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DramaHorrorThrillerCrime

Bless the Child

- Mankind's last hope just turned six.

When Maggie's sister Jenna saddles her with an autistic newborn named Cody she touches Maggie's heart and becomes the daughter she has always longed for. But six years later Jenna suddenly re-enters her life and, with her mysterious new husband, Eric Stark, abducts Cody. Despite the fact that Maggie has no legal rights to Cody, FBI agent John Travis takes up her cause when he realizes that Cody shares the same birth date as several other recently murdered children.

Release Date : 2000-08-11

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Munich Film Partners & Company (MFP) BTC ProductionsParamount PicturesIcon Entertainment InternationalIcon Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Kim Basinger

Character Name : Maggie O'Connor

Original Name : Kim Basinger

Gender : Female

Jimmy Smits

Character Name : Agent John Travis

Original Name : Jimmy Smits

Gender : Male

Rufus Sewell

Character Name : Eric Stark

Original Name : Rufus Sewell

Gender : Male

Ian Holm

Character Name : Reverend Grissom

Original Name : Ian Holm

Gender : Male

Angela Bettis

Character Name : Jenna

Original Name : Angela Bettis

Gender : Female

Holliston Coleman

Character Name : Cody

Original Name : Holliston Coleman

Gender : Female

Christina Ricci

Character Name : Cheri Post

Original Name : Christina Ricci

Gender : Female

Lumi Cavazos

Character Name : Sister Rosa

Original Name : Lumi Cavazos

Gender : Female

Michael Gaston

Character Name : Det. Frank Bugatti

Original Name : Michael Gaston

Gender : Male

Eugene Lipinski

Character Name : Stuart

Original Name : Eugene Lipinski

Gender : Male

Dimitra Arliss

Character Name : Dahnya

Original Name : Dimitra Arliss

Gender : Female

Anne Betancourt

Character Name : Maria

Original Name : Anne Betancourt

Gender : Female

Helen Stenborg

Character Name : Sister Joseph

Original Name : Helen Stenborg

Gender : Female

Matthew Lemche

Character Name : New Dawn Kid at Van

Original Name : Matthew Lemche

Gender : Male

Dan Warry-Smith

Character Name : New Dawn Kid

Original Name : Dan Warry-Smith

Gender : Male

Elisabeth Rosen

Character Name : New Dawn Kid

Original Name : Elisabeth Rosen

Gender : Female

Tony del Rio

Character Name : New Dawn Kid

Original Name : Tony del Rio

Gender : Male

Nicole Lyn

Character Name : New Dawn Kid

Original Name : Nicole Lyn

Gender : Female

Michael McLachlan

Character Name : New Dawn Kid

Original Name : Michael McLachlan

Gender : Male

Vince Corazza

Character Name : Reverend's Assistant

Original Name : Vince Corazza

Gender : Male

David Eisner

Character Name : Dr. Ben

Original Name : David Eisner

Gender : Male

Gary Hudson

Character Name : Maggie's Date

Original Name : Gary Hudson

Gender : Male

Samantha O'Dwyer

Character Name : Cody (3 years old)

