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Verdict: A clean-cut drama for the soul.

Details: Starring Michael York, Casper Van Dien and Catherine Oxenberg. Directed by Rob Marcarelli. Rated PG-13 for several shootings. 1 hour, 39 minutes.

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Review: For decades, James Bond movies have been coasting on nothing but pure titillation.

Strip them of all the girly flesh, the intoxicating martinis (shaken, not stirred), the vulgarities and most of the gunfire and pyrotechnics and you're left with...

"The Omega Code."

With glittering fanfare, the evangelical Trinity Broadcasting Network has made and released a big-screen film aimed mainly at Christians, an often untapped source for ticket revenue. Now there's no question that TBN can deliver what so many Hollywood studios do day after day — a perfectly ordinary action-drama.

"The Omega Code" stars Michael York and Casper Van Dien in an overly talkative tale reminiscent of the biblical book of Revelation. As wealthy businessman Stone Alexander, York steals and uses a secret biblical code to effect a world takeover. The hammy Van Dien plays Gillen Lane, a glam gadabout and motivational leader who uncovers York's plot and must act to save the globe.

Van Dien must also perform this in the confines of a PG-13 movie, an extremely difficult task compared to the automatic R-rated extremities enjoyed by most of filmdom's other action-dramas. Can you imagine "The Matrix" under such restraint?

Quick-paced editing helps

"The Omega Code" has no obscenities (unless you want to count "balderdash"), no sex, little blood and a minimum of bullets. It also doesn't have much of a script. (York delivers the corniest line: "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ... money.")

But what it does have is Oscar-winning film editor Peter Zinner ("The Deer Hunter" and the first two "Godfather" flicks). His cuts provide much-needed pacing and punch.

"The Omega Code" also has good special effects, angels in modern clothing, demons swirling about in bad dreams and, as you might expect, a depiction of the glory of the Lord.

That might be all plenty of moviegoers need. It was enough for one woman during a Friday screening. When "The Omega Code" concluded, she said simply, "Amen."

— Bob Longino, Cox News Service

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