Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13849 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-01-01
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 123 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Bored of being eternally banished to earth, two errant angels hatch a plan to sneak back into heaven. Unfortunately, if they use the required loophole in religious Dogma, they'll prove God fallible and undo the very fabric of the universe, ending all existence. Bummer. Enter the distant grand niece of Jesus Christ and an army of angels, beautiful mythical figures, saintly apostles and all entities good and holy. And Jay and Silent Bob.

The phrase "it's a religious comedy" must have caused Hollywood to have a sacred cow. And, as Smith's first attempt to move away from the early lo-fi, character-centred, relationship-based comedies (Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy) toward the narrative-led big-budget spectacular, Dogma is not without problems. Proving controversial on release, stones were cast by churchgoers and Smith devotees alike. Frothing-mouthed extremists levelled charges of blasphemy at the more colourful elements (a Malcolm X-style 13th apostle, the crucifix being binned as uncool and God not being a white-bearded patriarch), leaving the devoutly Catholic Smith, who's intentions were to celebrate the mystery and beauty of religion, completely bemused. Equally, the Luddite Clerks obsessives who wrote it off as "Smith-gone-Hollywood" should have recognised that the script was written way before he gave us his black-and-white debut.

More ambitious than his previous mates-roped-in cheapies, the apocryphal and apocalyptic Dogma is still blessed with water-into-wine performances, pop culture gags, postmodern self-referencing and stoopid shagging jokes. Though it may not be wholly miraculous, this is still a righteous movie; and, in comparison with the average big-buck formulaic Hollywood evil, it's practically saintly.

On the DVD: Dogma's budget outstripped the early Smith films by miles, and the 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen transfer does it justice, with divine colour and heavenly sound. The picture quality of the extras--including trailers, TV spots and cast and crew interviews--is not so good and pixilation occurs throughout. The interviews are provocative enough, though, giving huge insight into the film. And it's quite something to see Smith looking all "Clark Kent" in his civvies. --Paul Eisinger

Video Description
DVD Special Features:

2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
English Mono
Subtitles: English for the hard of hearing
Extras: Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews

"Even God has a sense of humor"
This is a smart comedy about religion and the Church. We find a great cast of different stars playing God, angels, demons, muses, prophets and apostles. I can understand that for some people religion is a very serious issue and that these individuals may take offense in this movie. However, if you do no belong in this group, I highly recommend you to watch this film, since I am sure you will have a great time.
The Church is in a renewal process and seeking to attract people to enlarge its flock. Some of the changes involve revamping the depressing image in the crucifix for a smiling, winking and thumbs-up Christ. Also, a Church in New Jersey decreed a day in which everyone that passes through its gates will be cleansed of all sins and forgiven by God. Loki (Matt Damon) and Bartleby (Ben Affleck) are two angles that have incurred in God's wrath and therefore were expelled from heaven and condemned to live in Wisconsin from the rest of their eternal lives. They see this as an opportunity to be forgiven and allowed to return to heaven.

The path to their destination is not an easy one though, since by achieving their forgiveness they would prove God wrong, and existence will cease because it is based on the fact that God is always right. Therefore, Loki's and Bartleby's journey affects a large number of people and other mystic figures. There are two sides to the conflict, those that want to prevent them from getting to their destination, and those that want to help them and create chaos. Among muses, demons, the thirteenth apostle and a Golgothan, which by the way is super gross, we find a woman named Bethany (Linda Fiorentino). She is at a tough stage in her life and has almost lost her faith, but is requested by Metathron, the voice of God, to stop the two angels in their quest.

The way in which the film questions some of the beliefs of religion is smart and funny, and the talented cast help make this a very pleasant experience. For example, Chris Rock in his role of the thirteenth apostle is hilarious, showing his usual sense of humor with quick and witty jokes. I also found interesting the questioning of God's sex and Jesus race, which I think spices up several scenes throughout the movie and allows for some very funny moments.

Laugh out loud, intelligent, light hearted humour
Kevin Smith returns with his 4th View Askew film, and by far the most intelligent yet. Many people praise the script writing of Smith, but often criticise his filming style. But Smith's way of presenting scenes as a series of funny sketches (many can be watched as stand alone scenes and still be hilariously funny) and sometimes pointless banter between his characters helps to breakdown the overall seriousness that people might take offense to, and reinforces that the film is just a work of comic fiction.
The film is packed with top supporting stars(Alan Rickman, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee) that Smith continuously seems to be able to attract; and not forgetting the return of Jay and Silent Bob (played by the hilariously big mouthed fast talking Jason Mewes and Smith himself). This is a watch again and again film that is a superbly well written and suitably filmed installment of the View Askew films, that every Kevin Smith fan should own!

