almost promptly – at about 7:35pm and I checked my watch at the end to see 10:30pm – and that was without opening opending credits – so unless we saw different cuts, the current cut seems to be 3 hours.
The special effects were incomplete (as well as transitions – all those prints made from an Avid or other digital editing system while the main scenes where direct from the film), and the score was temped. As well as the Elfman appearance the “colonel” mentioned there was a lot of cool use of Goldenthal’s Alien 3 music for Jason Lee’s minions…
Okay, I don’t want to give much away, so I’ll be general, but let me say that it is my opinion this is Kevin Smith’s best. It’s funny as hell, but more importantly it’s definitely smarter than his previous efforts.
The characters develop solidly – most have a very interesting arc, especially Damon, Affleck, and Fiorentino. (Damon and Affleck are great by the way… it surprised – the film rocked, and I’ll get into that, but I don’t know where he got this 2 hours and fifteen minutes crap. The film started almost promptly – at about 7:35pm and I checked my watch at the end to see 10:30pm – and that was without opening opending credits – so unless we saw different cuts, the current cut seems to be 3 hours.
The special effects were incomplete (as well as transitions – all those prints made from an Avid or other digital editing system while the main scenes where direct from the film), and the score was temped. As well as the Elfman appearance the “colonel” mentioned there was a lot of cool use of Goldenthal’s Alien 3 music for Jason Lee’s minions…
Okay, I don’t want to give much away, so I’ll be general, but let me say that it is my opinion this is Kevin Smith’s best. It’s funny as hell, but more importantly it’s definitely smarter than his previous efforts.
The characters develop solidly – most have a very interesting arc, especially Damon, Affleck, and Fiorentino. (Damon and Affleck are great by the way… it surprised me, but Damon gets a chance to do some deadpan humor and is hillarious. Affleck does some heavy stuff and does it much better than in Armagaddeon). Fiorentino has some nice heavy moments as well, especially a great scene with Rickman that I’m sure will be in the final cut b/c it’s a main plot point. They have an earlier scene however that may be cut for length – the film does take a little while to get going…
But when it does, it rocks. This film is just so damned funny! The plot is moving along, and there are some great serious moments, and then out of nowhere Jay says something hillarious and the entire audience explodes. They really were roaring during parts of this movie…
And for you who like Smith’s film references, you’ll love these too: from Fat Albert to Star Wars( as usual), to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade…
Final things to be happy about: A lot of well-worked in Jay and Silent Bob time, and also surprising amounts of gore…
Okay, I think I’ve given away too much already – I enjoyed this film so much I wouldn’t want to ruin it for anyone. It’s going to be a winner.
One more thing in case you’re interested – Barry Levinson’s newest is called “Liberty Heights” and is about Baltimore in the fifties (kind of his own “growing-up story). It stars mostly “little-knowns…”).
Remember, we didn’t key these in or edit them, so excuse the spelling mistakes…And rest assured, the current cut of the flick is 2:15.
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