Dogma
Returning to theaters for the film's 25th anniversary, writer/director Kevin Smith's Dogma stars Linda Fiorentino as an apathetic Catholic who is chosen by the angel Metatron (Alan Rickman) to prevent two angels from entering a church in New Jersey which, because of a little known loophole in Catholic dogma, would put all of reality at risk. All of this is actually the plan of the demon Azrael (Jason Lee) who has put these events in motion as he would rather destroy reality than return to Hell.
Dogma fits right into Smith's oeuvre. Longtime lead Ben Affleck is present as one of the two angels who drags Matt Damon along with him for a role that allows him to go far more over-the-top than normal (culminating in him dispensing murderous justice on Mooby executives).
On her journey Bethany also meet "prophets" Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) and the forgotten 13th apostle Rufus (Chris Rock). Other notable appearances include Salma Hayek as the stripping muse, Alanis Morissette as Smith's choice for God, and George Carlin provides some funny moments with his Catholicism Now campaign which puts all of existence in jeopardy.
Denounced as blasphemous before it was ever released, the film is a fun, if uneven, experience with Smith having quite a bit to say about religion in general, and Catholicism in particular. However, Smith chooses to play it safe blunting any controversial message with cheap jokes as an excuse why the film shouldn't be taken too seriously. For an example, you need to look no further than the use of (as Smith himself described it) "a rubber poop monster."
Despite some of the film's issues (which include stretching the visual budget to its breaking point in a couple of scenes), Dogma simply works. Smith's talky style fits having something like religion be discussed (rather than his usual choice of Star Wars), both humorously and in earnest, by various characters over the film. And while they may not be much in the way of prophets, Jay and Silent Bob both play pivotal roles before all is said and done.
Neither his best nor worst film, Dogma (partly because of its troubled release, and rights issues which dragged on for decades, and partly because any religious themes in a movie can spark immediate protest) may, when all is said and done, be his best known film. It certainly is his most successful film casting well-known actors (seriously, what are Fiorentino and Rickman doing in a Kevin Smith film?) rather than relying on a core cast he was always more comfortable with. It's never quite everything is should be, but it's still a damn good time.
Watch the trailer- Title: Dogma
- IMDb: link
