Priest, A Post Apocalyptic World, Vampires and 3D...Need I Say More?

Priest hit the movie screens in wonderful 3D back in 2011.  As with most movies that I go ape over, not many people went to see it.  Sure it was a flawed movie........as if Gravity and Captain Phillips are not!  Unlike any Diane Keaton movie, this one had scary vampires, lotsa guns, futuristic motorcycles, old steam engine-trains, an old-western town, and some monsters.  For those of you bent on avoiding Disney's Frozen this holiday season, get the Priest DVD!

The plot:  A post-apocalyptic wasteland in the middle of nowhere is dotted with a futuristic city, run and protected by the Church.  Walls surround this cramped, dark city, which protect them from monstrous vampires which roam the wastelands in packs.  The Church and the vampire hordes are in a form of détente, or at least the Church says so.  A group of militant priests with superior fighting/killing talents, who used to war with these vampires, have been ordered to stand down by the Church.

Paul Bettany is one of these priests.  When his kinfolk are slaughtered by a vampire horde, he appeals to the Church to allow him to hunt the aggressors.  The Church refuses, wanting to believe peace is possible in their time.  Bettany disobeys and takes his guns and super motorcycle and starts the hunt.  He is joined by a priestess (Maggie Q) and a cop named Hicks.  As these three exact revenge, Bettany realizes that the vampires are organized and led by his old colleague who has been turned. 

Priest has some nice (albeit brief) subplots.  Bettany must resist the attraction he and Maggie Q share towards each other.  He must also come to grips with the fact that his disobedience to the Church will have consequences.  Most fascinating, however, is the conflict of serving the Church and serving God.  Bettany chooses God.

Bettany, Maggie Q, and Karl Urban (as the vampire leader) all do fine jobs.  The mix of old-west sets with futuristic city sets is kind of fun.  Definitely 90 minutes of fun.