This is a rather slick, big-budget horror picture that is kind of low on the horror, but nice if you want some "suspense lite" of an evening. Good story progression, boss visuals, nice special effects, good production values. There was a certain lack of dramatic tension that brought the whole thing down. The story would have been more convincing if Martin Sheen had acted, you know, a little bereaved in the wake of his wife's death. Ditto his son. Now, about that kid. This is one of the most egregious examples of the Odious Child role ever -- so much so that I really suspect him of having been the most threatening person in the story. He was a more convincingly evil character than Malik Bowen's Santeria priest -- oh, sure, the priest's eyes change color when he's feeling the Spirit, but everywhere the kid goes with his tribal fetish doll, someone dies horribly. COINCIDENCE?
Review of The Believers
