The journey of "Priest" (2011): A story of Vampires and Heroes
In a grim, dystopian world, humanity has been ensnared in a centuries-old war with vampires, and an awesomely powerful Church rules. Cities walled off to the outside are the last remnants of human civilization, wherein the elite warriors of the Church—the Priests—once were humanity's final defense against the vampire scourge. However, since the ostensible end to this war, the Priests have been ostracized, their purpose apparently fulfilled, and their powers buried.
The story revolves around a veteran Warrior Priest, portrayed by Paul Bettany, who is now leading a life in obscurity in the Church's walled cities. Of course, peace is still as fragile and uneasily held as one might think, but it will soon be torn apart when a group of bloodthirsty vampires brutally attacks his brother Owen and wife Shannon, kidnapping their daughter Lucy in the process. In desperation, the local sheriff—who happened to be Lucy's boyfriend, Hicks—sets out in search for the Priest. Though the Church refuses to even acknowledge the renewed threat of vampires and openly denies his authority, the Priest does go against his vows to take a perilous quest to rescue his niece.
Priest and Hicks enter the desolate lands beyond the walled cities and go into the Nightshade Reservation, infested with vampires. It is there that they get to know the Familiars—humans infected by a pathogen that makes them subservient to the bloodsuckers. Further into desolation, they realize that vampires have undergone evolution: they are more organized now and use advanced technology.
Their search ultimately brings them to the Hive of Sola Mira, a place that has supposedly been uninhabited since the end of the war. Along the way, they are joined by a rogue Warrior Priestess, tied to Priest by a deep bond of friendship forged in blood. Together, they will uncover an unspeakable conspiracy: the Church, once the protector of humanity, now holds secrets in the dark. In the greater scheme of things, Lucy's kidnapping is merely a detail in their plan: keeping humans in a state of fear ensures that the control of the Church remains unchallenged.
At the center of this conspiracy is Black Hat, a former Priest inducted into the vampire leadership. Karl Urban plays Black Hat as a more physical opposition with superhuman abilities who leads a plot to assault the human cities en masse. His treachery makes the conflict personal, for Priest has to fight not only against vampires but also against dark truths within the institution he once served.
The climax of the movie is set in the Hive, where Priest, Hicks, and the Priestess face off against Black Hat and his army of vampires in several battles. The action here is also non-stop, with Priest's fight skills on full view along with the Priestess' otherworldly combat prowess. Decaying cities and vast, sweeping open spaces outside the walls provide a stark, hauntingly drab backdrop for the unfolding drama.
In a last, desperate confrontation, Priest manages to kill Black Hat but at great cost. Lucy is saved, and the immediate threat of the vampires is eradicated. However, the ending is somber. Priest realizes that this is only the beginning of his war with the vampires, and that the true enemy may come from within the very institution he once believed in. It is with this renewed vigor in his fight that Priest vows to forge on, setting up a possible future battle.
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