The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice continues the made for television franchise’s blend of comedy, action and B-movie feel. The movies seem to be a wink and nod to the classic adventure films (like King Solomon’s Mines) and modern action adventure flicks like the Indiana Jones franchise or National Treasure. It isn’t the most sophisticated plot, but it is a lot of fun to watch.
The latest Librarian adventure (and reportedly the last one in the series) finds Flynn Carson (Noah Wyle) taking a break from his duties at the library. Life has gotten rough for Flynn and he has had a bit of a meltdown. His bosses, Judson (Bob Newhart) and Charlene (Jane Curtin), decide Flynn needs to go on vacation and send him on down to New Orleans.
Once there, Flynn has no time to rest as he is thrown into yet another crazy adventure. This time he is out to discover the Judas Chalice before some Russian bad guys can get it and revive Dracula (yes, that Dracula). It appears the Russians believe that bringing Dracula back to life will help Russia return to the power and glory it once had.
Flynn is on the hunt for the Judas Chalice with the help of a woman named Simone Renoir (Stana Katic) – who also happens to be a vampire, but she is a nice one. The two follow the clues; fall in love; and get ready for a showdown with Dracula and the Russians.
Like I said, the film doesn’t require thought to keep up with the plot, and moves along at a very predictable pace. However, that is part of the fun of the series. The special effects are bad, but that just adds to the gag. You never question where the film is going, the mystery of Dracula, or if Flynn will make it out alive.
Wyle is great as Flynn and has developed the character along the three films. When the series started, he was kind of an “out of his element” character who bungled his way through the plot relying on Judson or whatever hottie he was hooking up with in the story to get him out of trouble. The second film saw Flynn improving on his skills and confidence (he even moved out of his mom’s house), but still not quite his own man.
Judas Chalice kicks off with Flynn seeming a tad Bond, but he quickly stumbles back into the character we love to watch screw up. This time though he seems more in control of his adventure, and even capable of getting himself out of the trouble he causes – although he still has a hottie to help him out of a jam or two.
Wyle and Katic actually develop some good chemistry during the film, but I wished they could have brought back Sonya Walger's Nicole Noone for the final film. Out of all the ladies nerdy Flynn manages to hook up with, Wyle’s chemistry with Walger was the best in the series and it would have been nice to see the character pop up again.
Although Wyle is the star of the movie, I really enjoyed the performances of Curtin and Newhart and wished they could have been given more screen time. The two characters had bigger roles in the first two Librarian adventures, but just pop up now and then for the latest journey. Newhart still knows how to deliver the laughs in his own subtle style, and steals the scene anytime he is on screen.
The Judas Chalice was directed by Jonathan Frakes (who also directed The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines), and he knows how to keep the movie moving along. Return to King Solomon’s Mines was an improvement over some of the problems the first Librarian adventure had, and Frakes continued to improve the series with this outing.
The film features a fast pace that slows only for the occasional gag or laugh, and Frakes fills the screen with plenty of action to keep you from getting bored or questioning the plot.
He also does a good job of capturing New Orleans and at times the city becomes a character to the film. The setting helps sell the adventure, and the city’s supernatural mythos keeps the plot feeling somewhat believable.
The DVD comes with a couple of deleted scenes and two “making of” features that look at the visual effects and some of the stunt work involved.
The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice is a fun movie that captures the adventure spirit of other famous franchises while giving a wink and nod to fans with its humor. If you are already a fan of the franchise, you won’t want to miss this addition. If not, give this film a try and you might find something to like.
The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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