The Rapture (1991) User Reviews

Has its originality going for it.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 4 October 2011]

It's hard to form an opinion about this movie really, since it's hard to say what the movie is actually trying to achieve and say. This also means that the movie is quite an unique one really, which is something that still makes this movie interesting and a good watch.

Thing I'm still confused about is if it was supposed to be Christian propaganda or one that criticizes and openly questions it. That movie does both things really, which also does make the movie more or less unpredictable, which is however also a positive thing though of course. Perhaps this was also exactly what the film-makers were aiming for; confuse its viewers so that they can openly question and think about things and get into discussions with each other. Seems to me that everybody will interpret this movie in their own way and both Christians and atheists can both get plenty out of this movie.

So really no matter how you feel about this movie, you'll still get intrigued by it. This is a great power that this movie has and the foremost reason why I actually ultimately ended up liking it, even though I didn't always understood what was going on exactly.

This is a bit of a problem with the movie. It gets a quite messy one at times and due to its storytelling, we have to take a lot of things for granted. Not everything feels- and flows naturally, which doesn't always make this the most believable movie.

But perhaps it feels a bit off and odd just because the movie is taking such an original approach and features an unique concept in it. Because of that it is hard to compare this to anything we know and are familiar with. It's just a one of a kind movie that you should also take that way. Don't think too much about its storytelling or acting, just focus on its themes instead and you'll see that this is a quite good and intriguing movie.

Christian or atheist; the movie doesn't really pick 'sides' with anyone and everyone will get something different out of this movie.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Is this REALLY a "pro-Christian" film?

[christhecat · 6/10 · 19 May 2007]

I saw this when it came out in 1991, and again recently, and it amazes me how many people see this as a purely pro-Christian film. I've always thought it was as much an indictment of fundamentalist Christianity, as "pro-Christian." Consider this: if it is such a pro-Christian film, why does the protagonist unapologetically refute Christianity at the end? And ask yourself: will this film really convert any non-believers? (Mimi Rogers' character begins the film empty inside, and ends the film just as empty-- that will hardly convince anyone who is looking for answers.)

The Rapture presents a simplified version of the millennial view that fundamentalist Christians believe and so fundamentalists see it as pro-Christian. Conversely, if you come to this film as an atheist or agnostic you will get all the bitter distaste religion already gives you in spades. I suspect anyone with a purely open mind (including non-fundamentalist Christians) will come away confused, and ponder the film for some time (indeed, that's how I felt the first time I saw it).

This film was the first to give me the notion that fundamentalist Christians have essentially given up on this world, and can't wait for The Rapture: Mimi and her co-believers have a bunker mentality, they gather together, listen to the young prophet, perhaps try to convert others, and are filled with joy that the world is coming to an end (are their lives that empty that they can't wait for the world to end?) I was reminded of this again recently (in 2006) when Israel attacked Hezbollah in Lebanon, and hundreds of posts appeared on Christian message boards from Christians who "felt like dancing" because they thought it was the beginning of the end. Such a small view of God. I would think God was infinite, and thus the universe were infinite, rather than revolving around one tiny planet, with everything predetermined, and the end coming like a carefully crafted stage-play, with the true believers cowering before the Lord, praying that their sinful neighbors all go to Hell.

7/10

[todyun · 7/10 · 20 September 2019]

Great atmosphere that feels very apocalyptic and melancholic. Focuses more on the influence of faith and the silence of God more than the actual rapture. Mimi Rogers gives a very good performance.

Kick Ass Film

[cookiela2001 · 9 November 2004]

I like many different kinds of movies, but this is one of my very favorites because it's among the rare few that really touched me. The film takes on a HUGE subject (the price of devotion) in a very direct and simple way, and truly brought me inside the heroine's world.

I think a lot of us can identify with Sharon's yearning to get something more out of life; I mean, who can claim this is really the best of all possible worlds? (Look around!) The scene where Sharon breaks down after showering in scalding water, weeping that she's tired of all the pain and emptiness, is unforgettable. Mimi Rogers plays the part with complete conviction, and I especially like her glowing serenity in the middle section in which she's saved. (The actress' delivery is occasionally a bit flat, but I actually think that's brilliant. Roger's isn't playing a rocket scientist, just a lost, ordinary woman.) As for the poster who made the brilliant observation that the character "looks just as bored and unfulfilled by random group sex as she is by answering telephones all day," um, that's the point. In the first group sex scene Sharon enjoys herself, yet she eventually leaves the swingers scene when she feels unfulfilled.

