Babylon 5: El río de las almas

I'm an admitted Babylon 5 fanatic, so I looked forward to seeing this film with some anticipation. And imagine my surprise when Martin Sheen waltzed into the screen! I thought he did a very good job. The film was pretty good - for some reason the films seem weaker than the series, most likely because they don't really fit into the web-like plot structure of the series.

Like Thirdspace before it, River of Souls attempts to put the supernatural into the B5 mythos (via Lovecraft to some degree) and give it a science fiction spin. While it doesn't descend to the levels of Star Trek's "metaphasic spirit" techno-babble, it still comes across as a bit odd. There are interesting performances by Martin Sheen and Ian McShane, and some follow-up on aspects of the B5 universe (such as the Soul Hunters, and Garabaldi's management of Edgars' Industries). But at the end of the day, it doesn't seem to add up to much. The B plot seems like an attempt to insert some broad comedy (it is funny, just unnecessary), and an excuse to put Tracy Scoggins in a skimpy outfit. Overall, an adequate entry into the B5 series, and more connected to the "mythos" than its predecessor, Thirdspace.

Strong first half especially scenes on Soul Hunter's planet but plot involving Babylon 5 blowing up is routine. Holo brothel sup plot is unfortunate as is writer/creator Strazynski's dialogue. In particular, scene where characters are discussing the soul, the word "afterlife" should have been used instead of "Heaven." But worth watching for any Bab 5 fan.

One billion souls, ready to escape and wreak revenge upon their captors. Of course, they don't actually escape, at least not all of them. And they don't even scratch the Soulhunter (played fairly by Martin Sheen) until the very end, when he willingly sacrifices his soul to build a bridge to peace.

The special effects were nice, as always with Babylon 5, but the plot I thought was lacking. When the highlight of a film is seeing Tracy Scoggins in hot pink lingerie, you can't say much about the storyline.

The obsessed Professor Robert Bryson (Ian McShane) is in a planet looking for the eternal life and soon he is hunted down by the owners, the Soul Hunters. Meanwhile, Capt. Elizabeth Lochley (Tracy Scoggins) is sued by the lawyer of the shyster Jacob Mayhew (Joel Brooks). When a soul hunter (Martin Sheen) visits her, she has another problem to resolve in the station.

"Babylon 5: The River of Souls" is a good film about Babylon 5. The plot is very tense and well resolved in the end. Martin Sheen has a good performance. The conclusion is excellent and is worthwhile watching this movie. . My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Babylon 5 - O Rio das Almas" ("Babylon 5: The River of Souls")