Just watched Legion (2010)

It starts like Terminator. It ends like Terminator, Sarah Connor’s bandanna included. And maybe even the guns in the back of the car. Several scenes cry out Matrix reference, but hey, it’s almost a must. Besides, Matrix fan here, so I guess this could be a biased perception.
The first half of the movie looks like an imitation of ‘Constantine’.  Francis Lawrence and his director of photography ( one Philippe Rousellot) should be proud. I guess.
Heck, even Connie’s lighter makes a cameo appearance in this film !
Then it’s all a messed-up mix of  various references. Matrix,  The Seventh  Sign (1988) Jet Li movies, you name it.  Okay, I know it’s a post-post-modern world out there. But there's a fine line between ( close) references or homage and heavy borrowing. And when I hear lines like “ Why do you continue to fight? When you know all hope is lost?” and the hero’s answer is ‘Fuck you”, my mind stops – and then in a split second pulls out of the archive the ‘Oh! In two hundred years we've gone from "I regret but I have one life to give for my country" to "Fuck you!"?
… I’m glad Neo didn't live to hear this. :(

And the above reaction/analysis could mean several things. One is that I should stop watching movies in Keanu Reeves movies terms. ( Although it’s hard to see how this could be done, as, to quote Seer, I’ve got Connie engraved on my brain cells.  Edit.note : this gives me a really great idea for my next eyeglasses… but I digress :D ) . The other, far more disturbing , is that I’ve fallen into the (amateur) film critic’s mind set. Which is something I promised myself – ever since listening to the film critics’ commentary to the Matrix movies ( shrewd, the Wachowskis are ) -  to never let happen.  Begone, Satan !

Stop. Replay. The movie, I mean.

… and I still see all the above. But I like the idea of Michael being the rebellious one. To quote Seer ( again),  “Gabriel is the decision maker, Michael the warrior.[…]  decision makers learn not to second guess themselves - warriors just carry out the judgments  […] which means that the warrior can take a moment to think it over - and second guess..”
I wish the moviemaker would have played with this idea more. Instead, we’re given action scenes over action scenes and just a “You gave him what he asked. I gave him what he needed” line.  And Michael’s little chat with Jeep in the still of the night. But I wanted more talk and less fighting.  More food for thought and less action scenes.
In the same time, a comment on IMDb says  : “Jet Li movies have a lot more "kung fu". In fact, so does The Matrix, and that also has gun-fu.” (KentaroK)  I had to smile.
Oh well,  one can’t please everyone…

Add to all the above the annoying, ‘in-your-ears’ too obvious score.

The film had potential. Too bad the angels got to it first.