Fallen (1998)

Elevator Pitch: John Hobbes is a Philadelphia detective who has been involved in the arrest of a serial killer who is later executed while singing “Time is on my Side”. Later Hobbs finds himself investigating what seem to be copycat killings, but which we know seem to be carried out by something or someone inhabiting the bodies of normal people. Hobbs, begins to be suspected of the murders, and is left messages which lead him to the company of the daughter of a policemen who has killed himself. She tells him that, difficult as it is to believe, the murders are being carried out by a demon who can move from one body to another, and that no matter what, it will track him down.

Content: No sex or nudity, or actually any emotional attachment of anyone to anyone else, apart from Hobbes to his brother. Essential to the plot is the fact that we see some events through the eyes of someone else, and this is identified by a different colour palette for the film. Time is spent in the police station, and once we understand that a demon is inhabiting the bodies of people on a temporary basis we begin to wonder who is infected. Hobbes also spends time in the deserted house where the policemen killed himself. A venue which later becomes important to the plot.

A View: This outing was not very well thought of by the critics and lost a lot of money. It has, however, become something of a cult film apparently. I think it requires close attention to follow the slightly convoluted plot, despite the fact that people tell us what is going on, and what the demon can do. There are twists, the final one possibly being the best. So in terms of my previous designations before I started awarding points. Maybe a watch while doing something else, particularly now you have read this review.

Here are a few good Denzel Washington films: Training Day, The Equalizer, The Book of Eli .