Scott Stewart, who’s mostly known for his visual effects work in many noteworthy blockbusters (The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Iron Man), brought us an apocalyptic thriller called Legion last year, which left a foul Guinness-like taste in our mouths, and we don’t mean that in a good way.
Since the end of 2010, we’ve been force fed trailers for his latest, Priest, to the point that we now feel like we’ve already seen all of the film's highlights. But with the release date of this manhwa (Korean equivalent to "manga") adaptation finally set in stone for May 13, a shorter yet much more effects-driven snippet has surfaced.
As far as our reaction, it doesn’t differ much compared to our initial skepticism. This breed of fantasy-horror-action cinema might spark butterflies in stomachs of those who consider those Resident Evil movies to be "must-see" entertainment, but for the rest of us they're showcases for elaborate computer graphics and mediocre acting. Plus, we can't tell if Stewart's Priest will omit the graphic novel's complex plot, which involves three settings and in-depth character development.
The film stars Paul Bettany (who also headlined Legion) as the main protagonist, accompanied by Cam Gigandet (Twilight) and Maggie Q (Mission: Impossible III). Hopefully Priest can surprise us.
