BLESS THE CHILD (2000).
A film about a Christ like child that brings healing, resurrection and life. The story centers on the battle between Heaven and the demonic force.
-Review by David Bruce |
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This page was created on August 12, 2000
and was updated on
May 23, 2005
This review is two pages
This is page one
Page two |
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Directed by Chuck Russell
Novel by Cathy Cash Spellman
Screenplay by Thomas Rickman, Clifford Green, and Ellen Green
Kim Basinger .... Maggie O'Connor = Virgin Mary
Holliston Coleman .... Cody O'Connor = the Christ Child
Angela Bettis .... Jenna O'Connor = type of fatherless birth -symbol of God's concern
Jimmy Smits .... Agent John Travis = Michael the Archangel
Rufus Sewell .... Eric Stark = Satan incarnate, an Anti-Christ
Christina Ricci .... Cheri = Angel Gabriel
Ian Holm ..,. Priest = a prophet foretelling the struggle
Eugene Lipinski .... Stuart = an agenr (demon) of Satan
Produced by Bruce Davey (executive), Stratton Leopold (co-producer), Mace Neufeld, Robert Rehme (executive)
Original music by Christopher Young
Cinematography by Peter Menzies Jr.
Film Editing by Alan Heim
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Mankind's last hope just turned six. |
STUDIO SYNOPSIS:
 Omens and concepts of good vs. evil have no place in Maggie O'Connor's (Kim Basinger) well-ordered, practical universe. Her life revolves around her job as a nurse at a busy New York hospital -- that is, until her wayward kid sister, Jenna (Angela Bettis), shows up on her doorstep one rainy Christmas Eve and saddles Maggie with an autistic newborn child named Cody (Holliston Coleman).Cody quickly 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 (Rufus Sewell), abducts Cody. Despite the fact that Maggie has no legal rights to Cody, FBI agent John Travis (Jimmy Smits), an expert in ritual homicide and occult-related crime, takes up her cause when he realizes that Cody shares the same birth date as several other recently missing children.
 The little girl, it soon becomes clear, is more than simply "special." She manifests extraordinary powers that the forces of evil have waited centuries to control, and her abduction sparks a clash between the soldiers of good and evil that can only be resolved, in the end, by the strength of one small child and the love she inspires in those she touches.
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 BLESS THE CHILD (2000).
A film about a Christ like child that brings healing, resurrection and life. The story centers on the battle between Heaven and the demonic force.
-Review by David Bruce |
 Jenna O'Connor is drug addict who can not remember who the father of her child is. Her baby arrives near Christmas day and a special star in the night sky signifies that this is a child with a mission from God. The relationship between the child and the life of Jesus is obvious throughout the entire film.
The fact that this is a autistic child born to a drug addict also says something about God's concern and love for all of us. God's plan is to bring the world to God through this newborn autistic child. |
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| Although Cody is born a Christ child, there is no virgin birth. But there is a type of it. The baby is taken in by Maggie, the sister of Jenna. Maggie is a unable to have children -thus she serves as a type of the Virgin Mother. Maggie later prays to God in the presence of a Virgin Mary statue -further establishing the connection. |
   Other films with "Virgin Mothers" include Star Wars Episode 1, Elizabeth, and Powder
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  The Bible tells of angels that protected the Christ child. And so it is with Cody. Early on there are images of angels shown in association with Cody. Cheri, a former cult member is a "guardian angel" in the film, warming Maggie of the evil plots against the child. She serves the story as a type of Gabriel. |
   Other films with Angels include, Prophecy, Prophech 2, City of Angels |
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   In similar scenes John Travolta resurrects a puppie dog in Michael, and boy Jesus resurrects a bird in the Jesus Series, and John Coffey resurrets a mouse in Green Mile |
 The Christ like characteristics of Cody are established early on. She resurrects a dove that died of a broken neck. She brings light to a prayer chapel by supernaturally lighting all the candles. Establishing her as a "light of the world" and as a messenger of "the resurrection and the life." |
   Other films that feature women as Christ figures include Stigmata, Spitfire Grill, Fifth Element |
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  The slaughter of the Jewish babies is an important part of the Moses and Jesus stories. Satan tries to eliminated the special messengers from God, and just so in this story as well. The Evil One comes in the form of a self help guru, Erik Stark. He is a popular speaker and author. His central theme is, "You are your own god." He and his henchmen plan the successful kidnapping of Cody.
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  The slaughter of the innocent is a major component of Prince of Egypt. Movies with Satan as a business man include Devil's Advocate and even the recent Jesus Series |
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OFFICIAL SITE
Bless The Child © 2000 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved. |
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