As the Millennium approached, many Hollywood studio were trying to exploit the zeitgeist and concerns among segments of Christian audience by launching horror films with strong religious themes. One of those was Stigmata, 1999 film directed by Rupert Wainwright.
The plot begins in Brazil where Father Andrew Keirnan (played by Gabriel Byrne), Jesuit priest and former scientist, comes in order to investigate alleged miracle – Maddona’s statue that sheds human blood. Before he has opportunity to send detailed report to his superiors in Vatican, he is sent to Pittsburgh where he would have to investigate seemingly simpler phenomenon of a woman that suffers from stigmata – inexplicably caused bodily wounds that corresponds with those suffered by Christ during crucifixion. When he meets the affected woman Father Kiernan realises that his investigation is going to be much more difficult. While most people affected by stigmata are deeply religious, Frankie Page (played by Patricia Arquette), a hairdresser, practises hedonistic lifestyle and happens to be self-declared atheist. Kiernan continues to investigates incidents that results with wounds and bleeding, while Frankie, although baffled and scared with what is going on, realises that she is attracted to good-looking priest. In the meantime, Vatican’s bureaucracy, led by ruthless Cardinal Daniel Houseman (played by Jonathan Pryce) is less and less pleased with Kiernan’s investigation and what he might find.
Script by Tom Lazarus and Rick Ramage looks somewhat refreshing compared with most religious-themed Hollywood horror films like The Omen or End of Days that offered disturbing “fire and brimstone” version of Christian eschatology. Stigmata instead paints much kinder and gentler picture more in line with New Age sentiments and by the end of the film audience would realise that this is less of a horror film and more of a religious drama. Many viewers, however, would feel cheated, because director Rupert Wainwright, best known for his award-winning work on music videos, employs rapid MTV-style editing that would make this film both confusing and predictable. The cast seems disinterested in the role, including Gabriel Byrne who, despite real life youth spent in Catholic seminary, obviously had more fun playing Satan in End of Days than priest in this film. The most disappointing aspect of the film, at least for those somewhat familiar with certain theological issues, is that Stigmata tries to explain the plot with major “revelation” in form of non-canonical Gospel of Thomas, a text that offers “alternative” or, in the authors’ minds, “correct” interpretation of Christianity. That text, originally discovered in 1945, is actually quite known and hardly groundbreaking or sensational as producers of Stigmata would like us to believe. Nevertheless, challenging the traditional forms of Christian faith and critical view of Catholic Church as oppressive institution was enough for Stigmata to be subject of condemnations and protests from traditionalist circles and even bans in some Catholic countries like El Salvador. Although Stigmata had some modest success at the box office, it was met with hostility by critics and Gabriel Byrne even got nominated for Razzie for Worst Actor. Some of the plot elements of the film – namely those relying on alternative views on early Christianity – would few years later inspire Dan Brown for his best-selling novel Da Vinci Code and his much more popular screen adaptation.
RATING: 3/10 (+)
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