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The Believers

Play trailer Poster for The Believers R 1987 1h 54m Horror Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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35% Tomatometer 20 Reviews 45% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Recently widowed psychiatrist Cal Jamison (Martin Sheen) has just moved back to New York City with his young son, Chris (Harley Cross), in an attempt to start over after his wife's horrific accidental death. Cal takes an assignment helping the police with the investigation of a cult-like and bizarre ritualistic double murder. As Cal gets closer to the truth, he realizes that he and those close to him may be the target of supernatural and deadly forces, and that the enemy is closer than he knows.
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The Believers

Critics Reviews

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Barbara Scharres Chicago Reader 05/09/2022
1/4
Ultimately, though, The Believers is like a tiresome card trick... Go to Full Review Joe Pollack St. Louis Post-Dispatch 04/21/2022
The result is a partly effective horror film, based on Nicholas Conde's book "The Religion," that could have been a lot better. Go to Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 01/01/2000
1.5/4
An awesomely silly, tasteless and half-witted movie. Go to Full Review Andrew Sarris Video Review 08/05/2022
2/4
There is a depressingly surprising ending in tune with the current tendency to let the forces of darkness prevail for the sake of profitable sequels. Invincible evil seems to sell like hotcakes in today’s marketplace. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 10/28/2020
3.5/4
An exceptionally well-made horror yarn that really gets under the skin. Go to Full Review James Kendrick Q Network Film Desk 07/10/2019
3/4
a solid piece of genre work that manipulates its familiar material in interesting ways Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Erin M @Mightymotes Mar 29 Just as good upon rewatching, as I remember from when it came out all those years ago. Intense and spooky atmosphere for this thriller mystery! Lots of great plot twists and great acting. See more Garry A @heavyg Aug 27 It was a slow build up to the occult murders. Once it gets to the first of the occult murders the pace picks up and the black magic plot becomes interesting. I see some people on here thought it was trash but I was entertained. See more Jelisije J @jjosifovic Jun 27 A widow father moves himself and his only son to New York to move on from death, but they get involved with a string of gruesome child killings that finds them trying to unravel the mystery that is now haunting them. See more Steve D @RT35616104 03/02/2023 Fails to build any real suspense. See more 08/01/2020 The Believers starts out making you think that it is going to be a very average and predictable experience. However, the film has some interesting plot twists and some really intense scenes! The facial rash scene will make your skin crawl! (No pun intended.) The Believers was perfectly cast, Sheen, Loggia, Smits, Masur, Bowens, Shaver and Yulin are all absolutely great in this one! Martin Sheen in particular gives an excellent performance making his character very believable and most worthy of your rooting for him! Perhaps one of Sheen's best performances? See more Cait G @RT63484643 06/15/2020 The Believers is a disturbing thriller based around a brujeria cult (wrongfully often not clearly differentiated from Santeria). Although, for me, not really a horror flick other than being slightly gory for a thriller - the face blemish scenes are definitely a fear most people have had. Martin Sheen and the other character actors are solid and there were enough twists to keep me interested. I think it holds up fairly well. I'm not sure why the score is quite so rotten. See more Read all reviews
The Believers

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Cast & Crew

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John Schlesinger

Director

Martin Sheen

Cal Jamison

Helen Shaver

Jessica Halliday

Harley Cross

Chris Jamison

Robert Loggia

Lt. Sean McTaggert

Elizabeth Wilson

Kate Maslow

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The Believers

The Believers (1987) The Believers (1987) The Believers (1987) The Believers (1987) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Recently widowed psychiatrist Cal Jamison (Martin Sheen) has just moved back to New York City with his young son, Chris (Harley Cross), in an attempt to start over after his wife's horrific accidental death. Cal takes an assignment helping the police with the investigation of a cult-like and bizarre ritualistic double murder. As Cal gets closer to the truth, he realizes that he and those close to him may be the target of supernatural and deadly forces, and that the enemy is closer than he knows.
Director
John Schlesinger
Producer
Michael Childers, Beverly J. Camhe, John Schlesinger
Screenwriter
Mark Frost
Production Co
Orion Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Horror, Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$17.4M
Runtime
1h 54m
Sound Mix
Surround
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