Fallen

In the dark and suspenseful thriller Fallen, a dedicated homicide detective embarks on a desperate quest to unravel the mystery behind a series of gruesome murders that eerily resemble those of a serial killer who was recently executed. The film begins with Detective John Hobbes, played by Denzel Washington, watching Edgar Reese, a brilliant and calculated serial killer, be led to the execution chamber in a small Midwestern town. Reese's reign of terror had shaken the community with its brutal violence and cryptic communication. The authorities couldn't help but feel a sense of relief when Reese finally met his demise - but their relief is short-lived. After the execution, a new series of murders breaks out, with all the hallmarks of Reese's gruesome handiwork. The victims are killed in identical ways to those in Reese's previous cases, complete with the same twisted messages left at the crime scenes. As the bodies pile up, Hobbes starts to suspect that the killer is not who he thought it was. It's as if Reese's spirit has somehow lingered beyond death, carrying out a twisted vendetta against the city and its people. As Hobbes delves deeper into the case, he becomes increasingly obsessed with solving the mystery behind the new murders. Alongside his partner Smith, played by Donald Sutherland, they follow a trail of clues and witness statements that all point to the same disturbing conclusion: the killings are connected to the execution of Reese and, more specifically, to Hobbes himself. The further the investigation goes, the more Hobbes begins to question his own perceptions. Was Edgar Reese the actual killer, or was he a pawn in a larger game? Was Reese's sinister energy picked up by Hobbes, or did something far more sinister occur? The more mystery revealed about Reese himself, it seems the more Hobbes realizes how little he knew about the man. Throughout the film, James Cromwell plays Edgar Reese, giving a chilling portrayal of a calculating and sadistic individual. His performances bring a palpable sense of menace and intelligence, which only adds to the film's overall sense of unease. This chilling supporting performance mirrors and adds depth to the existential problems and questions the film aims at its protagonist. Tapped into a unique dynamic of ideas that explores the darker aspects of the human condition - including guilt, penance, human mortality, and individual identity - Fallen features aspects that cast doubt on both the nature of evil and our deep reluctance towards death. Each new revelation raises questions that are more unsettling than they are comforting. In trying to catch the new killer, who seems to embody Reese's singular depravity after execution, Hobbes finds himself asking whether a monster exists inherently, or whether such villains grow from within human society and context. Like the horrors observed in the first episode of the murders, it is this paradoxical questioning that leaves so many without answers, keeping viewers attached to the cinematic unfold as the boundaries of morality blur. Despite its dark premise, Fallen carries an introspective quality that does not lean heavily into extreme sensationalism. Rather than descending into over-the-top graphic violence or visceral exploitation, the film focuses on setting a consistently darker tone that builds tension through unease and gradual layers of mystery. At the same time, its relentless pace captures Hobbes's inescapable urgency as he seeks to unravel a web of clues that propel him into an existential abyss.