Stigmata (UK)

An above average horror/thriller.
Not as good as the Exorcist , but better than The Sixth Sense and End of Days.
It does have an underling meaning as it reviews the state of Vatican and the powers that be that control Christian religion.
It makes you think , few films these days do.

2 hour attack on the catholic church

"Stigmata" is a supernatural thriller delving heavily into the realm of the metaphysical. Its graphic assault of images is a visceral experience sure to leave no viewer unscathed. It`s a story dealing with matters of faith and worship, and as such, severely questions the part in which the church now plays in our spiritual nurturing. These are all sizable subject matters, and this film does not tread lightly in its blatant attack on the Vatican. And I must say that it is long overdue for a film to emerge with enough nerve to challenge the dictatorial ways of worship imposed upon so many by what can only be called the Costa Nostra of faith - the Catholic church.

While I would say that the film is generally pretty good, it is hard gloss over some of the obvious problems it has. During the first minutes of the film, I greatly enjoyed the visual quality, the photography, and the editing. Much of it reminded me of "The Exorcist," a film I have always admired for its unique style. While at first it was only a hunch, the comparison soon became more evident and towards the end very much of the movie actually resembled "The Exorcist" so much that I could not help but think "They should not have done that." Inevitably, "Stigmata" cannot live up to a comparison with Friedkin's classic movie that has changed and influenced whole generations. What I personally find incomprehensible is why the filmmakers decided to make such obvious references to "The Exorcist" at all. For the most part, "Stigmata" tells a very different story and the floating possession, the exorcism scene and many others just felt completely superficial and out of place. The film doesn't need them. While they do damage the overall impression of the film, I still went away from the movie with the feeling that it has been a long while since I saw a horror film with such strong and well-integrated religious tones.

Despite the flaws "Stigmata" evidently has, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I was captivated by its almost brooding quality and the stunning visuals the filmmakers bombarded me with. It made me look over and accept the many holes and inconsistencies in the plot for the most part because the emotional and visual delivery is so superb. This film is certainly not for purists who tend to analyze every grain of doubt or inconsistency, but if you have been waiting for a great movie that uses religious themes and explores them, you will be enjoying it probably as much as I did. Given the excellent treatment of the film on this DVD from MGM, "Stigmata" is a good candidate for your shopping list

Stigmata is a good but frightening movie. It is about a person who has no faith in God. Because of that she then has a case of Stigmata which gives her the wonds that Jesus had during crucifixon. There is a lot of scenes that are a bit scary. It is a good movie and the DVD has a load of extra features. 9/10 is my rating for this movie.