Angela Bettis, Christina Ricci, Dan Warry-Smith, Dimitra Arliss, Gary Hudson ...( see more  see more... ) , Holliston Coleman , Ian Holm , Jimmy Smits , Kim Basinger , Lumi Cavazos , Michael Gaston , Rufus Sewell , Yan Birch

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...( read more  read more... ) 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

Flixster Users

48% liked it

32,253 ratings

Critics

3% liked it

96 critics

R, 1 hr. 47 min.

Directed by: Chuck Russell

Release Date: August 11, 2000

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DVD Release Date: February 13, 2001

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Stats: 548 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (548)


  • December 9, 2009
    Strong permofance by Kim Berenger. Great Movie with great casting. I like Rufus Sewell, he can play anything and I never feel like he is acting.
  • July 15, 2007
    I was pleasantly surprised at how engaging this movie was. I normally don't like Kim Basinger of Rufus Sewell, but they were both pretty good in this really rather chilling movie. I really like movies that deal with the human aspect in the occult. Christina Ricci's character real...( read more)ly added to it as well. I might have liked a little less simpering from miss Kim, but the child actress mkore than made up for her.
  • April 26, 2007
    Unfortunately, I can only rate the first half of this film because I fell asleep before it finished but I felt that it was going in exactly the right direction. Comments I have read here about it being too religious..... well if we're talking about God and the devil then I guess...( read more) we are talking religion aren't we.
    Fascinating storyline and great acting. Will get more stars no doubt as soon as I have seen how it ends.
  • January 1, 2007
    I know I've SEEN it, but I can't remember anything about it. Can the movie be so bad, I've completely expunged it from my memory?
  • November 7, 2006
    Well done movie, very intriguing.
  • February 9, 2010
    A pretty good thriller. Has a good script. Very Entertaining. Great performances by Rufus Swelle and Kim Basinger.
  • January 15, 2010
    This is a decent supernatural thriller. The movie is about this cult that wants this little girl who they believe has supernatural powers to God. Of course the girl's aunt who raised her wants to stop them from hurtiong the child. Overall this is a solid movie. Has a good cast a...( read more)nd story. Sort of like the Omen in a way. Kim Basinger is solid as the lead character. Rufus Sewell is great as the evil cult leader. If you like movies like the Omen then check this one out.
  • December 2, 2009
    this is scary, very scary, that's all I can say
  • October 26, 2009
    I found this movie absolutley horrifying as a child! Perhaps it was the human horror involved in it... I can handle zombies, and vampires, and werewolves, and ghosts, but show me a human being burned alive, and I'll more than likely cringe at the sight.
  • October 5, 2009
    Give me my 2 hours back.

Critic Reviews


January 1, 2000
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

For my money, Bless the Child is a much funnier parody of a thriller than Scary Movie -- it just doesn't realize it. full review

View more Bless the Child reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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Bless the Child Trivia


  • what was the name of the gifted girl in bless the child  Answer »
  • in which movie did diana ross sing ''god bless the child?''  Answer »
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  • What 2000 horror starred the following actors and actresses? Kim Basinger Jimmy Smits Rufus Sewell Angela Bettis Christina Ricci Ian Holm   Answer »

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