Stigmata
	Rated R
	Runtime: 1hr 42min
	Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Patricia Arquette, Patrick Muldoon, Jonathan Pryce
	MFG Rating: 2/5

Order Now from Amazon Save 30%

DVD Features Video: Video quality seemed sub-par to me, way to many harsh edges throughout the film. Audio: Good use of surround channels without being overdone. The ambiance during scenes when it's raining outside is spectacular. Extras: Deleted scenes, music video, alternate ending and a directors commentary. What more could you ask for?

DVD Quick Take

This movie wasn't any better on video than it was in the theater. The editing just plain sucked and the story seriously dragged in some parts. The only thing that almost saves this disk are the extras. Not only do we get to see an alternate ending to the movie but in one of the deleted scenes we see Patricia Arquettes butt and tah-tahs. It's not worth buying the disk for, but if you just have to see her naked, its worth a rental.

One thing I did notice in the video that I didn't catch in the theater is that you really do get to see her whisker biscuit. During the bathtub scene when the camera does a scrolling profile shot underwater, pay attention to the reflection coming from the waters surface...

- John

Movies For Guys' Original Review of the Theatrical Release

Here's an idea, why don't we let the guys who edit the movie trailers also edit the movies!? This is another case of a lame movie with a great premise and trailer. The trailer make this look like it could be a 90's version of The Exorcist with rapid fire horror action, but what we get is a very slow plodding movie.

Frankie, played by Patricia Arquette, is a young lady who is a self professed atheist with no interest in religion whatsoever. However, she finds herself receiving the marks of Christ in some violent unexplainable attacks. The Vatican sends an investigator, played by Gabriel Byrne, who quickly learns there's very strange things afoot!

The comparisons to the classic Exorcist movies from the 70's are inevitable here, and this movie just doesn't measure up. They've got a great story here, and if they had used that combined with some modern high tech special effects to give the guys going in expecting a 90's Exorcist exactly what they wanted, I think this would be a runaway hit. Instead they spend alot of time focusing on the relationship between the girl and the priest, which the horror movie fans could care less about. We also get a bit of conspiracy and mystery intrigue here surrounding the Vatican, but again we prefer our horror served sans mystery and romance. Something about bucket fulls of bloods and nails being driven thru someone's wrist doesn't make me us feel particularly romantic.

What we get as a result is a decent performance turned in by a pretty good ensemble cast, but a movie that is very slow and plodding. This move is an hour and forty two minutes long, it felt like two hours and 15. That isn't good. And it doesn't exactly build up to a nice huge ending to send the crowd home happy. The big climax scene is ok visually, but nothing spectacular. It would also be easy to pick this movie apart with biblical and theological inaccuracies, but why bother, it's bad enough without even going there.

Skip this one at the theater for sure. There's nothing about it that has to be seen on the big screen. It's perhaps worth a rental if for no other reason that to make you appreciate movies like the Exorcist and Omen series. For me personally, I'd rather wear Sally Jesse Raphael's panties on my head than watch it again.

- Billy Bob