Review of Stigmata (2009) by Al M — 04 Nov 2010

Stigmata is a religious/demon-possession horror film in the vein of The Exorcist, The Omen, The Antichrist, etc. Stigmata concerns a young woman who begins to receive the stigmata, the wound of Christ that have traditionally only appeared on the most holy of religious figures.

However, the young woman (Patricia Arquette) is an atheist; hence, the priest (Gabriel Byrne) sent to investigate the case cannot make sense of why a devout heathen such as herself would be receiving the stigmata.

As the priest and the young woman develop a relationship that almost violates the priest's vows, Stigmata becomes a somewhat cheesy interrogation of organized religion. Its ultimate message is about the lost gospel that could undermine the beliefs of modern Christian churches, particularly Catholicism.

Stigmata features some genuinely creepy moments, and it attempts to create a stylish, cool, and Gothic aesthetic. Unfortunately, what seemed cool ten years ago feels dated and cheesy now. Hence, Stigmata comes across today as a somewhat entertaining horror film; however, it also feels like an overly moralistic rip-off of The Exorcist.