Film Snail

6.8

Fallen

R·1998·124m

Crime

Drama

Thriller

Crime

Drama

Thriller

Summary

Homicide detective John Hobbes witnesses the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese. Soon after the execution the killings start again, and they are very similar to Reese's style.

Cast

Denzel Washington

John Hobbes

John Goodman

Jonesy

Donald Sutherland

Lt. Stanton

Embeth Davidtz

Gretta Milano

James Gandolfini

Lou

Elias Koteas

Edgar Reese

Gabriel Casseus

Art

Robert Joy

Charles

Aida Turturro

Tiffany

Michael J. Pagan

Sam

Frank Medrano

Charles' Killer

Ronn Munro

Mini Golf Owner

Cynthia Hayden

Society Woman

Ray Xifo

Society Man

Tony Michael Donnelly

Toby

Tara Carnes

Teenage Girl

Reno Wilson

Mike

Wendy Cutler

Denise

Jeff Tanner

Lawrence

Jerry Walsh

Fat Man

Bob Rumnock

Schoolteacher

Ellen Sheppard

Nun on Bus

Christian Aubert

Professor Louders

Bill Clark

Detective Bill Clark

Allelon Ruggiero

Executioner

Jill Holden

Gracie

Drucie McDaniel

Vender

John R. Russell

Distinguished Gentleman

Lynn Wanlass

Complaining Woman

John Descano

Cab Driver

Cress Williams

Detective Joe

Rick Warner

Governor

Jim Grimshaw

Warden

Brandon Zitin

Muscle Builder

Rozwill Young

Prison Guard

Michael Shamus Wiles

Prison Guard

Frank Davis

Prison Guard

Barry Shabaka Henley

Uniformed Cop

Mike Cicchetti

Mustache Man

Chuck Jeffreys

Transit Cop

Ben Siegler

Priest

Jason George

College Kid

Anika Hawkins

Girlfriend

Stan Kang

Japanese Businessman

Thomas J. McCarthy

Witness

Sheila Bader

Witness

Elleanor Jean Hendley

Reporter

Michael Aron

Reporter

Byron Scott

Reporter

Pat Ciarrocchi

Anchor

Steve Highsmith

Anchor

Kent Manahan

Anchor

Ford Austin

Reporter (uncredited)

Graham Beckel

John Reynolds (uncredited)

Andrew DePalma

Possessed Man (uncredited)

Kurt Leitner

Train Passenger (uncredited)

Sal Mazzotta

Jimmy Moore (uncredited)

J. Emerson McGowan

Demon Passer (uncredited)

Selvyn Price

Deathrow News Crew (uncredited)

Gary Rodriguez

Detective (uncredited)

Scott Roman

Witness (uncredited)

Aaron Sadovsky

Train Conductor (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Gregory Hoblit

Screenplay

Nicholas Kazan

Reviews

Geronimo1967

July 6, 2022

I must have watched this film three or four times now, and each time it takes me the first half hour to recall. It's an intriguing story rooted in Aramaic mythology but applied to 20th century Philadelphia. "Hobbes" (Denzel Washington) is a detective who worked on the case of serial killer "Edgar Reese" that saw him captured and executed. Not long after this supposed closure, however, other - very similar - crimes start to occur and he and his partner "Jonesy" (John Goodman) are perplexed. He keeps hearing a song - the same song the deceased sang as he died, but the people singing it are different. There is something mysterious afoot that can inhabit a body, move effortlessly and invisibly from one to another - and it seems to have "Hobbes" in it's sights. Desperate to shield his family from this evil, he must try to find a way to destroy it before it destroys him. It all takes too long to get going, and Goodman is not particularly well cast, but once we have the gist of the plot then Washington and director Gregory Hoblit turn in quite a well put together story, using the photography well to give us a perspective from our menace whilst effectively conveying the sense of nimble mobility this creature possesses as the resourceful "Hobbes" tries to combat it. Donald Sutherland pops up now and again, to no real purpose, indeed much of the supporting cast sort of blend into the wallpaper of this exercise that really plays to the strengths of an on-form Washington delivering a solid and interesting theme. It's too long, but still worth watching.