Dogma the Movie

Dogma is a comedy/drama/ fantasy movie that was released on the November of 1999 in the US. Despite its religious controversy, especially with the Catholic Church calling it a blasphemous movie, the 128 minute movie was well received by the public grossing up to $31.4 million in the box office having a $10 million budget.

With a stellar cast, Kevin Smith is able to deliver the religious satire in both a hilarious but respectful manner. He tells a story of two angels who defied God, were condemned to earth and will do anything to find their way back home, to heaven.

The movie starts with a rather rugged old man being attacked by 3 boys with hockey sticks, though a seemingly irrelevant scene, its importance is seen much later in the film.

The Cardinal announces the face lifting of the Catholicism. He even unveils a new statue “buddy Jesus” who is more approachable and bring joy to the hearts of men as opposed to him on the cross. He states that anyone who walks under the archways of the church during the rededication ceremony will be sanctified from all sin.

Matt Damon The Angel of Death

Loki played by Matt Damon is one of the damned angels. Bartleby is also a condemned angel played by Ben Affleck. Loki was the angel of death until Bartleby during a celebratory drink convinced him that what he was doing wasn’t right.

He therefore confronts God, quits his job and is sent down to earth with his counterpart. Loki is full of mischief and admits to enjoying to screw with the clergy, which is actually what he is doing while Bartleby watches couples meet in the airport.

He does this as he wishes he could do the same, go home, be reconciled with God their sins from their past forgiven. They take on the journey to New Jersey their only lead being the piece of newspaper they received anonymously in the mail.

The newspaper reveals that St. Michael’s Catholic Church will be having a rededication ceremony where anyone who passes through its archways will be cleansed of all sin. Bartleby explains that this is a loophole in catholic dogma that they must take advantage of.

Loki is a bit skeptical but Bartleby is able to convince him and soon enough he is even more excited than Bartleby. With only four days till the ceremony, they set out for New Jersey. Loki plans to kill sinners on his journey as part of reparation for his sin.

Linda Fiorentino is Bethany

On the other side we have (Linda Fiorentino) Bethany, a church going but unbelieving catholic who believes God is dead due to all the bad luck she has been served in life. She works in an abortion clinic and was left by her husband due to her infertility.

Metatron (Alan Rickman), the angel who acts as the voice of God makes a grand fiery appearance to her in the night as she sleeps.

She attacks the intruder but slowly warms up to him when he explains who he is. He tells her of her mandate to stop the two fallen angels from getting to New Jersey and passing through the archways in order to save the world from ceasing to exist.

She takes this skeptically and finds it even hilarious. She is attacked by the 3 demon boys but is saved by two dudes who are in the abortion clinic area looking for loose women. The two men, Jay and Silent Bob are the prophets she was told she would meet and should accompany in accomplishing her mission.

It all happens in New Jersey

They agree to let her tag along to New Jersey as she promises to pay them. They get some car troubles and are stranded in the highway when Rufus, who claims to be the 13th disciple falls from the sky.

He joins them in their quest and discloses much about Jesus and personal information about Bethany and Jay. Loki and Bartleby are in a bus to New Jersey, Loki proves he still got it by identifying sinners and shooting them dead. Bethany and Rufus follow Jay and silent Bob to a strip club where they meet Serendipity who was a muse in heaven but who has not seen much success in the world.

They are attacked by a shit demon who wants to kill Bethany to stop her from her quest. Silent bob incapacitates the creature and saves them.

On the other side we have (Linda Fiorentino) Bethany, a church going but unbelieving catholic who believes God is dead due to all the bad luck she has been served in life. She works in an abortion clinic and was left by her husband due to her infertility. Metatron (Alan Rickman), the angel who acts as the voice of God makes a grand fiery appearance to her in the night as she sleeps. She attacks the intruder but slowly warms up to him when he explains who he is.

He tells her of her mandate to stop the two fallen angels from getting to New Jersey and passing through the archways in order to save the world from ceasing to exist. She takes this skeptically and finds it even hilarious. She is attacked by the 3 demon boys but is saved by two dudes who are in the abortion clinic area looking for loose women. The two men, Jay and Silent Bob are the prophets she was told she would meet and should accompany in accomplishing her mission.

Rufus13th disciple

They agree to let her tag along to New Jersey as she promises to pay them. They get some car troubles and are stranded in the highway when Rufus, who claims to be the 13th disciple falls from the sky. He joins them in their quest and discloses much about Jesus and personal information about Bethany and Jay. Loki and Bartleby are in a bus to New Jersey, Loki proves he still got it by identifying sinners and shooting them dead. Bethany and Rufus follow Jay and silent Bob to a strip club where they meet Serendipity who was a muse in heaven but who has not seen much success in the world. They are attacked by a shit demon who wants to kill Bethany to stop her from her quest. Silent bob incapacitates the creature and saves them.

Mooby The Golden Calf

Loki and Bartleby confront the board of directors of Mooby golden calf Company which promotes idolatry by their golden calf. They judge them for their sins and kill them sparing only one non sinner. Azrael appears to Loki and Bartleby revealing he is rooting for them to go back to heaven, he gives them some much needed advice to make it home. They all board the same train to New Jersey. Bethany meets and connects with Bartleby until they realize they are on opposing sides which leads to Loki and Bartleby getting thrown off the train.

God and Humanity

Bartleby divulges his bitterness against God’s relationship with humanity and his intentions have changed from just to going home but wants to start a war with God.

He is deaf to Loki’s cries to have him think rationally and continues his quest forcing Loki to accompany him. Bethany demands for answers and Rufus discloses that she is related to Jesus Christ and is the last sion.

She doesn’t take this well and has an outburst but Metatron reassures her and is able to calm her. Metatron and Rufus try to solve the mystery of where God is but despite knowing that He might be playing ski ball are unsure where he is.

Metatron admits angels feel lost without God’s presence. They approach the cardinal to stop the ceremony but he is adamant. Azrael attacks the group but is defeated and killed together with his 3 minions.

The Cardinal

Cardinal is presiding over the Catholicism event attended by a multitude of people and reporters alike. Loki and Bartleby disrupt the ceremony and causes chaos, Bartleby kills a lot of people and Loki is helpless in stopping him and his wings have been cut off thus becomes human and even is able to take a beer.

Bartleby goes on a rampage throwing bodies from high up and even kills Loki showing that he has really lost it. Jay shoots off his wings. Bethany figures out that the man who was beaten up in the first scene must be the body God is stuck in thus takes him off life support.

God appears, in a woman’s body right on time at the church stopping Bartleby from passing through the arch. Bartleby cries into her arms, she consoles Him but then using her voice obliterates him. Bethany, deceased from pulling the plug, is mourned by the whole group especially Silent Bob who carries her to the church.

God brings her to life and Metatron facilitates her begetting a child. God lovingly looks at Bethany as she asks what the purpose of humanity and bops her nose proving He is as funny as Metatron had told her. Rufus however tells Bethany that God has no gender as Serendipity had claimed.

The movie has a happy ending with Metatron considering making the changes Rufus was suggesting and Serendipity getting an invite back to heaven and Jay and Silent Bob just let be.