Rent Fallen on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Nicholas Kazan
Directed by: Gregory Hoblit
Starring: Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Donald Sutherland, James Gandolfini, Elias Koteas
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
Homicide detective John Hobbes witnesses the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese. Soon after the execution, the killings start again, and they are very similar to Reese's style.
Verdict
This is a hidden gem that I rarely see mentioned. It's a detective fighting pure evil, blending the cop and horror genres. How do you even combat a spirit or demon? Hobbes has to figure out the what as this evil spirit toys with and antagonizes him. Then he has to determine if there's any way to stop an evil spirit that's lived for thousands of years. This maintains tone and pace for the duration, and the conclusion brings it home.
Watch It.
Review
"I want to tell you about the time i almost died." That's a great hook to open a movie. Then we jump to Detective John Hobbes (Denzel Washington) attending an execution of serial killer Edgar Reese (Elias Koteas). Reese is certainly a character. He doesn't seemed bother by the impending situation as he sings and jokes.
We watch a guard present for the execution seemingly pass something between people on a crowded street. We're not clear yet on what's happening, not at this point.
Reese left Hobbes a riddle which eventually leads Hobbes to a cop, Milano, that killed himself and the man's daughter. She seems to know something about Reese. She's a religious studies professor, and she's scared of Reese. That intersects with Hobbes latest case and the question of how a dead serial killer appears to be killing again.
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| Denzel Washington plays John Hobbes |
I don't love the voice over. It seems unnecessary, the movie trying to add a film noir styling.
Clues lead Hobbes to Milano's basement where he finds a name painted on the wall and hidden behind paneling, "Azazel." Is Reese evil incarnate? Is he passing his spirit of pure evil to other people? How does that work? It's a wild idea, and we soon see it at work. The spirit is brought into or travels into the police station, toying with Hobbes. His partner starts singing a song and it passes between several people, the song continuing as they touch each other. Hobbes is dealing with something beyond any known scope. He, and we, are trying to figure this out. Milano's daughter tells him it's a fallen angel.
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| Donald Sutherland, Denzel Washington, John Goodman play Stanton, John Hobbes, Jonesy |
It's scary how this evil can pass among people. There's no way to be safe, and it can't be killed. The movie uses the song "Time is On My Side" as a marker for who is possessed. It's an effective idea and very creepy. Did Milano encounter the same thing? Is that why he killed himself? There doesn't seem to be a way to stop this demon. It's willing to do anything, even lying and framing Hobbes. He can't fight it, and it makes him question what he knows about the world and his beliefs.
Hobbes has a plan that's not revealed, but we know he wants to stop Azazel. His plan quickly goes awry, but that doesn't deter him. It's a noble but effective plan that also ties into the very beginning of the movie. I love the ending. This is a solid thriller with a slick conclusion. It's a movie I'm surprised I don't hear mentioned more often. Denzel always turns in a solid performance, and cop fighting pure evil delivers an engrossing foundation.
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| Title Card |
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