Christina Ricci Movie:

				Salesrank: 284286
		Our Price: $16.28
		Used Price: $14.65
		MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Media: DVD

Editorial Review:
When Maggie (Kim Basinger of L.A. Confidential and Batman) comes home to her apartment building one night, she discovers her estranged, drug-addict sister Jenna huddling in the doorway. Jenna promptly abandons her newborn baby with Maggie, who proceeds to raise the child as her own, despite evidence of autism. But as the little girl, Cody, gets older, what seemed to be autism starts to manifest itself in more startling ways. At the same time, a series of child murders are sweeping the city--murders conducted by a mysterious cult with supernatural matters on their mind. Bless the Child starts promisingly, with subdued, creepy scenes contrasted with more outrageous moments like swarms of computer-generated rats. Fans of religious horror movies will enjoy its twist on The Omen, with an angelic child instead of a demonic one--only the child is still pretty eerie. The special effects go a little overboard towards the end. Jimmy Smits (Price of Glory) costars as an FBI cult chaser, and Rufus Sewell (Dark City, Cold Comfort Farm) gives a pleasantly restrained performance as the charismatic cult leader. Also featuring Christina Ricci as a cult escapee and Ian Holm as a Jesuit priest. --Bret Fetzer

Bless the Child [Region 2] Reviews:
85% Accurate to the Bible book of Revelations
2009-10-05 - Who would ever suspect the Mesiah to be a woman? Well, the son was already here, so why not the holy spirit in female human form? After all, as stated in Revelations, the faithful and true one is unnamed, and noone knows it's name but it itself. Revelations also mentions a Bride and a Woman on the Mount. There's a reason Revelations hasn't been able to successfully be decoded. A woman may actually have more of a chance to save the world. Who is Mother Earth anyway? The DaVinci code may actually have some truth to it.

A Refreshing Slant
2009-09-21 - Perhaps because this low-key thriller had a message of faith in the Good vs. Evil battle in our time it did not fare as well at the box office as darker films of this ilk, but is in fact, both exciting and involving. Kim Basinger gives a fine performance in director Chuck Russell's underrated film.

Christmas is a week away and the appearance of a star which has not been observed since the birth of Christ coincides with a series of ritual child murders. Maggie O'Conner (Kim Bassinger) is a nurse living alone after being deserted by a husband who split following two miscarriages. Her sister Jenna (Angela Bettis), a drug addict, shows up on her doorstep only long enough to leave her newborn baby, Cody. Maggie raises her as her own, becoming mother to the somewhat withdrawn little red-haired girl. Maggie senses something is different about Cody, not accepting the diagnoses of autism given her by doctors, and is right. Cody has gentle powers and has been born to lead people back to God.

John Travis (Jimmy Smits) is the Federal Agent whose time as a seminary student comes in handy leading the investigation into the six year old children being killed because they were born on December 16th, an occult symbol carved into their arms which points to Black Easter. Rufus Sewell of Dark City and television's 11th Hour is Erik Stark, a charismatic guru who knows what Cody is, and must turn her or destroy her. Holliston Coleman is excellent as the very sweet Cody, whose powers, such as lighting all the candles in church through thought and healing injured animals through her touch is witnessed by Sister Rosa (Lumi Cavazos). When Cody is kidnapped by Stark, Maggie and Agent Travis are helped by angels directing them to her.

Christina Ricci gives a fine performance as Sherry Post, who is being sought out by Stark's followers as well. She tries to help Maggie find Cody before it is to late, highlighted by a tense chase in a subway with a shocking ending. As Maggie gets her back and then loses her again amidst images of winged darkness and Stark's minions, Sister Rosa and Reverend Grissom (Ian Holm), a scholar censured by the Vatican, aid her in her desperate search to save her daughter's life and soul.

This is all handled in a low key and effective manner of ordinary people thrown into extraordinary circumstances, which adds to the suspense. There is an underlying message about faith in God scattered throughout this teriffic film perhaps different than what many came to it expecting to see. The old-fashioned notion that good will always, in the end, will out and conquer evil leaves viewers of that mindset heartened by its message. Those looking for a film in this genre with a more hopeful ending and substantive message may find this as good as I did when I first saw it in a theatre. An excellent suspense film with supernatural overtones, and an ending for those who still believe there is hope.

Excellent "Good vs. Evil" Movie.
2009-08-24 - This is an excellent film about the struggle between good and evil. I like how the different sides are portrayed in this film; evil is here and in your face, screaming at you, while good is to the side, helping those in need, most of the time with simple gestures that seem so understated but can mean the world. This movie gave me chills the first time I watched it years ago, and I am thrilled to have it in my collection.

Blessed the Child
2008-11-06 - This is an excellent spiritual warfare movie. Kim B. was able make this spiritual movie come alive. They make satan very ugly in this film but be assured when he comes back he will be beautiful.

Enjoyable religious-toned thriller
2008-08-26 - This was a very fun, exciting movie to follow along with. This is another favorite of mine in the religious thriller genre, after The Exorcist, The Omen and Stigmata. People seem to be quick to compare everything, whether it's a book or another film. Just take it for what it is and enjoy! It also has a great cast and good acting!