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IMDbPro

Bless the Child

  • 20002000
  • RR
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
5.0/10
15K
YOUR RATING
Kim Basinger in Bless the Child (2000)
Cody, a little girl abandoned by her mother and raised by her aunt, a nurse, is kidnapped. The girl's guardian, aided by an F.B.I. agent, learn that Cody has supernatural abilities, and the abductees are a Satanic cult willing to do anything to gain them.
Play trailer2:15
1 Video
60 Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Horror
Cody, a little girl abandoned by her mother and raised by her aunt, a nurse, is kidnapped. The girl's guardian, aided by an F.B.I. agent, learn that Cody has supernatural abilities, and the ... Read allCody, a little girl abandoned by her mother and raised by her aunt, a nurse, is kidnapped. The girl's guardian, aided by an F.B.I. agent, learn that Cody has supernatural abilities, and the abductees are a Satanic cult willing to do anything to gain them.Cody, a little girl abandoned by her mother and raised by her aunt, a nurse, is kidnapped. The girl's guardian, aided by an F.B.I. agent, learn that Cody has supernatural abilities, and the abductees are a Satanic cult willing to do anything to gain them.
IMDb RATING
5.0/10
15K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Chuck Russell
  • Writers
    • Cathy Cash Spellman(novel)
    • Thomas Rickman(screenplay)
    • Clifford Green(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Kim Basinger
    • Jimmy Smits
    • Rufus Sewell
Top credits
  • Director
    • Chuck Russell
  • Writers
    • Cathy Cash Spellman(novel)
    • Thomas Rickman(screenplay)
    • Clifford Green(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Kim Basinger
    • Jimmy Smits
    • Rufus Sewell
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 203User reviews
    • 99Critic reviews
    • 17Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 6 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:15
    Official Trailer

    Photos60

    Jimmy Smits stars as John Travis
    Rufus Sewell stars as Eric Stark
    Kim Basinger stars as Maggie
    Christina Ricci stars as Cheri
    Director Chuck Russel with Holliston Coleman
    Bless the Child (2000)
    Bless the Child (2000)
    Bless the Child (2000)
    Kim Basinger in Bless the Child (2000)
    Kim Basinger in Bless the Child (2000)
    Kim Basinger in Bless the Child (2000)
    Bless the Child (2000)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kim Basinger
    Kim Basinger
    • Maggie O'Connoras Maggie O'Connor
    Jimmy Smits
    Jimmy Smits
    • John Travisas John Travis
    Rufus Sewell
    Rufus Sewell
    • Eric Starkas Eric Stark
    Holliston Coleman
    Holliston Coleman
    • Codyas Cody
    Angela Bettis
    Angela Bettis
    • Jennaas Jenna
    Christina Ricci
    Christina Ricci
    • Cherias Cheri
    Michael Gaston
    Michael Gaston
    • Det. Frank Bugattias Det. Frank Bugatti
    Lumi Cavazos
    Lumi Cavazos
    • Sister Rosaas Sister Rosa
    Dimitra Arliss
    Dimitra Arliss
    • Dahnyaas Dahnya
    • (as Dimitra Arlys)
    Eugene Lipinski
    Eugene Lipinski
    • Stuartas Stuart
    Anne Betancourt
    Anne Betancourt
    • Mariaas Maria
    Ian Holm
    Ian Holm
    • Reverend Grissomas Reverend Grissom
    Helen Stenborg
    Helen Stenborg
    • Sister Josephas Sister Joseph
    Matthew Lemche
    Matthew Lemche
    • New Dawn Kid at Vanas New Dawn Kid at Van
    Dan Warry-Smith
    Dan Warry-Smith
    • New Dawn Kidas New Dawn Kid
    Elisabeth Rosen
    Elisabeth Rosen
    • New Dawn Kidas New Dawn Kid
    Tony Del Rio
    • New Dawn Kidas New Dawn Kid
    Nicole Lyn
    Nicole Lyn
    • New Dawn Kidas New Dawn Kid
    • Director
      • Chuck Russell
    • Writers
      • Cathy Cash Spellman(novel)
      • Thomas Rickman(screenplay)
      • Clifford Green(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The line, "The devil's greatest trick was convincing man that he didn't exist," is reminiscent of a similar line in another movie of the same genre, End of Days (1999), in which Father Kotak (Rod Steiger) says: "Satan's greatest trick was convincing man that he didn't exist". It is also similar to The Usual Suspects (1995), where the line is, "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing man that he didn't exist". In fact, that idea goes back to Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867): "La plus belle des ruses du Diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!" (English: "The finest trick of the devil is to persuade you that he does not exist."
    • Goofs
      In the scene with the homeless man, Eric Stark recites a spell in Hebrew that is later referred to as a "Druid Rune Spell from the 16th century."
    • Quotes

      [On the top ledge of a building]

      Eric Stark: If you believe? JUMP! If not, you come to me.

