Revelations (2005)

Revelations (2005)

Dir. Lili Fini Zanuck / 6 episodes, approx 41 mins each

A respected Harvard astrophysicist and author named Richard Massey (Bill Pullman) hops around America and Europe with Sister Josepha Montafiore (Natascha McElhone), a nun who observes and records unexplained phenomena, but her ultimate goal is stopping the 'End of Days' as prophesied in the Christian Bible.

Massey's agenda is less ambitious but equally personal; he wants to see a powerful Satanist (Michael Massee) pay for his murderous crimes.

The egotistical Satanist is the leader of a fanatical Satanic cult, a group who coincidentally want to see the anti-Christ born on Earth.

United by tragedy and a shit-ton of serendipity, the astrophysicist and the nun must solve ancient mysteries while the Armageddon clock ticks.

Written by David Seltzer, screenwriter of The Omen (1976), it sounds ridiculous, and it is.

Scripture appears onscreen from time to time, acting as commentary on the drama. But it's not just from the Book of Revelations. Passages are pulled seemingly at random from all parts of The Bible because they in some way refer to what's currently happening in the story. The haphazard nature of that is only a small part of what's bad about the Revelations miniseries.

- Pullman thinks he smells the whiff of a Dan Brown novel -

Pullman's acting lacks conviction, making his supposed staunch belief in the observable facts of science seem little more than something that's simply waiting to be turned around. McElhone fares better in her role, but perhaps blind faith is easier to project onscreen; it's certainly more simplistic. Her habit for talking in religious clichés does get tiresome pretty quick, though.

Having said that, it ought to be also pointed out that the story doesn't pit science wholly against religion, it allows for some commonality and/or overlap. But I confess that I lost interest in the happenings during Ep 03 and nothing thereafter managed to win my attentions back again.

If you want to experience the best of Seltzer, my advice would be to watch The Omen instead, but make sure it's the original 1976 version, not the 2006 remake.

NOTE: Ep 01 makes use of real-world news footage to show how far the world has gone to hell, both in moral and meteorological contexts, but it may be upsetting to some folks.

- Massee enjoys a supper in the big house -