The Believers

"The Believers" stars Martin Sheen as a forensic psychologist who moves with his young son to New York City after the death of his wife. Shortly after their arrival, a series of brutal ritualistic child murders plague the city, and his son becomes gravely endangered.

This little-talked-about late '80s quasi-horror film starts out promising--there are ominous deaths, grim warnings, and disturbing occult murders involving young children. The focus here is an urban take on Santeria that has been appropriated and perverted for nefarious purposes. The first half of the film is quite engaging, with Sheen's character slowly descending into this world and learning more and more about it, including benevolent forms of it, which are practiced by his Puerto Rican housekeeper.

At its core, the film is truly about the blind leading the blind--people so dedicated to an ideological belief that they are willing to engage in horrific acts to validate it, dragging others into their underworld as human collateral. Like much of John Schlesinger's work, "The Believers" is quite stylish, and there is a fair amount of suspense in the first two-thirds of it--but by the final act, the film begins to wobble into the realm of ridiculousness. Despite the fact that it runs nearly two hours, there is a surprising amount of connective tissue missing from the film, particularly regarding the cult practices and their overall intentions--the implications often come across as vague or oblique. There are two plot twists thrown into the mix in the last twenty minutes, and a showdown in a warehouse that feels frightfully overwrought and unbelievable. The film does end on a grim, immediate note, however, which does mitigate some of this.

Overall, I found this film quite engaging, though it lacks cogency, particularly in the third act. It is admittedly stylish and well-acted, but it contains too many unnecessary voids, especially when you take into account its runtime. I suspect the film may have been a victim of editing problems based on the way it is pieced together, though it's difficult to know for certain. Worth a watch for fans of cult-themed films, despite its lack of clarity at times. 6/10.

A widowed therapist (Martin Sheen) moves back to New York City to find himself assisting the NYPD in a series of slayings linked to a Caribbean Voodoo-like cult. Things get worse when he discovers they want his son for a human sacrifice. Helen Shaver plays his landlord and possible romantic interest.

"The Believers" (1987) is an adult-oriented crime drama that gets increasingly horrific. The plot and tone are akin to "Wolfen" (1981), albeit with the brujería cult replacing the super-wolves. It's leagues superior to the similar "The Serpent and the Rainbow" (1988).

The diabolic angle makes for some ugliness (e.g. death due to electric shock, suicides, grisly sacrifices, snakes and creepy arachnids), but there are rays of light as well. Sheen is outstanding as the protagonist while Shaver offers her wares to the table. The shocking spider sequence was later ripped off by "Urban Legends: Bloody Mary" (2005).

The movie runs 1 hour, 44 minutes, and was shot in New York City & Toronto.

GRADE: B-

Widowed police psychiatrist (Martin Sheen) and his young son (Harley Cross) move to NYC and get involved with a cult that believes in human sacrifices--small children especially.

Exceptionally well-made, deadly serious horror film is not for everybody. It's way too long, has some very disturbing scenes (quick closeups of a dead child's mutilated body; animal sacrifice) and it's serious tone can wear one down. Still, it's a complex, one of a kind horror film. Name all the major studio films that deal with cults, voodoo and children sacrifices--there aren't any! It's surprising this even got made.

Sheen is very good as the father, Cross is exceptional as his son. Also Robert Loggia turns in strong support as a police chief. The only bad acting is by Helen Shaver as a landlady who Sheen falls for (for some reason). Also there's a pretty needless ending.

All in all though, a good horror film, but remember--it's STRONG stuff!

The Believers can be viewed as an exposition of believers of anything. The primary object of the movie is the religion Santeria and the practitioners of that religion but, the underlying thread is that any fanatical and misguided believers in any religion are the same.

The black magic brand of Santeria practitioners weren't the only Santerians in the movie. There were others who were far less dangerous, even if their customs and ceremonies were strange. The understanding though is that in every religion there are probably messages or passages that are misunderstood by the fanatics and they end up doing extreme actions in the name of said religion.

The Believers goes deep into the black magic aspect of Santeria. By pure happenstance Cal Jamison (Martin Sheen) and his family get wrapped into that world. The movie is eerie and suspenseful as we are navigated through this strange religious world.

John Schlesinger was best known for movies like "Darling", "Midnight Cowboy", "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "The Day of the Locust" and "Marathon Man". But now he directs something totally different.

To understand what happens in "The Believers", it helps to have foreknowledge of Santería, a syncretic religion practiced widely in the Caribbean. It is based in the Yoruba culture (in present-day Nigeria), but includes influences from Roman Catholicism and the indigenous American cultures. The movie depicts a satanic offshoot of Santería mixed with brujería (Spanish for "witchcraft"), that is sacrificing children in New York, and is now targeting the son of Martin Sheen's character.

If you expect a slasher movie, this is nothing of the sort. There is some violence, but no guts getting torn out or anything -- only one scene can truly get called shocking (you'll know it when you see it) -- and there's limited sex/nudity. I'd say that the movie's strength is its depiction of how Sheen's character slowly but surely learns about a culture with which he was previously unfamiliar. The movie does make clear that the religious cult is not Santería, but a different group. After all, every religion is bound to have its wackos.

Does the movie have any downsides? Well, Robert Loggia's cop came across as a little silly, but I'd call that the only true downside. Otherwise, this is a good one. Also starring Helen Shaver, Richard Masur, Jimmy Smits and Harris Yulin (who I at first mistook for Richard Jenkins, aka Nate Sr. on "Six Feet Under").