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The Believers
1987 114 min United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada R 0+
★5.7
Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Director: John Schlesinger
Trailers
Description
Mourning the accidental death of his wife and having just moved to New York with his young son, laconic police psychologist Cal Jamison is reluctantly drawn into a series of grisly, ritualistic murders involving the immolation of two youths.
Budget:
$13M
US Gross:
$18.75M
Worldwide:
$18.75M
Starring
Martin Sheen
Actor
Helen Shaver
Actor
Harley Cross
Actor
Awards
1 nomination total
Key opinion
The Believers is widely viewed as a promising thriller that begins with strong atmospheric tension and compelling performances. However, most critics agree that the film falters significantly in its final act, losing its narrative grounding as it shifts into an incoherent and conventional conclusion.
| Acting | Martin Sheen provides an outstanding and grounded performance that elevates the film's earlier sequences. | |
| Emotion | The film utilizes grim, visceral imagery and high-stakes ritual peril to effectively build early atmospheric tension. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay suffers from a disjointed transition, losing its initial crime-thriller focus to devolve into obscure, irrational fantasy. | |
| Ending | The ending is widely considered a failure, as it abandons the previously established tension for a forced, conventional Hollywood resolution. |