By Don MacPherson

The anticipation got to me; I admit it. I'm a major fan of Smith's movies (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy), and I've been waiting with bated breath for Dogma. The reason: it promised to be not only his most outrageous and thought provoking movie to date, but also the one that made him a household name. The movie wasn't quite what I expected it to be (I don't think there are any Oscars in his future), but it was a mess of fun.

First of all: why review a movie on a comic-book website? The answer is simple: Kevin Smith, as a comics fan, comics writer and a filmmaker who has incorporated comics into his movies, is of interest to comics fans. At least we think so. Anyhoo, on to the synopsis and review.

Lapsed Catholic and abortion clinic worker Bethany (Fiorentino) is called upon by Heaven to save the world from two angels (Affleck and Damon) who will unknowingly bring about Armageddon in their quest to re-enter Heaven after hundreds of years in exile in... Wisconsin. Bethany is aided in her quest by two unlikely prophets/pot dealers named Jay and Silent Bob (Mewes and Smith), the unknown 13th apostle (Rock) and a muse (Hayek).

That really only scratches the surface of what the movie is about. Overall, it's a hilarious comment on how humanity messes up what should be a pure matter: faith in God. Though the focus falls squarely on Catholicism, Smith is inclusive of all religious beliefs. The movie also doesn't get down on agnostics or atheists. In fact, the latter two non-belief systems are likely to get a lot out of the film.

The film opened with a disclaimer, given the controversy surrounding the subject matter. I was initially disappointed that Smith felt it was necessary, but was soon delighted to find he turned it into a gag as well. Very clever move.

The first third of the film is a bit on the rushed side, but there are time constraints and a lot of characters to introduce. It's a bit busy at first, but it settles into a nice pace in the middle of the film, especially in a surprising key scene on board a train (watch for it).

The movie boasts the same snappy dialogue as Smith's other films, exploring similar themes. And for the die-hard Smith fan like myself, there are new bits of New Jersey continuity and cameos from comics pros and Smith friends, as in the other movies.

The most noteworthy performances in the film are from Ben Affleck and Alan Rickman. In a key scene when Affleck's Bartleby character reaches an important turning point, I was completely drawn in by his reactions; it was his shining moment in the film (he had his lows too, such as his attempt at maniacal laughter). Rickman shone whenever he appeared as Metatron, the angelic voice of God. Though best known for his villainous roles (Die Hard, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), I liked him being on the side of the... ahem, angels this time around.

Dogma was quite different from Smith's other films. Not only are different themes explored, but this film was not as... complex as previous efforts. I could tell this film underwent a great deal of editing, and I look forward to the DVD release, as I assume a great deal of new material will be included.