Movie Review: The Librarian - Curse of the Judas Chalice

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Good acting, okay story, some good laughs

Cons: The premise is just too weird for me

The Bottom Line:

A premise too far

Spoils otherwise fun movie

Well, it did for me

“I Think It’s Only Fair to Warn You, I Am a Librarian.”

After the second Librarian movie went some strange places, I fully prepared myself for more craziness in The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice.  Sadly, this third made for TV movie went even further afield.

The movie opens with Flynn Carsen (Noah Wyle) on another life and death quest to save the world.  This time, he’s in London at an auction bidding on an antique vase.  What he really wants is inside it, however, The Philosopher’s Stone.  While he succeeds at this mission, it costs him his current girlfriend.  Fed up, he goes on a rant when he gets home, and Judson and Charlene (Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin) suggest he take some of his unused vacation time.

However, after a couple of days, he finds himself growing bored.  After being encouraged to follow his dreams, he dreams of a beautiful woman in New Orleans.  Inspired to go visit the city, he actually finds her singing in a lounge in the city and learns her name is Simone (Stana Katic).  However, when people start chasing them, he hears a story of the Judas chalice and its connection to Judas Iscariot who some believe to be the first vampire.  Is any of it true?  Can he find it if it is?

Yes, you read that right.  This one involves yet another weird history for a Biblical character.  Somehow, this one just went too far for me.  If they had kept it about Vampires and not brought any connection into the Bible into it, I probably would have gone along with it.  However, this strange connection just made me uneasy and I couldn’t quite enjoy it as a result.

Which is a shame because it is filled with the same fun as the first two films.  There are laughs and quips and action as Flynn once again must battle the forces of evil to save the world.  The plot has some great twists to it and really does have good entertainment to it, if you can get past the part of the premise I couldn’t accept.

The effects are better than the previous film, although they still aren’t completely up to big screen standards.  Then again, this is a made for TV budget, so that can be understood and forgiven.

The acting is pretty good as well.  I had a bit of trouble with Stana Katic’s heavy accent early on, but as the movie went along I was able to understand her better.  While the rest of the cast was great, I especially enjoyed seeing her in this since the next year, she went on to star as Kate Beckett in Castle, as show I still absolutely love.

So if you don’t have the hang up I do with the premise, you will enjoy The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice.  There is some entertainment here; I just couldn’t completely get past the premise.