LEGIONS Film Review
Written/Directed by: Fabian Forte
Fantasia International Film Festival
For this next Fantasia International Film Festival review, we’re going to the jungles of Argentina where demonic creatures lurk and the world’s best hope is confined to an insane asylum.
In LEGIONS, the once legendary shaman Antonio Poyju is haunted by the mistakes of his past but when a malevolent demonic force reveals itself, he rallies together a ragtag ensemble of inmates to spring him from his confinement, so that he can reconcile with his estranged daughter Helena and reunite their magical bloodline to stave off the evil.
LEGIONS has three distinct storylines that try to work together to tell the story of Antonio and Helena. And while each storyline is well thought out, there’s pieces missing from the full picture that prevent the viewer from feeling fully invested in their story.
Why exactly is Antonio in the asylum? What is the history of the demonic creatures and why can only his bloodline tame them? And who is this mysterious woman who appears suddenly to help Antonio reach out to his daughter?
In fact, the storyline that was most intriguing to me was the institution putting on a play around Antonio’s life as they got bored of the Broadway “classics.” Antonio was constantly reminding people his stories were life experiences and that it was important to always keep the faith. Why not keep the story within the institution walls?
And the unique characters of the asylum are where LEGIONS really shined. Even the smallest role stood out for its quirkiness – my favorite being Eduardo, a man in the institution who ran around the asylum in a handmade devil costume.
LEGIONS is an interesting take on demonic possession outside of Christianity but misses the mark a bit on making a bigger impact with its message of faith.
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