Dogma (By None) _ DOGMA Let me begin by saying simply that Dogma is a very different type of comedy. It's not for those easily offended, or any devout Christians out there who happen to be reading this. (Ha ha, yea right) Anyways, this self-defined "comic fantasy" (by writer/director/co-star Kevin Smith) basically insults every aspect of modern-day religion- often with hilarious results. The movie is set at a smooth and easy pace, no rushes, good setups, and good punch lines.
The story
is pretty complicated, but it unfolds nicely and makes it easy to understand. Basically,
Bartleby and Loki, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, respectively, are fallen angels who have
been banished from heaven for over 2,000 years. However, with the re-invention of the
Catholic Church (a new image: Catholicism Wow!), the pair finds a loophole which would
allow them to re-enter heaven simply by walking through the church doorway the day it
reopens. The idea is this: The church reflects God's will, thus, the blessing of the two
will override God's initial wish in having Bartleby and Loki banished. The problem is
this: By walking through the gates and back into heaven, the two fallen angels prove the
word of God wrong. By the Bible, God is never wrong, thus His being proved wrong would
turn everything inside out; civilization as we know it would cease to exist.
There are
some classic moments in Dogma that will not be forgotten anytime soon. I won't ruin any
surprises for you, as there are quite a bit of them that caused laugh riots. The actors in
it seem to be perfectly cast for the style of script, and each role is a supplement to the
movie. Affleck and Damon are both believable in their semi-bad, semi-innocent roles, and
their journey to the church is every bit as interesting as the one made by those looking
to capture them. While I didn't like Jason Lee as the bad guy in the movie, he is simply a
part of a running domino chain that puts everything together.
Overall Rating: B+ Babe-o-meter: B+ |