I got a free pass to catch a critic's screening on this movie, so I decided to go (what the heck, it's free — well, almost). Based on both the advertisements for this flick and it's predecessor, I wasn't expecting much of anything.

And, I actually got more than what I had bargained for. The graphics and CGI were very well done, producing some arresting visuals. The action scenes were more than up to snuff, and the sardonicism of the humor fit the darkness of the film.

The basic premise of the movie is that an overwhelming evil is plaguing the universe. To fight it, they get a completely amoral criminal to combat the evil. I suppose a take on Bismark's aphorism "The enemey of my enemy is my friend." The plot, while not particularly compelling, was better written than I had expected. There is palace intrigue, dark humor all over the place, an anti-hero acting against his own best interests as well as a prision system seemingly modeled on Escape from New York.

There were some surprises in the casting department as well. Dame Judy Dench plays a supporting role (what bet did she lose to be in this flick?), thereby proving the dictum that a well trained British actor can make even the worst role seem regal. Thandie Newton plays a Lady MacBeth character to Karl Urban's conflicted warrior, while Colm Feore is cast rather against type as the military ruler.

I don't know as to whether or not I would recommend this flick, though. It was a decent Sci-Fi/action popcorn summer film. The effects/visuals will be more striking on the big screen, though.

Watch time :47