Fallen (1998 film)

Last updated

Fallen
Fallen film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Gregory Hoblit
Written by Nicholas Kazan
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Newton Thomas Sigel
Edited byLawrence Jordan
Music by Tan Dun
Production
companies
Distributed by Warner Bros. [1]
Release date
  • January 16, 1998 (1998-01-16)
Running time
124 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States [1]
LanguageEnglish
Budget$46 million [3]
Box office$25.2 million [4]

Fallen is a 1998 American supernatural thriller film [2] directed by Gregory Hoblit, produced by Charles Roven and Dawn Steel, from a screenplay by Nicholas Kazan. Denzel Washington plays a Philadelphia police detective who is investigating occult murders committed by an apparent copycat killer. John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, Embeth Davidtz, James Gandolfini and Elias Koteas also star. Warner Bros. released Fallen on January 16, 1998. Despite the movie’s underperformance at the box office, Fallen gained a cult following and is considered one of Washington’s most underrated films. [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

Contents

Plot

Philadelphia Police Detective John Hobbes visits serial killer Edgar Reese, whom he helped capture, on death row. Reese is in high spirits and, during conversation, grabs Hobbes' hand and delivers a spiteful monologue in an unknown language, assumed to be gibberish but later identified as Syrian Aramaic. As he is executed, Reese mocks the spectators and sings "Time Is on My Side" by The Rolling Stones.

Hobbes and his partner Jonesy investigate a string of new murders reminiscent of Reese's style, which they assume is by a copycat killer. Following hints given by Reese and the copycat killer, Hobbes tracks down a woman named Gretta Milano. Gretta explains that her father, a former detective, killed himself in an isolated cabin after being accused of a series of occult murders similar to the ones Hobbes and Jonesy are investigating. Hobbes visits the Milano family's abandoned lake-house. In the basement he finds several unsettling books about demonic possession. He also discovers the name "Azazel" written on a wall, obscured under layers of paint and grime.

Hobbes asks Gretta about the name, but she strongly urges him to drop the case to protect the lives of himself and his loved ones. She reconsiders after a terrifying encounter with Azazel, who confronts her in the guise of several strangers on the street and attempts to possess her. Seeking sanctuary in a church, Gretta explains to Hobbes that Azazel is a fallen angel who can possess human beings by touch. Hobbes realizes that Azazel, while possessing Edgar Reese, shook his hand before the execution but was not able to possess him. Gretta explains that the demon will try to ruin his life and warns him of Azazel's inevitable victory. Azazel visits Hobbes at his precinct, possesses his friend Lou, and taunts him. Azazel moves from person to person, singing "Time Is on My Side" after each transfer. Hobbes asks Lou and several others why they were singing the song, but they have no recollection. Hobbes runs outside and calls out to Azazel in Syrian Aramaic. The demon, now moving among people in the street, praises Hobbes for his cleverness. Hobbes says that he knows of Azazel's true identity; the demon threatens him and disappears.

To provoke Hobbes, Azazel possesses his nephew Sam and attacks John's intellectually disabled brother Art in their home. He again flees into other people on the street, ending up in a schoolteacher. As the teacher, Azazel draws a gun and forces Hobbes to shoot his host in front of a group of bystanders. Azazel boasts that if his current host is killed, he can transfer to another host in the surrounding area without needing to touch them.

Lieutenant Stanton informs Hobbes that his fingerprints were found at one of the murder scenes, and in light of the bizarre circumstances of the shooting of the teacher, he has become a suspect for all the murders. Azazel inhabits several of the witnesses and gives false accounts that the shooting was unprovoked, throwing further suspicion on Hobbes. Azazel comes into Hobbes' home and murders his brother, while marking Sam. Hobbes takes his nephew to Gretta's house. Gretta explains that, if forced out of a host body, Azazel can only travel for as long as one breath can sustain him, after which he will die.

Hobbes goes to the Milano cabin and calls Jonesy, knowing he will trace the call. Stanton and Jonesy arrive to arrest Hobbes; however, Jonesy kills Stanton, revealing himself to be possessed. Azazel prepares to shoot himself, which will allow him to possess Hobbes, the only other person for miles around. Hobbes wrestles Jonesy for his gun, and Jonesy is fatally wounded. Hobbes smokes cigarettes which he explains have been laced with the same poison Azazel used to kill his brother, which will leave Azazel stranded in the wilderness without a host. Hobbes taunts him and kills Jonesy. Azazel possesses Hobbes, frantically attempts to flee, and succumbs to the poison. Azazel, in voiceover, mocks the audience for believing that he has lost, and a possessed cat emerges from beneath the cabin and heads back to civilization. The Rolling Stones' "Sympathy for the Devil" plays over the closing credits. [11]