Original Name : Samantha O'Dwyer

Gender : Male

Nicolas Salgado

Character Name : Martin Casillas

Original Name : Nicolas Salgado

Gender : Male

Marcia Bennett

Character Name : Head Nurse

Original Name : Marcia Bennett

Gender : Female

Peter Mensah

Character Name : Good Samaritan Janitor

Original Name : Peter Mensah

Gender : Male

Yan Birch

Character Name : Good Samaritan on Bridge

Original Name : Yan Birch

Gender : Male

Alexa Gilmour

Character Name : Good Samaritan in Subway

Original Name : Alexa Gilmour

Gender : Female

Wanda-Lee Evans

Character Name : Woman on bus

Original Name : Wanda-Lee Evans

Gender : Female

Cedric Smith

Character Name : Pediatric Doctor

Original Name : Cedric Smith

Gender : Male

Dwayne McLean

Character Name : Homeless man

Original Name : Dwayne McLean

Gender : Male

Brenda Devine

Character Name : Woman with sick Daughter

Original Name : Brenda Devine

Gender : Female

Lauren Spring

Character Name : Daughter

Original Name : Lauren Spring

Gender : Female

Christopher Redman

Character Name : New Dawn intern

Original Name : Christopher Redman

Gender : Male

Jovanni Sy

Character Name : Code blue doctor

Original Name : Jovanni Sy

Gender : Male

Trevor Bain

Character Name : Task force investigator

Original Name : Trevor Bain

Gender : Male

Brian Heighton

Character Name : Techie

Original Name : Brian Heighton

Gender : Male

Christopher Marren

Character Name : Diner State Trooper

Original Name : Christopher Marren

Gender : Male

Todd Schroeder

Character Name : Diner State Trooper

Original Name : Todd Schroeder

Gender : Male

John Healy

Character Name : Diner local policeman

Original Name : John Healy

Gender : Male

Dylan Harman

Character Name : Boy in playground

Original Name : Dylan Harman

Gender : Male

David Sparrow

Character Name : Crawford

Original Name : David Sparrow

Gender : Male

Michael Copeman

Character Name : Police Lieutenant

Original Name : Michael Copeman

Gender : Male

Neil Girvan

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Neil Girvan

Gender : Male

Carol Lempert

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Carol Lempert

Gender : Male

Kelvin Wheeler

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Kelvin Wheeler

Gender : Male

Tony Meyler

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Tony Meyler

Gender : Male

Richard Carmichael

Character Name : Task force detective

Original Name : Richard Carmichael

Gender : Male

Roman Podhora

Character Name : Desk sergeant

Original Name : Roman Podhora

Gender : Male

Dean Gabourie

Character Name : Alley officer

Original Name : Dean Gabourie

Gender : Male

Arnold Pinnock

Character Name : Alley officer

Original Name : Arnold Pinnock

Gender : Male

Teresa Pavlinek

Character Name : Dentist's receptionist

Original Name : Teresa Pavlinek

Gender : Male

Jeffrey Caudle

Character Name : Boy in dentist's chair

Original Name : Jeffrey Caudle

Gender : Male

Catherine Fitch

Character Name : Sister Helena

Original Name : Catherine Fitch

Gender : Female

Neville Edwards

Character Name : Pier cop

Original Name : Neville Edwards

Gender : Male

John Shepherd

Character Name : Mr. Czernik

Original Name : John Shepherd

Gender : Male

Norma Edwards

Character Name : Mrs. Czernik

Original Name : Norma Edwards

Gender : Female

Leeza Gibbons

Character Name : Leeza Gibbons

Original Name : Leeza Gibbons

Gender : Female

Dan Duran

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Dan Duran

Gender : Male

Sandi Stahlbrand

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Sandi Stahlbrand

Gender : Female

Mia Lee

Character Name : Newscaster

Original Name : Mia Lee

Gender : Female

Matt Birman

Character Name : Upstate Cop

Original Name : Matt Birman

Gender : Male

Meredith McGeachie

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Meredith McGeachie

Gender : Female

Henry Alessandroni

Character Name : Hospital cop

Original Name : Henry Alessandroni

Gender : Male

Austin Reed

Character Name : Baby Cody

Original Name : Austin Reed

Gender : Male

Corrina Reed

Character Name : Baby Cody

Original Name : Corrina Reed

Gender : Female

Brianna Reed

Character Name : Baby Cody

Original Name : Brianna Reed

Gender : Female

Reviews

W

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2023-12-03

**_Inversion of "The Omen"_** A little girl with awe-inspiring abilities is raised by her aunt, Maggie O'Connor (Kim Basinger), because her mother is a drug addict (Angela Bettis). The latter hooks up with a weird cult, led by the arrogant Eric Stark (Rufus Sewell), who wants the child for dubious purposes. Released in 2000, "Bless the Child" is a thriller/horror that comes across as an inverted "The Omen" with elements of "End of Days." It has the same plot as the contemporaneous "The Calling," but is more sensical. It's no low-budget production as it cost $40 million to make and was directed by Chuck Russell, who's known for a few fairly significant movies, like "Nightmare on Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors," the remake of "The Blob" and 1994's highly successful "The Mask." Despite this, "Bless the Child" comes across as a Lifetime movie with a higher budget, which explains the film's mediocre ratings. While I understand this criticism I was able to enter into the world of the characters and enjoy the movie. It's not technically as good as "The Omen" (and some would say that it's sacrilege to even compare them), but I personally prefer "Bless the Child" simply because I like the story, characters and themes better, despite the film's limitations. Concerning the cast, Kim Basinger was past her physical prime, but she still looks good and she's a likable and compassionate protagonist. Jimmy Smits co-stars as the detective on the case and he's effective, as always. Petite Christina Ricci shines in a small role as a runaway who tries to help Maggie. They're all good, but it's Rufus Sewell who's most memorable as the leader of a cult that mixes elements of LaVeyian Satanism with Sciencefictionology. The CGI is a mixed bag, some of the effects are pretty good while some are just serviceable, but you have to consider the age of the movie. Regardless, special effects are just icing on the cake; it's the story and characters that count and this is where "Bless the Child" is solid—nothing great or exceptionally good, but solid. The film runs 1 hour, 47 minutes, and was shot in Toronto, Burlington and Sarnia, Ontario with 2nd unit shots of the Big Apple. GRADE: B/B-