The Believers

6/9/19871h 54m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ Nothing can stop them, no one can help you. They know who you are. ~

Overview:

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.

Director:

John Schlesinger

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$13,000,000.00

Revenue:

$18,753,438.00

Key words:

new york city
ritual
gun
voodoo
barn
cult
cigar smoking
death
ritual murder
ritual sacrifice
suicide by cop
voodoo ritual
prosperity
dance ritual
african deities
santería
suicide by gun
child sacrifice

Cast

Martin Sheen

~ as ~

Cal Jamison

Helen Shaver

~ as ~

Jessica Halliday

Harley Cross

~ as ~

Chris Jamison

Robert Loggia

~ as ~

Lt. Sean McTaggert

Elizabeth Wilson

~ as ~

Kate Maslow

Harris Yulin

~ as ~

Robert Calder

Lee Richardson

~ as ~

Dennis Maslow

Richard Masur

~ as ~

Marty Wertheimer

Carla Pinza

~ as ~

Carmen Ruiz

Jimmy Smits

~ as ~

Tom Lopez

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

Wuchak
Written 6 year(s) ago
6
Unpleasant big city crime drama with Martin Sheen that morphs into sorcery-oriented horror

A widowed therapist (Martin Sheen) moves back to New York City to find himself assisting the NYPD in a series of slayings linked to a Caribbean Voodoo-like cult. Things get worse when he discovers they want his son for a human sacrifice. Helen Shaver plays his landlord and possible romantic interest.

“The Believers” (1987) is an adult-oriented crime drama that gets increasingly horrific. The plot and tone are akin to “Wolfen” (1981), albeit with the brujería cult replacing the super-wolves. It’s leagues superior to the similar “The Serpent and the Rainbow” (1988).

The diabolic angle makes for some ugliness (e.g. death due to electric shock, suicides, grisly sacrifices, snakes and creepy arachnids), but there are rays of light as well. Sheen is outstanding as the protagonist while Shaver offers her wares to the table. The shocking spider sequence was later ripped off by "Urban Legends: Bloody Mary" (2005).

The movie runs 1 hour, 44 minutes, and was shot in New York City & Toronto.

GRADE: B-