Devils and divinity
Dogma, from the Greek word meaning opinion. Imagine that!

According to the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, `The original meaning of the word was "that which seems good", and hence it was applied by classical authors as a technical term either to the distinctive tenets of the various philosophical schools or to the decrees of public authorities.'

So, what does this have to do with the movie? Ironic as it seems for such a bizarre film, it all turns on a minor dogmatic point -- accepting that Roman Catholic dogma is the operative framework for the entire existence of the universe (something even I have yet to meet ANYONE who holds true), a logical inconsistency would render the universe inoperative, and thus it would blink out of existence.

--The Fallen Angels--
Enter the fallen angels. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon star as Bartleby and Loki, the angels who rebelled against God (not in the major, Satan-ic way, but in rather more minor work-stoppage way). They have been banned from heaven, and spend most of their time watching cartoons and hanging out in airports people-watching.

--The Dogmatic Hat-Trick--
In an attempt to 'update and popularise' Catholicism, a bishop in New Jersey (George Carlin, of all people) introduces a new campaign that includes a papal indulgence, which will absolve those who walk through the archway of a particular church. The angels discover this, and are determined to exploit this papal pronouncement to their benefit -- in dogmatic terms, whatever the pope says on earth is binding in heaven (not quite, but that's what the movie presents) -- and thus God cannot refuse them re-entry. This sets up the logical problem.

--The Last Scion--
The heavens charge a particular woman Bethany, (Linda Fiorentino), who turns out to be the last descendent of Jesus Christ's family (of course, the Bible left out the details of his family), with stopping the angels from reaching the church. In the course of her charge, she encounters the Voice of God (Alan Rickman) who appears as a flaming, burning-bush type of phenomenon, and promptly uses a fire-extinguisher to put out the flames.

--The Hellish Plot--
Azrael (Jason Lee), a minor leader of demons, has command of agents to try to stop the Last Scion from stopping the angels. Why? Well, I cannot tell you. This would give away too much of the film. But, suffice it to say, the forces of evil seem to want the angels to prove God wrong (or, at least some of the forces of evil want this). By the way, I am inclined to agree with this demon on at least one point -- central air conditioning is one of the greatest things in creation!

--The Prophets--
Yes, this being a View Askew production, we could hardly do without a visit from the guys from Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob, who turn out to be the Prophets (actually, perhaps it is spelled 'profits'). Unlikely prophets (as, in fact, most prophets are), but basically good at heart.

--The Apostle--
Rufus (Chris Rock), the thirteenth apostle (also left out of the Bible, because of his race) appears to the Last Scion and the Prophets to help them in their quest.

--The Golden Calf--
Loki and Bartelby stop for a moment to pay a visit on a Disney-esque corporation for one last fling as vengeance and destruction angels. The icon of this corporation is a Golden Cow (or Calf), and their crime is encouraging the worshipping of false idols. Hmmmm... Perhaps not all of this movie is so off base.

--Seredipity--
'You people don't celebrate your religion, you mourn it', she says. Serendipity, once a concept, is now personified (in the actress of Salma Hayek), and joins the quest. She is the one who realises that the bishop's golf club, because it is blessed, is thus holy, and can be used against a demon (another piece of dogmatic finery - hmmm, perhaps I should bless my tennis racket!).

--The Conclusion--
Bartleby, who had normally been the voice of reason against Loki's brash fire-and-brimstone approach (well, he was the Angel of Death, after all), becomes upset at the efforts being used to stop them, and turns into a Satan-esque figure bent on opposing God.

But, where is God? We find out that God is missing (something that many in many religions can relate to much of the time, alas), only to discover that God likes to take the occasional holiday. The angels and the choirs of heaven are worried that Bartleby and Loki will succeed in destroying the universe while God is away from his(her) desk.

Oh, ye of little faith. God in the end, in the form of Alanis Morrisette, does show up to save the day, in more ways than one.

--The Priestly Commentary--
Lots of people were very offended at this film (just as some might be offended by this writing!). It does poke fun (scathing, caustic wit is more like it, in truth) at religion in general, Christianity in specific, and the Roman Catholic church in particular. As a priest, I thought there were some questionable scenes and would have preferred a little less foul language; but overall, I thought the premise and the storyline were creative and inventive. I'm quite surprised, actually, that it became a controversy -- I would never use this film for a catechism class, but my fellow seminarians and I had quite productive discussions talking about the topics brought up in the film.

Beware of the language and a few offensive scenes. But make a list of theological questions. See how many theological points that weren't in Charleton Heston films you don't know! We can have a productive discussion later.