Released in 1999, Stigmata follows the journey of Father Andrew Kiernan as he seeks to discover the truth of the Stigmata that manifests upon a young girl named Frankie Paige. Employed by the Vatican to investigate miracles, Kiernan is a scientist trapped in the body of a priest. He finds himself at odds with his superiors and questioning their motives. We begin with him photographing a statue of the Virgin Mary that weeps blood in a tiny village in South America. It seems that the death of the local Father has triggered this strange occurrence. People all around flock to the Church. A flock of doves circle dropping feathers as the Father lies in his open coffin. ...  Read the complete review

What scares you? It's a pretty subjective thing, and so are opinions on what makes a scary movie. We all have different buttons to be pushed, I suppose, depending on what lies deep in our psyche. I find clowns funny. Others find them scary. Fair enough. But, strange as it seems, I'd absolutely freak out if a pigeon flew into the room I'm typing this in. Ever been in a room with one of our feathered friends trapped with you, banging itself against the window in the vain hope of escape? Maybe that doesn't bother you, but it bothers me. So what is it about Stigmata that means that of the 55 reviews written before mine, they're almost all full of ...  Read the complete review

It feels like years ago since I last watched Stigmata, and something prompted my memory of it this morning so I thought I'd review what I think was a pretty good religious horror film. Stigmata was released in 2000 and is rated certificate 18 because of language and horror content. I wouldn't say it's the scariest film you'll ever see, but it has some good shocking scenes and atmospheric build-up. The story is based on a Jesuit priest-turned-detective, who investigates religious mysteries, and his involvement with a woman called Frankie, who is of great interest in his field. Frankie, played by Partricia Arquette, is an ordinary woman making a ...  Read the complete review

Stigmata at first glance appeared to be just another thriller/horror with a strange twist, this time playing on the Stigmata – the wounds suffered by Jesus Christ on the cross. This could hardly be further from the truth. Stigmata is one of the best thrillers produced in recent years, and even rivals the Exorcist (which hasn’t dated well). It tells the tale of Frankie (Patricia Arquette), an atheist who begins to exhibit the stigmata as an indirect result of an important religious discovery elsewhere in the world (I won’t spoil the surprise and tell you what!). She is investigated by Gabriel Byrne, on behalf of what was once the Inquisition ...  Read the complete review

This was a film which promised so much and yet delivered oh so very little. Flashy advertising campaigns painted a picture of a film that would rival The Exorcist as master of the horror genre but in fact the final result is trashy hotchpotch of religious imagery, noise, strange languages and blood, lots of blood. This film is a perfect testament to the fact that no amount of advertising or flashy special effects will ever make up for a little bit of directorial talent or a good script and that is a shame because surely Catholicism and stigmatism is a rich hunting ground for any horror writer. So much more could have been made of this film... Patricia ...  Read the complete review