Bless The Child [DVD] [2001]

The director for this film was Chuck Russell. His previous films included the 1988 remake of the Blob, The Mask and Nightmare on Elm Street 3. This is perhaps the first time he has had to really present the psychological aspects of the characters to this degree. He has a good eye for framing a scene. There is a sense of balance in his use of camera placement and lighting. The set design captures the feel of New York, something I appreciate as a resident of this city for all my life. He uses the city as a backdrop that demonstrates the conflict of hope and despair central to the story.

The film opens with ordinary, practical, Maggie O' Connor played superbly by Kim Basinger, when she is visited by her wayward sister Jenna (Angela Bettis). Maggie soon finds out that with her Jenna has brought two shocking revelations. The first being nine day old Cody, the second more horrifying is that her younger sister is a drug addict. Jenna is quick to leave, leaving baby Cody with her older sister.

Six years later, after finding out the child is special and far from being autistic she is placed in a special catholic school. Maggie plays the doting mother and treats the child as her own, that is, until her real mother returns and wants her child back. Only this time she has with her Eric Stark (Rufus Sewell) who plays a charming, yet manipulative step-father. However there is more than meets the eye with this man who is the face behind the popular New Age popular cult.

The police meanwhile have their hands filled with a spate of child abductions and it seems like the cult is behind it. Especially when all the children are aged six and born on the same date. An FBI specialist in occult-related crimes is called in and together he and Maggie face a battle against time to stop Stark and his followers, the time being Easter Eve to save Cody's life.

Maggie first meets the FBI agent when one of the cult members turns up in hospital where Maggie works and she finds out where her sister is. She arranges to meet her and is given Stark's address. However Stark has sent his cohorts after her and she is hunted down and slaughtered. The police think at first Maggie is mad, especially when the girls body is not found. But the FBI agent knows better and knows exactly who Stark is and what he represents, unfortunately the police are powerless to touch him as Stark is fully protected from all sides.

Following the words of the bible, when the the three wise men sought out Herod to find the new child, the new king. Herod sets out to kill all the new baby boys born on that day. 'Slaughter of the Innocents' as it was written, Stark's cult reinacts the same ritual to find the 'second coming' child sent from God to either turn her over to Satan or to kill her.

Stark stops at nothing to turn Cody to his master, Satan. And Maggie is up against the forces of evil, but finds unexpected help in 'guardian angels' who are on hand throughout the film. As well as the catholic nuns who realise the girl has special powers and who she is, and know exactly what danger she is in. But will the power of prayer help both Maggie and Cody?

As the film climaxes the power of evil seems to have won again, the odds are heavily stacked against the power of good, but even something as powerful and mighty as evil is not indestructable.

The film also reminded me of the Golden Child, where Charles Dance played Satan and tried to turn the child of good into evil and Eddie Murphy placed the unlikely child's protector.

If you like this sort of film, then I strongly recommend you watch it. The enjoyable bits for me was the guardian angels popping up along the way to help Maggie when she needed it most. Including a breath-taking scene when Stark first tries to kill her. Which begs the question are there really guardian angels around us? Protecting us, watching over us? No one knows.

Only Kim Basinger is known to me from the cast list of the film, however the other actors fitted in well and Rufus Sewell plays Stark with finesse and truly realistically as the suave, mysterious man who suddenly turns up in Jenna's life.

It also represents the true light and horrific dangers cults have on the weak and the innocent. Even in todays society there are cults, some maybe dormant, but cults however you describe them represent only one word 'evil' and do NOT belong in society.

It isn't hard to realise that this film was an Academy Award Winning film back in 1997. The film also stars Christina Ricci and Ian Holm.

The film lasts 103 mins and rated certificate 15

The horror scenes are minimal and this is more a thriller than a horror, although it does help to have someone to snuggle up to on the sofa!

The DVD's special features: Commentary by Chuck Russell (Director) and Joel Hynek (Visual Effects Supervisor), Interviews, TV spots, Interactive Menus, Scene Access and Trailer

Remember evil is all around us in all shapes and sizes, but don't have nightmares....