Fallen

Warner Bros. | Release Date: January 16, 1998

CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION

52	METASCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 28 Critic Reviews

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Critic score Publication By date

ColliderMichael John Petty

Contrary to the film's critical reception, Fallen stands out as one of the most interesting portrayals of demonic possession ever put to film (not to mention managing to be a compelling detective thriller). Read full review

Jay Boyar

A creep-out with style to spare. [16 Jan 1998, p.19]

James Berardinelli

Despite the negatives, I'm still recommending Fallen on the strength of its complex plot and especially its ending, which I loved. The final scenes are startling, audacious, and unexpected. It's not often that a plot development takes me by surprise the way this one did. Read full review

Jack Mathews

For those who go along with it, it's a crafty piece of work nonetheless, ending with a pair of marvelous twists. [16 Jan 1998, p.F1]

Janet Maslin

With the warmly engaging presence of Mr. Washington to keep it at least half-credible, and with a brooding and literate noir screenplay by Nicholas Kazan, ''Fallen'' was directed by Gregory Hoblit with the same dark intensity of his earlier feature ''Primal Fear.'' Read full review

Roger Ebert

Kazan writes plausible, literate dialogue and Hoblit creates a realistic world, so that the horror never seems, as it does in less ambitious thrillers, to feel at home. Read full review

Barbara Shulgasser

The moment this movie began to go wrong, so wrong, was when the word "angels" started working its way into the script, coming out of the mouths of people we are supposed to respect and look to for hope. Read full review

Rene Rodriguez

Fallen may not scare you, but it'll certainly haunt you. [16 Jan 1998, p.4G]

Staff (Not Credited)

Excellent support from Davidtz, Goodman, and Joy, as Hobbes' brother, though as the plot twists take precedence over character, much of the film's nuance trickles away and, along with it, the tension. Read full review

TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh

For all its classy cast and glum polish, this metaphysical horror picture with big things on its mind lacks the malevolent buzz that vitalized SEVEN and THE HIDDEN, two of the more obvious sources from which it draws considerable inspiration. Read full review

David Sterritt

Fallen will sell tickets on the strength of its appealing cast and high-impact camera work, but will probably fade from the scene more quickly than its demonic villain does in the story. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Fallen is not perfect, and eventually it even becomes frustrating. Threads remain loose, and the movie doesn't fully exploit its premise. Still, it would be churlish not to appreciate the ride. Read full review

Mike Clark

This is a slow if stylish slog through familiar terrain. Read full review

Ann Hornaday

Even Washington's welcome presence is not enough to save "Fallen," yet another spiritual allegory from Hollywood dealing with God, Satan and the presence of angels. [16 Jan 1998]

Jay Carr

Fallen is a more than usually ambitious but ultimately failed attempt to merge a supernatural thriller and cop-chase movie. [16 Jan 1998, p.D6]

Lisa Alspector

Denzel Washington is admirable in the role of a dauntless detective investigating murders and metaphysics, but his sincerity can’t carry the outlandish plot—you just wonder what a guy like him is doing in a movie like this. Read full review

Michael Wilmington

The "Fallen" moviemaking team obviously want to make a thinking person's horror movie. Intermittently, they succeed. But this movie suffers the fate of many recent nightmare thrillers. [16 Jan 1998, p.A]

David Hunter

On a few occasions the film lives up to its potential, but overall it's too slick and unintentionally funny. [12 Jan 1998]

David Baron

It's a shame to see Washington and Goodman, who share some ruefully humorous moments here trading philosophical banter as well as partnerly support, doing thoughtful work in such a thankless context. [16 Jan 1998, p.L22]

Steven Rea

Washington's portrayal of a down-to-earth, dedicated detective is what we've come to expect from the star: intense, meticulous, likable. But there isn't much depth to his role. [16 Jan 1998, p.03]

John Hartl

Part of the problem with "Fallen" is the relentless dumbing down of Nicholas Kazan's script. [16 Jan 1998]

Emanuel Levy

As a high-concept mating of two familiar genres, the police story and the supernatural thriller, "Fallen," Gregory Hoblit's sophomore effort, is a movie that might frustrate aficionados of both genres, despite some strong elements. Read full review

Steve Persall

Fallen begins in unremarkable fashion and trails off from there, idling its way through bland psycho-religious violence and spooky lighting. [16 Jan 1998, p.8]

Marc Savlov

Fallen's pretentious vision of a demonic force out to shatter the life of one lowly homicide detective is, ultimately, a pretty silly ride despite the film's obvious strengths and some genuinely eerie scenes. Read full review

Yael Shuv

A stylistic cross between Se7en and The X-Files, this overlong, rigidly boring affair suffers from a whole list of ailments. Read full review

EmpireCaroline Westbrook

An arch mix of police procedural and supernatural chiller, this is bleak, edgy, sometimes silly stuff. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Go only if you're really, really willing to suspend disbelief. [16 Jan 1998, p.23]

Joe Holleman

In short, "Fallen" hits the halfway point, it goes down and can't get up. [16 Jan 1993, p.E3]