Fallen
for violence and language.
Reviewed by: Brad Kibler
CONTRIBUTOR
| Moral Rating: | Very Offensive |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
|
| Primary Audience: | Adults |
| Genre: | Supernatural Crime Thriller |
| Length: | 2 hr. 4 min. |
| Year of Release: | 1998 |
| USA Release: |
January 16, 1998 |
Witnessing the execution of a serial killer
About murder
What is DEATH? and WHY does it exist? Answer in the Bible
About the fall of mankind to worldwide depravity
What is SIN AND WICKEDNESS? Is it just “bad people” that are sinners, or are YOU a sinner? Answer
Are you good enough to get to Heaven? Answer
How good is good enough? Answer
What is the FINAL JUDGMENT? and WHAT do you need to know about it? Answer
What is eternal life? and what does the Bible say about it?
What is eternal death?
What are DEMONS?
DEMON POSSESSION and Influence—Can Christians be demon possessed? In what ways can Satan and his demons influence believers? Answer
Who or what is Azazel in the Bible?
Angels in the Bible
What else does the Bible teach about angels?
| Featuring | Denzel Washington, Donald Sutherland, John Goodman, Embeth Davidtz, Elias Koteas, James Gandolfini, Robert Joy, Aida Turturro |
| Director |
Gregory Hoblit |
| Producer |
Charles Roven Dawn Steel Turner Pictures |
| Distributor |
I was disappointed by this supernatural thriller. I had built up in my mind an expectation of the potential this film had, but it left me dismayed. I’ve come to expect more from Denzel Washington (“The Preacher’s Wife”, “Courage Under Fire”) who plays the lead role of Detective John Hobbes. Even the ending, which is intended to be a surprising twist, was somewhat predictable.
Det. Hobbes is the lead investigator of a serial killer who is executed by the state of Pennsylvania at the beginning of the film. The problem is that the man is not responsible for the deaths. The guilty party is Azazel, the demon possessing him. The story revolves around the cop and the demon battling to defeat each other.
What are DEMONS?
Who is Satan, the enemy of God and all people?
Is Satan a real person that influences our world today? Is he affecting you? Answer
The film’s worldview regarding demons is described mostly by Gretta Milano (Embeth Davidtz) a theology professor at an unnamed University. Many of the beliefs about the supernatural that this movie uses as it’s basis are flawed. Most of their “facts” about the spirit world seem to have been pulled out of a hat rather than based on the Truth. Jesus taught that if we are filled with the Spirit of God that we cannot also be inhabited by demons, one of many facts which this film ignores. Suffice it to say that this film did not make an effort to stay true to Scripture.
Hobbes' conversations with his partner Jonesy (John Goodman) often reflect a pseudo-religious belief system. Hobbes says he goes to church “now and then” but claims “Faith is hard to sustain” in his line of work.
He refuses to believe in a God that cares for us each personally because “There’s more than 5 billion of us running around here like ants… Do you care about whether ants live or die?” God DOES care about each one of us (John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9)!
Can Christians be demon possessed? In what ways can Satan and his demons influence believers? Answer…
The film doesn’t have as much dialog as most other films, but manages to include in excess of 40 vulgarities and profanities of all kinds. This film also contains violent content which can be a bit unsettling even for adult viewers (a man being executed in the gas chamber, people being shot at close range, and other action-style violence). There was some vulgar sexual conversation, but no nudity or sexual situations.
If you choose to see this film, don’t take the kids. It promotes incorrect views of Christianity and contains extreme language and violence.
If we fall victim to the New Age movement and the false lies spreading about the spiritual world, we will believe that we can defeat demons. We cannot. Only Jesus has, can, and will do that. We must claim His name and His blood to fight the demons. I would not reccomend this movie to a non-believer unless you are prepared to watch it with them and then discuss the plan of Salvation and how we can defeat Satan.