The Seventh Sign (1988)

Good concept, poorly executed.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

This is not a perfect movie, but I think it is better than many reviewers -- either professionals or our amateur colleagues here -- give it credit for.Let's start with the cast. Demi Moore has had a career that has been somewhat up and down, and maybe a little more down than up. But in a few films I thought she did quite well, and this is one of them. I was not impressed at all with Michael Biehn as Moore's husband. I'm not familiar enough with him as an actor to make an overall judgement, but this was not a very convincing job. Jürgen Prochnow does alright here as three different characters, but not well enough that I want to see him in other films. I feel the same was about Peter Friedman, here in a double role. I thought Manny Jacobs did rather well in a small, but key role, but I don't see where he has remained very active as an actor. So let's summarize the cast -- it's "okay". Nothing stand out good or stand out bad.Special effects. There are some, and none are impressive...well, the earthquake scenes are handled fairly well...but everything else is marginal. For example, snow in the desert...looked really fake. The hail storm...obviously ice from an ice machine.The story line. I think it's a fairly decent version of the old apocalypse tale -- the end is near -- and here, only Demi Moore can stave it off. What I do think is clever is the way they tie the apocalypse in with a death sentence for a retarded man; that was pretty clever. Should you watch it. Well, as I said, it's better than it's given credit for, but at best an average film. I can take it or leave it. I've given it a weak "7".

Let me say this right off the bat: I'm not usually a fan of religious films. Although The Seventh Sign has heavy undertones, I can't help but love it for being a really well crafted, atmospheric thriller that let's it's fantastic cast go to some truly tough emotional places, that would still be captivating in a film without religious roots. Demi Moore, who I've always loved a lot, plays Abbey Quinn, a tortured girl whose pregnancy only brings forth dark memories from her past and troubles her more. As ominous biblical signs intrude on her benign everyday life, a charismatic, intense stranger (Jurgen Prochnow) rents a room from her, and right away we know he ties into the phenomena somehow. Prochnow rarely gets a chance to play outside of the Soviet terrorist psychopath prototype, but here he brings sincerity, depth and a warm heart to a role that isn't easy to play without lookin like a preachy moron. Michael Biehn give a fiercely touching turn as Abbey's husband, a realist who finds himself out of his element with the supernatural elements that begin to creep into his life. Biehn has a scene at the end that he just nails, and is a highlight of his career. All religious paraphernalia aside though, the themes presented, about sacrifice, love, and finding the one tiny ray of hope in a world cluttered with scum and degenerates are concepts that can be universally applied to any story, be it Christian or not. It's a moody, exciting, heartfelt film that's well worth checking out.

Supernatural thriller about the apocalypse. Demi Moore is married to Michael Biehn and they're expecting a baby. Mysterious drifter Jürgen Prochnow shows up and rents a room from them. Meanwhile, all around the world various natural disasters are occurring which seem to signal that the End Times are nigh. The Vatican sends a priest (Peter Friedman) to investigate but he seems to have an agenda of his own.The incorporation of the Wandering Jew legend into the story is the best part. Moore's character makes several leaps of logic to service the plot and there are more than a few contrivances, especially towards the end. The subplot about a young man with down syndrome sentenced to be executed for murdering his incestuous parents opens the movie up to ridicule. They really should have rethought that part. It's an entertaining movie but, with a couple of changes, it could have been a very good one. Still, worth recommending you check it out.

This story, which is most definitely based on the prophetic last book of the New Testament, that of Revelation, holds some entertainment value but remains sadly and irresponsibly inaccurate.It tells the tale of the Seven Signs that are to herald the end of the age and the judgment of all humanity by the Almighty God. For Hollywood however, director Carl Schultz tones down the Biblical prophecies and humanises the plot to gain a wider audience.For unbelievers, "The Seventh Sign" may well intrigue or perhaps bore you, depending on taste. Tragically though, this movie will leave many believing a very wrong doctrine: that mankind can save himself.Sunday, March 22, 1992 - Video