Fallen Review

by Seth Bookey (sethbook AT panix DOT com)
February 15th, 1998

Fallen (1998)

Seen on 31 January 1998 for $8 with Lynne and Sandy at the UA Continental Twin in Forest Hills

*Fallen* is a bit of a cross between *The Prophecy* and *The Hidden*. *Fallen* begins with Detective John Hobbes (Denzel Washington) visiting the death row cell of a vicious killer he was instrumental in snaring. The killer is unusual--as if they weren't unusual already; he mutters something incomprehensible, and definitely gives the impression that the struggle is not over. Early on in the movie, we learn that Hobbes is an honorable cop. He cannot be bribed, and he is devoted to his work and to his family, which comprises a somewhat addled brother and young nephew.
Soon after the prisoner meets his end in the gas chamber, copycat murders occur that start to incriminate Hobbes himself. Some clues by the killer and some independent research (the strange mutterings were ancient Syrian Aramaic) lead Hobbes to realize that a similar string of killings happened 30 years before to another honorable cop. A visit to the man's grown-up daughter--Gretta Milano (Embeth Davidtz)--proves that something weird and usual is afoot.

It turns out that the killer is not a person but the spirit of an angry angel named Azazel, a malevolent spirit thousands of years old who can jump from being to being and that makes him/it very hard to find.
Now, if you can go along with this premise, you are halfway to enjoying this low-key thriller. That was my problem with the movie. It was pretty slow-moving for a thriller, which is a shame since all the elements are there for it to be a bit more, well, thrilling. In fact, my brother dozed off more than once.

*Fallen* clearly is influenced by the recent upswing in supernatural thriller shows like *The X Files* and *Millenium*. Watching Washington unravel the supernatural mystery while being stalked by a vengeful spirit who can be anyplace is interesting, although sometimes finding information about Azazel is too convenient and less than credible.

The best scenes in the movie is the one in which Azazel jumps from person to person. One takes place right in the police precinct, and then out on the street. The better one though is the one in which Azazel chases Gretta when he figures out she knows about him. It is the only really spine-tingling scene in the movie. *Fallen*'s premise requires a lot more action than it delivers.

Director Gregory Hoblit does a good job of keeping a creepy atmosphere going, and picks some downright dingy neighborhoods of nighttime Philadelphia to do this. Overall, the movie is a bit sluggish, though, and it is hard not to see why, when you consider the story and the cast. Denzel Washington plays his role low-key. His co-stars are John Goodman (talk about sluggish) and Donald Sutherland, and the rest are not particularly noteworthy or familiar. Lynne points out, "As always, Donald Sutherland is a problem." And he is. His performance and role are the most out of place. Hobbes is a star officer under his command; why he chooses to put him down constantly is not explained, and doesn't fit with the rest of the movie.

So, *Fallen* is not a bad movie, but it really might not be worth $8. It's a good bet for a video rental, though. Add a star if you really love the lyric "ti-i-i-me is on my side, yes it is." You'll hear it throughout the movie.

----------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 1997 Seth J. Bookey, New York, NY 10021 [email protected]; http://www.panix.com/~sethbook

More movie reviews by Seth Bookey, with graphics, can be found at http://www.geocities.com/Athens/2679/kino.html

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