LegionMovie Reviews

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Avg. Critic Score: 32 out of 100 Generally unfavorable reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
16 Iffy for 16+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 60
    The Hollywood Reporter | Frank Scheck

    The film has enough entertaining action and sly humor to please its target audience. Read full review

  • 60
    Time Out New York | Keith Uhlich

    Often resembles a prime John Carpenter thriller--call it "Assault on Manger 13"--until an overcaffeinated angel-fu climax significantly lowers the intelligence quotient. Read full review

  • 60
    Variety | Joe Leydon

    Even when the blood-and-thunder hokiness of the over-the-top plot tilts perilously close to absurdity, the admirably straight-faced performances by well-cast lead players provide just enough counterbalance to sustain audience curiosity and sympathy. Read full review

  • 42
    Entertainment Weekly |

    After a brisk start, the script turns out to be a rough and humorless beast slouching its way towards utter ludicrousness. Read full review

  • 40
    New York Daily News | Elizabeth Weitzman

    Even if you overlook the lousy lighting, awkward editing, and uneven acting, there's so much talking -- and so little story -- that your mind is likely to wander. Read full review

  • 40
    The New York Times |

    The leaden dialogue and flat-footed storytelling hobble a talented cast. Read full review

  • 40
    Village Voice |

    This wan rebooting of the Christ tale has decent acting, serviceable if familiar visual effects, a few jump-in-your-seat moments, and the always crowd-pleasing gimmick of a senior citizen cussing up a storm. But the down time between action scenes is deadly dull and the film's hoary cinematic shorthand (i.e., a young Black man enters the film to the sound of hip-hop and fights with his baby mama) is more terrifying than anything else served up. Read full review

  • 33
    The Onion A.V. Club | Tasha Robinson

    A cartoonishly grim supernatural thriller that could stand a lot less talk and a lot more thrills. Read full review

  • 30
    Los Angeles Times |

    Legion may traffic in signposts of the apocalypse, but the whole affair mostly indicates that we're in the movie wasteland that is January. Read full review

  • 20
    Austin Chronicle | Marc Savlov

    As for Legion, well, if you've seen one plague of flies and death and angels at war with each other, you've seen 'em all. Read full review

View more reviews for Legion on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says Iffy for 16+ Angels battle for mankind in violent, bloody thriller.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that Legion is extremely violent and follows a negative, apocalyptic plotline in which God has given up on mankind and sends an army of avenging angels to wipe out most humans. There's no end of blood, dead bodies, and strong language (including "s--t" and "f--k"), which makes it iffy for everyone except adults and older teens. Ultimately the movie celebrates empathy and selflessness as the saving graces of the human race, but these things come packaged with a large quantity of brutality.
  • Families can talk about the film's premise. How does its more religion-centric take on an apocalyptic future compare to other movies about the destruction of humanity?
  • What's the impact of violent scenes like the ones in this movie? How does their fantasy nature affect that impact?
  • Which of the movie's characters can be considered positive role models? Why?
The good stuff
  • message true0 Positive messages: The movie's overall plot/tone is negative, but it moves toward a kernel of optimism. The story is based on the idea that God has given up on mankind and has sent an army of avenging angels to possess the bodies of the weak and destroy everyone else. But the angel who was supposed to be in charge of the mission decided to disobey because of his enduring faith in humankind. He finds good and selfless things about some humans, especially their ability to give when others are in need.
  • rolemodels true0 Positive role models: It's hard to call Michael a good role model, since he's sullen and violent and sometimes cruel to the humans he's trying to protect. But in one scene he proclaims his faith in the human race by praising the selfless actions of "Jeep" Hanson, who is ultimately a stronger role model than Michael -- he too has his moments of weakness, but the movie gives him enough wiggle room that he emerges as a hero.
What to watch for
  • violence false4 Violence: Heavy fantasy violence throughout, including fighting, guns and knives, bullet wounds, slices and dices, car crashes, and many dead bodies (including the bodies of possessed, zombie-like creatures). In one scene, an angel slices off his own wings and stitches up the bloody wounds. A possessed old lady bites a man's neck; she's hit in the head with a frying pan and eventually shot. A swarm of bugs attacks. Other disturbing imagery includes a man hanging on an upside-down cross with pulsing boils all over his body. He explodes and sends lethal acid flying. "Zombie" children are the victims of violence, and one zombie wields a knife and tries to attack a pregnant woman.
  • sex false1 Sex: Not really an issue, except for the teenage character Audrey, who wears a skimpy, revealing outfit throughout the movie. There's also a brief discussion about abortion.
  • language false4 Language: Many uses of "f--k" and "s--t" in all their permutations, plus "c--t," "hell," "damn," "goddamn," "bitch," and "oh my God." Multiple uses of "God," both as exclamations and within discussion of the movie's themes.
  • consumerism false1 Consumerism: Characters drink Busch beer in a handful of scenes, but it's never mentioned by name.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false2 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Bob drinks beer in several scenes, presumably as a way to cope with his ordeal. He also offers a beer to a woman who has suffered a loss. Many characters smoke cigarettes, including a pregnant woman (though other characters scold her for it).
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

Looking for more reviews? Movies.com Critics Say:

Dave White

2.5

Dave White Profile See Dave White's Profile

God hates you. Sorry. Read full review See Dave White's on MOVIENAME on Movies.com

Jen Yamato

3.5

Jen Yamato Profile See Jen Yamato's Profile

Angels with deadly maces. Read full review See Dave Jen Yamato's on MOVIENAME on Movies.com

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