Released Friday 5th March, Legion starring Paul Bettany is the super-natural thriller that gives us a little taster of what will happen when God finally decides enough is enough, and that the human race has got to go (again...).
In a modern take of Noah’s fabled flood, God sends down a Legion of Angels with an excellent amount of weaponry to take out anyone they come across, which most do with a surprising vigor for angelic folk.
Only one, Archangel Michael, is reluctant, and travels to a small diner in the middle of nowhere to protect the unborn child who turns out to be the only salvation for human kind.
We are taking a look at the children in film who have the potential to change the world, for good or for evil, and the forces that are in place to protect them.
Legion, 2010
The child: As yet unborn, the whole of God’s task force are out to get said baby; armed to the teeth and pumped for a fight these angels will stop at nothing until this hope for the human race is exterminated.
Forces of good protection rating: with only a single de-winged angel and a task force of relatively useless people in a diner in the middle of nowhere, with limited ammunition and less courage, the odds for the diner crew winning out seem slim. You’ll have to see the film to see how this one turns out!
The Exorcist, 1973
The child: Regan MacNiel is just an ordinary 12-year-old girl dealing with her parents’ divorce, until she becomes possessed by the demon Pazuzu. Killing her babysitter, a priest and performing some genuinely disturbing feats during her period of being possessed, Regan’s pretty much as bad as it can be in child evilness terms.
Forces of Evil protection rating: 1/10 - Other than simply being Pazuzu there are no other helpful demons on hand to wreak vengeful havoc. This means that when Father Karras sneakily gets the demon to posses him instead of Regan, the poor sod can do nothing but die when the good Father plunges to his death.
The Terminator, 1984
The child: Sarah Connor’s child-to-be, John, will one day be the leader of the Human Resistance against Skynet and their army of machines. While John doesn’t feature at all in the first film, Arnie is on a mission to prevent his ever coming into being and it is up to Kyle (Michael Biehn) to warn Sarah about the grave threat to her future progeny.
Forces of good protection rating: 8/10 - Willing to die for the cause Kyle does a stellar job; not only does he save Sarah from The Terminator, he also provides a vital ingredient for John’s conception.
Rosemary’s Baby, 1968
The child: What with all the craving of raw meat, severe pains and other worrying developments during her pregnancy it’s easy to guess that something is not quite right with Rosemary’s baby. However, it’s not until the end of this disturbing 1968 classic that we find out that Rosemary’s child, Adrian, is actually the son of Satan.
Forces of Evil protection rating: 9/10 - As the spawn of the devil it’s a pretty safe bet that Adrian will have a pretty impressive security force going on.
Protected at the end of the film by an evil coven of witches, and with Rosemary helpless to do anything other than watch on, we feel pretty safe saying that Adrian will have a long career in evil ahead.
The Golden Child, 1986
The child: A Tibetan with talents unknown, The Golden Child (who never seems to get a real name maybe it would devalue the film if he was called Jim?) is billed as the saviour of all man kind. He’s got some great gifts, such as being able to revive the dead, and is wanted by evil demon Sardo Numspa.
Forces of good protection rating: 6/10 - When the monks let themselves down by letting The Golden Child fall into the clutches of an evil demon, all seems to be lost.
Luckily Eddie Murphy is on hand to combine comedy with some kick-ass action, only letting himself down when his girlfriend is killed and he has to rely on the magic of The Golden Child to save the day.
The Omen, 1976 / 2006
The child: Damien Thorn was born on at 6am on the 6th June: He is the Antichrist. Determined to kill anyone who could get in his way, a series of ‘accidents’ to those around him alert his adoptive father to the fact that all is not as it seems with Damien, and that he must be stopped.
Forces of Evil protection rating: 10/10 - With ancient myth and a bad Nanny on his side, it looks as though Damien needs no other aid to further his cause for wickedness: Evil through and through, Damien is an unstoppable force.
Children of Men, 2006
The child: In 2027 no children have been born anywhere in the world for 18 years, yet Kee (an illegal African immigrant) is pregnant. Representing the only hope for human kind, Kee’s child is the single force that can unite humanity for good.
Forces of good protection rating: 6/10 - With only Clive Owen to protect them, Kee and her child’s chances for survival look slim.
Managing to scrape through numerous dangerous scenarios and remain alive, the day is eventually saved when the child’s mewling astounds combatants into putting down their guns to give Kee and child free passage to their destination.
Legion is released 5th March.
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