Dogma . Tucson Weekly . 11-15-99

Dogma

DIRECTED BY: Kevin Smith

REVIEWED: 11-15-99

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon star as angels exiled to Wisconsin in this campy jab at the End Days by writer/director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats). It's like the Christian Coalition-backed Omega Code collided in a high-speed accident with South Park, leaving in its wake a twisted retelling of the Book of Revelations which ranges from comically irreverent to downright obscene. Linda Fiorentino stars as a doubting Catholic, celestially recruited into service (by Alan Rickman). Her mission is to stop the two renegade angels, who've discovered a loophole in Catholic dogma that would allow them to re-enter heaven if they can only make it to New Jersey by the weekend. Fiorentino is aided in her quest by a bitter 13th apostle (Chris Rock) and two unlikely prophets -- none other than Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Smith himself). Dogma's appeal relies heavily on the element of surprise, so the less you know, the more you may enjoy it. Dogma may be something of an endurance test for those with scant interest in scatology, but there are plenty of other scenes -- like the unveiling of Cardinal Glick's (George Carlin) "Catholicism Wow!" campaign -- that entertain without inciting nausea.

--Mari Wadsworth

Interviews
Dogma

Full Length Reviews
Dogma
Dogma
Dogma

Capsule Reviews
Dogma

Other Films by Kevin Smith
Chasing Amy
Clerks
Mallrats

Film Vault Suggested Links
Pleasantville
Mumford
Being John Malkovich

Rate this Film
If you don't want to vote on a film yet, and would like to know how others voted, leave the rating selection as "Vote Here" and then click the Cast Vote button.