O Juízo Final

Uncommon mix of sex and religion is hard hitting and thought provoking. Mimi Rogers, giving easily the finest performance of 1991 (and many other years), was completely overlooked by the industry, and that's unfortunate for us. She is so superb in this film, that it is inconceivable that she doesn't work more than she does. She is supported by a fine cast, most notably, Kimberly Cullum, as Mary. It's too bad that Mimi Rogers isn't given more roles in Hollywood; but we do have this performance, in this film, and I highly recommend it!

It's hard to form an opinion about this movie really, since it's hard to say what the movie is actually trying to achieve and say. This also means that the movie is quite an unique one really, which is something that still makes this movie interesting and a good watch.

Thing I'm still confused about is if it was supposed to be Christian propaganda or one that criticizes and openly questions it. That movie does both things really, which also does make the movie more or less unpredictable, which is however also a positive thing though of course. Perhaps this was also exactly what the film-makers were aiming for; confuse its viewers so that they can openly question and think about things and get into discussions with each other. Seems to me that everybody will interpret this movie in their own way and both Christians and atheists can both get plenty out of this movie.

So really no matter how you feel about this movie, you'll still get intrigued by it. This is a great power that this movie has and the foremost reason why I actually ultimately ended up liking it, even though I didn't always understood what was going on exactly.

This is a bit of a problem with the movie. It gets a quite messy one at times and due to its storytelling, we have to take a lot of things for granted. Not everything feels- and flows naturally, which doesn't always make this the most believable movie.

But perhaps it feels a bit off and odd just because the movie is taking such an original approach and features an unique concept in it. Because of that it is hard to compare this to anything we know and are familiar with. It's just a one of a kind movie that you should also take that way. Don't think too much about its storytelling or acting, just focus on its themes instead and you'll see that this is a quite good and intriguing movie.

Christian or atheist; the movie doesn't really pick 'sides' with anyone and everyone will get something different out of this movie.

7/10

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A haunting movie -- one that lingers in the mind (and the heart) for a long time afterwards. Mimi Rogers turns in a stunning performance as a woman trapped in a cycle of dull work and duller play, whose life is transformed twice -- first by a religious conversion, and then by coming face to face with the literal meaning of that conversion. She is incandescent in her belief, and in the movie's final scenes, takes on the epic proportions of a Job or King Lear. You may be puzzled, conflicted, or even offended by what the movie "means," but you won't be able to walk away from it untouched.

Woah! Rarely does a movie leave me speechless, but The Rapture did just that. It has a lot to say about religion, cults, and the search for meaning in our lives. I definitely don't envy the marketing team who had to try and find a way to advertise this movie to the masses. It defies description or genre altogether. Mimi Rogers is fantastic in the lead role of a woman who's desperately searching for meaning in her life and turns to religion to find it, leading her down a very dark and scary road.

Since I have always been a Christian from childhood and agreeably conspire to my faith today, I am always curious about what causes others to "be saved" later in life. "The Rapture" tells this story with fascinating insights into the modern Christian perspective and what scares the public about its predictions. Mimi Rogers (in a heart-wrenching performance) plays Sharon, a telephone operator who leads a tedious and extremely boring life by day, but resorts to group sex and orgies to add excitement to her nightlife. She discovers Christianity through people pamphleting at her door and other employees in her office she never cared to talk to before. They use the imagery of a pearl to describe their experience of being saved, and Sharon longs to discover what it is about this religion that can bring fulfillment to her own life. David Duchovney, before his stint on "The X-Files," co-stars as Sharon's boyfriend and later husband she meets through her reckless "dates," and whom she induces to join her spiritual quest to find God. After their marriage and birth of their daughter, her faith is tested to intense extemes in ways I would not dare describe, but can honestly say are truly harrowing. I was surprised that, even though I am a devout Christian, I was not offended by this film, what can be seen as a blatantly sacreligious movie. I think every religious individual should see it to get a better understanding of what they conspire to, as well as how others may conceive of their faith. "The Rapture" is not a tame flick, and does not shy away from controversial discourse, but all in all, this is a rewarding picture that gets its viewers to think about their lives and what they believe in. No doubt you will be entranced. Rating: Three stars and a half.