I also love the sequence where the born-again Sharon is at work, proselytizing The Word to people who've only called Directory Assistance for phone numbers. ("Well I'm sure you're in a hurry, but don't you think you could take time out to get to know your Lord and Savior?") The scene where Sharon tells her old party pal that she's met a really great guy (Jesus) is priceless as well, and the scene where she's pulled over by a cop near the end and breaks down is extremely powerful.

The film does look a little low budget, especially near the end, but it's a movie about ideas and emotion, not spectacle. It's a thoughtful and thorough film, with an articulate point of view that doesn't judge its characters who enjoy evangelical faith...which is rather unlike the judgmental view of the God we're usually presented with.

This movie did (and does) make me think

[LukeCustomer2 · 7/10 · 29 May 2021]

First, this movie is very sexually graphic so don't watch it with mom or dad or the kids. But I think it speaks to the idea of the loss and confusion of humanity. Sharon is representative of most human beings. A boring job, a boring life, searching for meaning.. possibly with sex and then with religion (ironic that Rogers was a scientologist). It is just something to help you get through this life. What got me about this script is the moving ending. After being disappointed so many times in life, in god, Sharon would rather be in purgatory for eternity than say she loves god. Isn't that the human way? Stubborn and self destructive. But i have to admit if had been in Sharon's place I might have had the exactly same decision. I also enjoy that they actually try to do the Rapture.. in a vey serious and haunting way. The final minutes of this movie I think will always remember.

Complicated and uncompromising -- possibly Mimi Rogers' finest performance.

[kbnewton · 8/10 · 24 June 2000]

A haunting movie -- one that lingers in the mind (and the heart) for a long time afterwards. Mimi Rogers turns in a stunning performance as a woman trapped in a cycle of dull work and duller play, whose life is transformed twice -- first by a religious conversion, and then by coming face to face with the literal meaning of that conversion. She is incandescent in her belief, and in the movie's final scenes, takes on the epic proportions of a Job or King Lear. You may be puzzled, conflicted, or even offended by what the movie "means," but you won't be able to walk away from it untouched.

Intriguing, bizarre, fascinating film leaves you with much to consider...

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 2 July 2006]

A telephone operator, bored with her job and living a night-life full of wild escapades, finds Jesus, gets married and settles down, but that's just the beginning of her story. Writer-director Michael Tolkin has been both praised and criticized for this portrait of a Born Again Christian; while the movie does contain religious elements, it's not quite Fundamentalist propaganda (neither pro nor con, it stays squarely in the middle, and is sometimes more satire than drama). Much of its overall effect rests on actress Mimi Rogers' shoulders, and her lead performance is nothing short of amazing. Hurt by a limited budget and some sloppy editing which causes confusion at critical points in the story, the film isn't a major success yet it does provide for thoughtful discussion and debate, and it gives Rogers the acting role of her career. **1/2 from ****

Unredeemable

[david.richmond · 1/10 · 12 February 2001]

I think the unintended moral of this film may be, don't blame GOD for making stupid choices based upon erroneous assumptions. Otherwise, The Rapture is so confused in its depiction of Christianity as to render it's "message" irrelevent and greatly overpraised.

Anyone who thinks this movie somehow makes an "important" statement about so-called Christian Fundamentalism has apparently never heard of a straw man argument. These characters are purely fictional creations following the path of a contrived storyline. They espouse a cultish theology that is at best only superficially Christian. I have been a Christian for most of my life and read the Bible completely through several times. What was shown in this film was so far removed from Biblical Christianity that it left me wondering if Tolkin did this intentionally, trying to connect with the average person's hazy familiarity with Biblical prophecy, or was just too lazy to do any research. Regardless, it takes the sting out of any supposed message other than that Mimi Rogers' character needed counseling and should have chosen her spiritual leaders more wisely.

I am tempted to recommend that sincere Christians might think about watching this film just to see how we and our beliefs often look to others. I might even recommend viewing it alongside Robert Duvall's film The Apostle for contrast. I can credit Duvall that I felt like I had actually met some of the characters in his film, which is something I cannot say for The Rapture.

You people need to understand this film better.

[mombasa_pete · 10/10 · 25 December 2006]

The final scenes which show the end of the world and the apocalypse and the passing of all the biblical prophecies (the four horsemen, the trumpets etc) are NOT hallucinatory. They are supposed to be real not inside the main character's head.

