Priest (2011)

When it's over, the idea of a priest trying to save humanity by using knives and hand-to-hand combat instead of rosaries was appealing and a fresh approach to the vampire genre. The film is based on the popular Korean comic "Manhwa" by Hyung Min-Woo, and although I haven't read the comics, the film's dark mood and the main character's edgy storyline is interesting enough to provoke my curiosity in the comic books.  However, I have a feeling my opinion of the film would change for the worse, if I was to read the comics now.  Priest was entertaining not only because it was different, but also, because it successfully recycled the styles of popular films from the past.  The film felt like Mad Max meets The Matrix meets Underworld, and it's a fusion of the western and supernatural genres, making it very different from the vampire films before it.  When I first heard about the film, I didn't think Brit actor, Paul Bettany could pull it off as a renegade priest, but I'm glad to be proven wrong, because I think Bettany was convincing as the no-flinching, no-hesitation warrior priest who could leap through the air and do some serious kung fu.  With the help of a priestess, played by Maggie Q, and a gunslinger sherriff, played by Cam Gigandet, the trio venture into a post-apocalyptic wasteland in search of the vampires who had murdered the Priest's family and kidnapped his niece.  Along the way, there are some plot twists, which helps the viewers understand the Priest's motives.  One thing the story should have developed further was the Priest's relationship with the Priestess, because there are hints of feelings and a possible past between the two, but no specific details are revealed, which was a shame, because their "possible" love story would be a forbidden one and the fragility of their relationship could have taken the storyline to a more meaningful level. 

My rating: 3.5 out of 5