Cast

Release

Fallen was released in 2,448 theaters on January 16, 1998. It landed at #3 at the box office and made $10.4 million in its opening weekend. In its second weekend, it made $4.9 million. After being in cinemas for four weeks, the film made $23.3 million in the US and $981,200 internationally for a total of $25.2 million. [4]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes Fallen has an approval rating of 40% based on reviews from 57 critics. The site's consensus reads: "Has an interesting premise. Unfortunately it's just a recycling of old materials, and not all that thrilling." [12] Janet Maslin of The New York Times called it "A stylish if seriously far-fetched nightmare", [11] but Variety wrote that "Washington has the almost impossible task of holding together a convoluted picture that's only intermittently suspenseful and not very engaging emotionally or intellectually". [2] Roger Ebert gave the film a mixed review, writing "the idea is better than the execution, and by the end, the surprises become too mechanical and inevitable.” [13] The Chicago Reader praised Washington's performance, but referring to the film's continual use of The Rolling Stones song "Time Is on My Side", wrote "The first half of this movie holds some promise, but time is not on its side." [14]

Ryan Parker from The Hollywood Reporter said: “Although it was not a box office success, the film ... has gone on to become a beloved cult classic.“ [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denzel Washington</span> American actor (born 1954)

Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his work spanning over four decades of screen and stage, he has been regarded as one of the best actors of his generation, with The New York Times naming him the greatest actor of the 21st century in 2020. Washington has received a number of honors, including two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, three Golden Globe Awards, as well as the Cecil B. DeMille Award and AFI Life Achievement Award, and nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards.

<i>Frequency</i> (2000 film) 2000 film by Gregory Hoblit

Frequency is a 2000 American science fiction thriller film starring Dennis Quaid, Jim Caviezel, Andre Braugher, Elizabeth Mitchell, Shawn Doyle, Melissa Errico, and Noah Emmerich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Joy</span> Canadian actor (born 1951)

Robert Joy is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as medical examiner Sid Hammerback on the police procedural series CSI: NY, and his appearances in the films Atlantic City (1980), Ragtime (1981), Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Land of the Dead (2005), and The Hills Have Eyes (2006). He is a two-time Genie Award nominee for Best Supporting Actor; for Atlantic City and Whole New Thing.

<i>The Mighty</i> 1998 drama film directed by Peter Chelsom

The Mighty is a 1998 American coming of age buddy comedy-drama film directed by Peter Chelsom and written by Charles Leavitt. Based on the book Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick, the film stars Sharon Stone, Gena Rowlands, Gillian Anderson, Harry Dean Stanton, Kieran Culkin, James Gandolfini and Elden Henson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embeth Davidtz</span> American – South African actress (born 1965)

Embeth Jean Davidtz is an American-South African actress and director. She's appeared in movies such as Army of Darkness, Schindler's List, Matilda, Fallen,Mansfield Park, Bicentennial Man, Bridget Jones's Diary,Junebug,Fracture,The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,The Amazing Spider-Man,The Amazing Spider-Man 2,Old, and Not Okay, and in the television series In Treatment, Californication, Mad Men, Grey's Anatomy, Ray Donovan, and The Morning Show.

<i>The Bone Collector</i> 1999 film by Phillip Noyce

The Bone Collector is a 1999 American crime thriller film directed by Phillip Noyce and starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. The film is based on the 1997 crime novel of the same name written by Jeffery Deaver. It focuses on a quadriplegic homicide detective and a newly recruited patrol officer investigating a series of homicides in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elias Koteas</span> Canadian actor (born 1961)

Elias Koteas is a Canadian actor. He is known for playing Alvin "Al" Olinsky in the Chicago franchise, as well as appearing in lead and supporting roles in numerous films. He won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film Ararat (2002). He appeared in such films as Some Kind of Wonderful (1987), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), The Adjuster (1991), Exotica (1994), The Prophecy (1995), Crash (1996), Living Out Loud (1998), Fallen (1998), The Thin Red Line (1998), Harrison's Flowers (2002), Collateral Damage (2002), Shooter (2007), Zodiac (2007), Skinwalkers (2007), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), and Shutter Island (2010).

<i>Copycat</i> (1995 film) 1995 thriller film by Jon Amiel

Copycat is a 1995 American psychological thriller film directed by Jon Amiel and starring Sigourney Weaver, Holly Hunter, and Dermot Mulroney. The score was composed by Christopher Young. The film follows a criminal psychologist and a homicide detective who must work together to find a serial killer who is committing copycat crimes modeled after notorious murderers.

<i>Lonely Hearts</i> (2006 film) 2006 American film

Lonely Hearts is a 2006 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed and written by Todd Robinson. It is a neo-noir based on the true story of the notorious "Lonely Hearts Killers" spree killing of the 1940s, Martha Beck and Raymond Fernandez. The story of Beck and Fernandez was also the subject of the 1970 film The Honeymoon Killers, directed by Leonard Kastle and the 1996 film Deep Crimson, directed by Arturo Ripstein.