      [She turns and looks at him]

      Cody: After you?

    • Connections
      Features Duck Soup (1933)
    • Soundtracks
      Vultures
      Composed by Philip A. Scheib (as Philip Scheib)

    User reviews203

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    The Equinox of the Gods: Bless the Child for she shall relinquish the Curse of Man.
    The devil resides in New York City and from the moment this film begins, we see exactly where this film is going. As the opening credits roll, its wonderful atmospheric start with its close-up night time shots of New York's gargoyles brings back memories of the great vampire movie Queen of the Damned (2002) and its visual introduction to its narrative.

    With the arrival of The Star of Yacov, better known as The Christmas Star, once more in some two thousand years, we see childless Maggie O'Connor (Kim Basinger) taking on her younger sisters new born baby Cody, as Cody is dumped on her door step, this elder sister, this wise mature woman and now surrogate mother takes on full responsibility. Myth has it too that Saint Margaret the Virgin is known to be the Patron Saint of Pregnancy, and who, as legend would have it, was brought up by a nurse after her father disowned her, and having once met with the devil, with him in the form of a dragon. Irony and coincidence perhaps for both, considering her name being Maggie and her inability to have children and baby Cody's circumstance.

    Dealing with this child and her seemingly autistic state, autism being a condition that is caused by a disorder that prevents the brain developing properly, this in turn can impair interaction both socially and emotionally. It isn't until she reaches six years of age that Maggie's worries slowly turn into fears of what exactly is wrong with this exceptional child. There are more than just physical and mental states at play here that are more than concerning and enlightening. Maggie's doubts and fears are soon to be tested, to and far beyond the boundaries of human restraint.

    Bless the Child uses fables and myth to bring old legends to contemporary settings. With the killing of the innocent children to flush out the Prophecy, the way in which we see this being done is very subtle and coaxing, if a little disturbing, bringing an uncomfortable reality that something sinister, something malevolent, something lurking in the shadows and something extremely evil is all to ready to pounce. Here lies the winning formula, the evil that we see is not so much dark forces of the underworld, but be warned, they exist here too, it is more the evil of man and his willingness to be lead and be controlled by them. Man against man, sin against morality and the age-old battle of Light against the Darkness. We see Eric Stark and his followers taking parallel lines in the similar vain as the real life Satan and occult master Aleister "The Beast" Crowley (1875 - 1947), founder of The Golden Dawn, and once labelled "The Wickedest Man in the World". With Eric Stark renaming his cult The New Dawn Foundation, it is he who most certainly carries this trade of old evils and new Beasts to a tee. English born Rufus Sewell plays Stark with convincing zeal, with both phoney exterior compassion and charm to literally devil-may-care cold indifference, intermingling both persona's well enough to know that we are dealing with more than just the basic human traits that we see, hear and deal with in life. Evil, as it seems holds no bounds.

    Kim Basinger and Holliston Coleman (born 1992) bond very well, and a great performance as surrogate mother, she plays her role with devotion and with an honest and convincing feel. With just three years after winning her Best Actress in a Supporting Role for L.A. Confidential, this isn't Ms. Basinger going down a peg but raising the stakes in this thriller horror movie genre. Her integrity is most certainly kept in tact, and this is with the assistance of one Chuck Russell, director of A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), The Blob (1988), The Mask (1994) and The Scorpion King (2002). A fine team they make, and as with the gelling of the two leading ladies, it is his fine work in crafting young Holliston Coleman to a standard of high-end child acting. Expect to see more of this young girl. Especially, if she were to take the good advice from the ever professional and independently versatile actress Christina Ricci as the heroin addict Cheri Post, which is always a pleasure to see her working.

    Bless the child also has its own parallels too, and lends itself to the likes of The Omen (1976), The Exorcist (1973) and the 1968 Roman Polanski film Rosemary's Baby, where we see children as axis of evils', Bless the Child sees the innocence and purity that is The Child; untainted and undemanding. Thus bearing the special gift of Life and the blessing of Divinity, sometimes disturbing, but slight, and at times touching, but never over demanding and horrific, which sets this movie of as being different and a little unique.

    With moderate violence and with the help of a little CGI, a script that fights its own ground when in the amphitheatres of right and wrong, excellent and well cast, we can then be assured that Bless the Child most certainly has not been cursed.
    helpful•6
    4
    • Cinema_Fan
    • Feb 29, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 11, 2000 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Germany
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Kutsanmış çocuk
    • Filming locations
      • Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Paramount Pictures
      • Icon Entertainment International
      • Munich Film Partners & Company (MFP) BTC Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $65,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $29,381,494
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $9,413,684
      • Aug 13, 2000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $40,443,010
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 47 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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