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- An outraged Flynn Carsen (on having his tuxedo shirt ripped during a sword duel): "This is rented!"
- His evil (yet urbane) opponent: "Of course it is."

It's always a guilty pleasure catching up with the Librarian, whose job is to guard history's secret relics and treasures, some of these magical in nature and all stowed away in the hidden chambers of the Metropolitan Library of New York. Flynn Carsen is sort of like a modern-day Indiana Jones, except that he's awkward and plenty nerdy. But Flynn does keep his wits about him, and, after years of holding down the Librarian gig, he now boasts experience and smidgens of confidence. This current Librarian may fumble about some, but it's always fun seeing how he'll get out of whatever scrape.

The more things change... The movie opens with Flynn at a posh event applying the finishing touches to his tuxedo. He then navigates down a stairway, sips champagne, and then does a spit take with the champagne. Which goes to show that, even after all this time, Flynn Carsen is still refreshingly hapless. But, after this latest escapade, which climaxes in a sword fight, Flynn Carsen is officially burnt out (his girlfriend dumping him has something to do with it). Back at the library, by virtue of sheer grousing, he gets himself some time off and ends up flying to New Orleans, all gigged out in bow tie and panama hat. So, as they say in the Big Easy, laissez les bon temps roullez.

Or not. The holiday rapidly turns into a desperate relic hunt, with Flynn taking on ex-KGB agents, voodoo magic, and the undead. Along the way, he partners up with a mysterious chanteuse to rescue a kidnapped scientist. The relic in question is the rumored Judas Chalice, of which origin dates back to Judas Iscariot and his 30 pieces of silver. The chalice reeks of malice but holds the brew that is true - that is, if you're a vampire in need of resurrecting. And, since those ex-KGB agents have unearthed the coffin of Vlad Dracul, you can see where this is going.

What I like best about TNT's Librarian series is that it's not at all pretentious. It wallows in its unabashed cheesiness and farce, even as it hunkers down with a pretty good adventure story. THE LIBRARIAN: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE is the third in the series, and it doesn't disappoint its fans. Hokey fun, mythical artifacts, indecipherable manuscripts, supernatural villains, and a likable, nebbish, talky hero (even the bad guys complain of his always talking in paragraphs). By now, Noah Wyle's got his part down cold. The neat thing about his character is that he can do something heroic but, then, subsequently have the rug pulled out from under him. And, when this happens, he's so damn good-natured about it.

Flynn has had a hard time keeping his lady loves. First Nicole (Sonya Walger), then Emily Davenport (Gabrielle Anwar). This time out, Wyle's romantic interest is exotic Stana Katic, who plays bluesy singer Simone Renoir with femme fatale nuances. Maybe she's a keeper. Or not. Meanwhile, Jane Curtin and Bob Newhart (at his stammering best) are again solidly on board as the museum directors.

I never thought I'd ever say this, but I had a better time with THE LIBRARIAN: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE than with that last Indiana Jones flick. This movie, like its predecessors (The Librarian - Quest for the Spear & The Librarian - Return to King Solomon's Mines) are tongue-in-cheek throwbacks to those high adventure pictures churned out back in the 1930s, '40s and '50s. I don't think I'm reaching that much when I say that even the score here is rousing enough that it actually reminded me of those Errol Flynn swashbucklers. But, of course, Flynn Carsen is no Errol Flynn. Errol doesn't know the Dewey Decimal System.

This is the third of the "Librarian" TV movies with Noah Wyle and I think they keep improving each time out. With all the vampire movies and books out there right now, it must have seemed only natural to pit Flynn against the undead and it did not disappoint! Action, humor and mystery in good combination. Bob Newhart and Jane Curtain were excellent as always and Excaliber had a very nice scene. That sword has definitely become a character in itself! The only downer is that I kept hearing that this was the final one and I'm really hoping that either I heard wrong or they change their mind! Great production values and good FX but these movies are definitely story and character-driven. Make more please!!

I've enjoyed all three installments of this series, the "Curse of the Judas Chalice" may well be the best of the three.

The Librarian series is Indiana Jones Lite, and that's just fine. There is plenty of humor and other elements to interest adults, and action and 'cool factor' for kids to enjoy ... or vice versa. LOL

The one thing the Librarian might want to work on, though, is hiding his trail. Where ever he's heading, the bad guys always show up just behind him, and occasionally even beat him there!

These movies are worthwhile if, for no other reason, to see what may turn out to be some of Bob Newhart's final roles.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Bite the Librarian
The DVD arrived a little earlier than expected. It was in excellent shape. As usual, the movie was full of action and adventure. All in all, a very primo purchase.

Published 23 days ago by Paul Fleurent

4.0 out of 5 stars Indiana Jones type quality entertainment on a budget
Firstly, although lower budget than the Indianna Jones films of the same type of storyboard it is not chintzy or distracting from the movie. Read more

Published 1 month ago by B Leuri

4.0 out of 5 stars The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice
This movie was not as good as the last two but it still had its merits. I thought it was a sad ending. And that perhaps the damsel could have been around to help the librarian.

Published 3 months ago by Mari P. Blyler

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Guilty Pleasure For Us With a Renewed Interest And Treasure Hunters
While like with the other two Librarian movies this at most ranks as a B-movie not bad but nothing really spectacular either which is pretty much expected. Read more

Published 4 months ago by Rich

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of three!
If you enjoyed Indiana Jones, you'll love The Librarian, too. He's witty, nerdy, at times accident prone, and he's Noah Wyle. Read more

Published 5 months ago by Dee

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful film that's better than average TV movies.
A friend of mine recommended this TV movie as the best of the series of 3 about "The Librarian," a fantasy adventure that makes me almost wish such magical wonders did really lurk... Read more

Published 6 months ago by Gary Alan Ruse

5.0 out of 5 stars I loved being on set for the making of this film
I was in the very beginning of this movie in the first two scenes. The movie was filmed in New Orleans. I had so much fun with my other cast members, Noah and the crew. Read more

Published 6 months ago by Monica Anderson

4.0 out of 5 stars Too much of a departure for my tastes
The third entry in the Librarian franchise in many ways lives up to the standards set by the first two. Read more

Published 12 months ago by Jim Davis

2.0 out of 5 stars Too cheesy
Way to cheesy for my taste. Couldn't tell if it was trying to be comedic or a vampire movie.

Published 12 months ago by Rachel A. Flavin

5.0 out of 5 stars the third librarian movie
As the third in the librarian series, this movie did not disappoint. The characters were fun and the plot was more than decent. Love the Librarian!

Published 16 months ago by D. Schrank

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