<i>H</i> (2002 film) 2002 South Korean film

H is a 2002 South Korean horror-thriller film. It was written and directed by Lee Jong-hyeok, and stars Yum Jung-ah, Ji Jin-hee, and Cho Seung-woo.

<i>The January Man</i> 1989 film by Pat OConnor

The January Man is a 1989 American neo-noir thriller comedy film directed by Pat O'Connor from a screenplay by John Patrick Shanley.

<i>The Gingerbread Man</i> (film) 1998 American film

The Gingerbread Man is a 1998 American legal thriller film directed by Robert Altman and based on a discarded John Grisham manuscript. The film stars Kenneth Branagh, Embeth Davidtz, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Berenger, Daryl Hannah, Famke Janssen, and Robert Duvall.

<i>The Winter Queen</i> (novel) 1998 novel by Boris Akunin

The Winter Queen is the first novel from the Erast Fandorin series of historical detective novels, written by Russian author Boris Akunin. It was subtitled конспирологический детектив.

<i>Fracture</i> (2007 film) 2007 crime film directed by Gregory Hoblit

Fracture is a 2007 psychological legal crime thriller film starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling, and directed by Gregory Hoblit. It is the story of a man who shoots his unfaithful wife, and then engages in a battle of wits with a young assistant district attorney.

<i>The First Power</i> 1990 film by Robert Resnikoff

The First Power is a 1990 American neo-noir horror film written and directed by Robert Resnikoff, and starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Tracy Griffith, Jeff Kober and Mykelti Williamson.

<i>Shackleton</i> (2002 TV series) 2002 British television miniseries

Shackleton is a 2002 British television miniseries. It was written and directed by Charles Sturridge and starring Kenneth Branagh as explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. The film tells the true story of Shackleton's 1914 Antarctic expedition on the ship Endurance. The cast includes Kevin McNally, Lorcan Cranitch, Embeth Davidtz, Danny Webb, Matt Day and Phoebe Nicholls as Lady Shackleton. It was filmed in the UK, Iceland and Greenland. The film used first-hand accounts by the men on the expedition to retell the story. Shackleton biographer Roland Huntford was a production advisor.

<i>Double Cross</i> (novel) 2007 novel by James Patterson

Double Cross is the 13th novel in the Alex Cross series featuring Detective Alex Cross by James Patterson. It was released on November 13, 2007.

<i>The Bone Collector</i> (novel) Book by Jeffery Deaver

The Bone Collector is a 1997 thriller novel by American writer Jeffery Deaver. The book introduces the character of Lincoln Rhyme, a quadriplegic forensic criminalist.

<i>The Equalizer</i> (film) 2014 American film by Antoine Fuqua

The Equalizer is a 2014 American action thriller film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Richard Wenk. It is based on the 1980s TV series of the same title and the first of three films starring Denzel Washington. The cast includes Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, and Melissa Leo. Washington plays Robert McCall, an ex-Marine and CIA officer, who reluctantly returns to action in order to protect a teenage trafficking victim from members of the Russian mafia.

<i>The Little Things</i> (2021 film) 2021 film by John Lee Hancock

The Little Things is a 2021 American neo-noir psychological crime thriller film directed, written, and co-produced by John Lee Hancock and co-produced by Mark Johnson. Set in early 1990s Los Angeles, the film follows two detectives who investigate a string of murders, which lead them to a strange loner who may be the culprit.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Fallen". AFI Catalog of Feature Films . Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Levy, Emanuel (January 12, 1998). "Fallen". Variety .
  3. ↑ "Fallen (1998)". TheWrap . Archived from the original on December 3, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Fallen". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved June 28, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Best Serial Killer Movies of the '90s Ranked". denofgeek.com. January 30, 2021.
  6. ↑ "[We Love '90s Horror]Fallen is a Delightfully Demonic Detective Story". bloody-disgusting.com. March 20, 2019.
  7. ↑ "The Test of Time: Fallen (1998)". joblo.com. January 11, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Revisiting the genre-twisting thrillers of Gregory Hoblit". filmstories.co.uk. May 6, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Denzel Washington's Fallen and the Terrifying Nature of Evil". Collider . April 26, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Denzel Washington, John Goodman, and James Gandolfini Once Made a Horror Movie". Collider . January 12, 2024.
  11. 1 2 Maslin, Janet. "Film Review; Hard to Beat the Devil, a Detective Finds", The New York Times (January 16, 1998).
  12. ↑ "Fallen (1997)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  13. ↑ Ebert, Roger (1998). "Fallen movie review & film summary (1998)". Chicago Sun-Times .
  14. ↑ Alspector, Lisa. "Fallen". Chicago Reader . Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  15. ↑ "'Loki' Pays Homage to Denzel Washington's Fallen". The Hollywood Reporter . June 16, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.