Denzel Washington has dabbled throughout a number of genres in his time as a Hollywood main man, however he’s only ever been in one true horror movie, 1998’s Fallen, and it deserves way more recognition than it will get. The supernatural spiritual horror film options Washington as a seasoned Philadelphia police detective who’s investigating a sequence of ritualistic murders which are paying homage to these dedicated by a serial killer he had already placed on loss of life row. What begins as a non secular thriller veers into supernatural horror with the introduction of real demonic possession because the narrative unfolds.
Whereas Fallen was considered a field workplace flop upon its launch, it has gained a sure cult standing over time, and is broadly considered one in every of Denzel Washington’s most underrated movies. The stand-alone film has an authentic, inventive plot that’s appropriately darkish for a creepy spiritual horror film, and it options strong performances from a quietly wonderful solid. When all components are thought-about, the truth that many informal moviegoers have not even heard of Fallen, a lot much less respect it, appears unimaginable.
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All 18 Denzel Washington Movies From The 1990s, Ranked
Denzel Washington had a breakout yr within the ’90s, starring in iconic roles in critically acclaimed movies reminiscent of Philadelphia and The Pelican Temporary.
Fallen Is Denzel Washington’s Solely Horror Film
He is Accomplished Thrillers, However By no means Something Else That is True Horror
As a two-time Academy Award-winner, Denzel Washington is justifiably acknowledged as an all-time nice dramatic actor. Nevertheless, he has crossed into each the motion and thriller genres usually, with main hits like The Bone Collector, The E book of Eli, and Crimson Tide below his belt, along with his many memorable dramatic roles. Washington has been particularly successful in crime thriller roles, a few of which have had creepy components to them.
Fallen – Key Particulars |
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Launch Date |
Director |
Price range |
Field Workplace Gross |
RT Tomatometer Rating |
RT Popcornmeter Rating |
January sixteenth, 1998 |
Gregory Hoblit |
$46 million |
$25.2 million |
40% |
72% |
Regardless of the variety of thrillers to his identify, Fallen is the one Denzel Washington film that may ever actually be thought-about horror. Due to its heavy supernatural components and the underlying creepiness of its spiritual points, Fallen firmly crosses the road from a criminal offense thriller into supernatural spiritual horror. Predicated on real and prolific demonic possession, the anxiety-inducing narrative about an evil entity that jumps from person-to-person by contact has all of the logos of a number of horror subgenres, and it is a basic instance of the late Nineties fascination with serial killer films as well.
Fallen Has An Unbelievable Solid That Consists of John Goodman & James Gandolfini
The Below-The-Radar Film Has A number of Massive Stars
Along with Denzel Washington, Fallen encompasses a stunning variety of big-name actors for a film that feels all however forgotten in most cinematic circles. The companion of Washington’s Detective John Hobbes is performed by John Goodman, who performed Walter Sobchak in The Massive Lebowski that very same yr. A yr earlier than he turned a world famous person as Tony Soprano in HBO’s The Sopranos, James Gandolfini had a small function as Hobbes’ buddy on the precinct, and has a memorable and entertaining scene wherein he is possessed by a demon.
The demon’s identify is Azazel, which is a reference to the biblical fallen angel of the identical identify who’s chargeable for introducing humanity to forbidden data (therefore the film’s title).
Donald Sutherland (Citizen X, The Starvation Video games) performs a fellow investigator who finally will get on Hobbes’ path as a suspect for the string of murders which were dedicated, and Elias Koteas (Let Me In, Some Variety Of Great) portrays twisted serial killer Edgar Reese, from whose loss of life row execution the narrative unfolds. Embeth Davidtz (Schindler’s Record, Matilda) shines because the supply of exposition, Gretta Milano, convincingly taking part in terrified and unsettling in her personal proper in the course of the occasions chronicled in Fallen.
Fallen Is An Extraordinarily Underrated & Creepy Spiritual Horror Movie
It is Based mostly Upon Occult Serial Murders And Demonic Possession
One of many defining components of Fallen, and the most important purpose why it is significantly deserving of extra consideration than it will get, is its well-crafted and authentic premise. The notion of a demon tormenting an individual not by invading their physique, however by possessing these round them and taunting them incessantly, brings a degree of creepiness and paranoia to every little thing. With a solid that is as much as the duty, the premise is performed out nicely and is unquestionably entertaining from a horror perspective. The sing-song taunt of the demon Azazel is up there with the most effective of the Nineties iconic horror components.
Director Gregory Hoblit additionally does an excellent job of making a haunting setting all through the film. He performs with shadows and lighting significantly nicely, making issues appear as if they’re transferring at midnight and thereby elevating the already excessive degree of paranoia that the viewers has when confronted by a demon that may use anybody at any given time so long as they contact them to “go it on”. Hobbes’ last confrontation with the demon Azazel and the surprising twist ending are the exclamation factors on why Fallen deserves way more credit score than it will get.