Bless the Child (2000): Dir: Chuck Russell / Cast: Kim Basinger, Jimmy Smits, Rufuss Sewell, Christina Ricci, Angela Bettis: Stupid film that seems like a terrible ripoff of The Omen. The title suggests ability with Kim Basinger giving her second bad performance of the year. She raises her sister's abandon daughter not realizing that the tyke has special powers that consist of sitting on the floor in a trance spinning dishes on the floor. Jimmy Smits enters as a cop investigating child murders. What he should be doing is investigating parents who allow their children to look this foolish on film. A cult leader has married Basinger's sister because that is the only way that Basinger's life could get any worse. They attempt custody for which Basinger retaliates resulting in a climax that wouldn't be any more laughable than if it came straight from Saturday Night Live. Absurd plot with special effects that are about as dazzling as a second grade art class. Religious elements are blasphemous with horrible directing by Chuck Russell who previously made The Mask. Rufus Sewell is laughable as the cult leader as is Christina Ricci as some moron cult Gothic princess. Angela Bettis plays another of the film's imbeciles in Basinger's whiny sister. In one scene a homeless man is forced to dose himself in gasoline and set himself on fire. That is exactly what should happen with this film. Score: 1 / 10
Review of Bless the Child
