Ryuhei Kitamura returns to Hollywood with comic adaptation "The Magdalena"

by Chris MaGee

When you think Ryuhei Kitamura you don't think about subtlety. His films are big and brash, full of fast editing, explosions, and kick ass action. He also hates most Japanese cinema. Too slow, too artsy, not enough oomph, so ever since his earliest days helming the cult classic "Versus" his goal has been Hollywood. He got his chance in 2007 when he was tagged by Lions Gate Films to direct the Clive Barker adaptation "Midnight Meat Train". That film got a very lukewarm reception, but now Kitamura will be heading back to Hollywood for a second chance... and this film is no less over the top.

According to Andrew Mack at Twitch Kitamura is set to direct a live-action adaptation of the "The Magdalena", the action-packed comic from Top Cow Productions that reads like a cross between "Tomb Raider" and "The DaVinci Code". The Magdalena of the title is traces her bloodline back to Jesus and Mary Magdalene and "has the ability to see into the human heart, to show people the error of their ways and give them the choice to redeem their sins," while wielding the Spear of Destiny, the weapon used to pierce the side of Christ as he hung on the cross... and get this, she does all this sin redeeming and spear wielding in a very skimpy outfit. Who'd have thought?

Jenna Dewan (Step Up) will be donning the fan boy friendly outfit above to play The Magdalena and Luke Goss (Hellboy II: The Golden Army) will probably be the guy begging to begging to be disciplined by her... or I mean have his sins redeemed. To me personally this sounds downright absurd, but absurd over the top action? That's trademark Kitamura. Let's hope that he fares better with this subject matter than he did with "Midnight Meat Train".