Dogma

(Columbia TriStar)

Basically a catechism with comic-book illustrations and foul language, Kevin Smith's controversial film has former avenging angels (Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) getting exiled to Earth for questioning the vengeful will of God. They see an opportunity for salvation when a cardinal (a humorless George Carlin) offers an indulgence to anyone who enters a local church; what they don't realize is that by doing so they'll unravel all Creation. To stop them, the Voice of God (Alan Rickman) enlists Bethany (Linda Fiorentino), Christ's last living descendant and an abortion-clinic worker, plus 13th-apostle Rufus (Chris Rock) and the tiresome team of Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith). There's much, much more, none of it amusing or enlightening.