Look at the way they are depicted, she is in a police station, and the people around her react to these things, another woman prisoner begins singing "hark the herald angel", the bars fall magically off the cell doors, the TV that is on starts showing the 4 horsemen and angelic figures, and we hear the sound of the trumpet and see everyone: the sheriffs, the prisoners reacting to this.

The point of the film is this: that religious fanaticism may be frightening. But what would be EVEN MORE frightening: what if the religious zealots depicted in the film, what if they turned out not to be misguided or wrong in their beliefs but to be RIGHT: that the Book of Revelations actually WILL come true! This is what makes the film so terrifying.

The very final scene where the 2 remaining characters, Will Patton and Mimi Rogers are in Heaven, shows that in the end even though the world has ended and the coming of the Apocalypse has passed, and the Second Reign of Heaven has come, that in the end, the Mimi Rogers character finally realizes that in spite of her previous choices, that she decides human free will and the right to question, to choose (i.e. free speech) must be paramount, EVEN if this means she is condemned to purgatory forever.

So she chooses NOT to embrace God, this is why Will Patton suddenly vanishes, he chooses to and goes to Heaven, but she allows her earlier doubts, about how God can allow evil and suffering, to prevent her from accepting God as the Saviour. She accepts He exists, but will not follow Him.

So THIS is the film's ultimate message: that human freewill may triumph even against the strongest powers.

I know this may be hard to accept, but it does not make the film anti-Christian but thought provoking.

I am Catholic and was not offended by the film at all, as it raises important issues. What is sad is that it is clear from previous comments on this site is that it went straight over many people's heads.

Read more, attend more University courses, is my advice.

intriguing journey

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 11 March 2017]

By day, Sharon (Mimi Rogers) works in a cubicle as a telephone operator. By night, she has sexual escapades with Vic and other partners. Some at work have dreams of a pearl. They follow a boy as born-again Christians. Sharon is tired of her empty life and starts pursuing the group. She convinces artist Randy (David Duchovny) to join. The boy claims the rapture is coming in 5 or 6 years. Six years later, Sharon is married to Randy with daughter Mary. Randy is killed in a workplace mass murder. Following the boy's words, Sharon takes Mary to the desert to await for the rapture. Deputy Foster (Will Patton) is concerned about the mother daughter alone in the desert.

It's an intriguing journey. Mimi's reserved coolness does prevent a more epic emotional journey. I don't really find her life before that horrible. It's less than satisfying and that could be an interesting start. I keep imagining other actresses would give the character bigger emotions. Nevertheless, this journey is worth the watch.

Thank goodness I didn't pay to see this movie.

[spida · 3/10 · 1 June 2002]

Other than the appearances of Will Patton and Mimi Rogers, this movie was a complete waste of film, time and effort. The plot was ridiculous, the dialog awful. I stumbled across this movie early on a Saturday morning as something to watch while I folded and ironed laundry. It had already started so I missed the title. Had I seen the title, I might have had a clue as to the content. Sometimes, the adage 'you can't judge a book by the cover' just doesn't hold up.

The pride of perfect conviction

[kinglet · 9/10 · 9 February 2005]

Several of the cast members of this movie have noted that the budget pretty much ran out near the end. Fortunately by then you are so fascinated to find out how it will all end the shortcuts are easy to ignore. This is one you remember. There's a certain type of convert - to religion, politics, you name it - who is so sure of him or herself they just can't ever stop and question whether they've substituted an arrogant certainty where faith and humility should reside.

Seldom is this zealotry depicted in film, and if it is usually some secondary character wears the label, all the better to comment on or contrast with the actions of the main characters. Here that character is front and center. The sin of pride born of absolute certainty is Mimi Rogers real co-star. Rogers is so effective here because her zealotry is low-key. She is soft spoken and serene, a lovely woman. Only gradually do we see how deep rooted is her need to understand God in her own way and how convinced she is that she's doing it absolutely the right way.

Movies never, ever take a certain type of religious conversion all the way to such a logical conclusion. For me, that's what makes this movie such a stunner. I've always been sorry this film never got it's due in the theatrical release, but the subject matter, coming after an opening act glimpse of Rogers' empty sexual adventuring, probably made it a double whammy for timid theater owners. If it were released next week somehow I don't think it would be nearly as ignored as it was. I only made an effort to see it because Roger Ebert paid it some special attention in his review, and I'm glad I did. This movie needs a DVD release, because it definitely is an overlooked and memorable film that should prompt many a conversation about worthwhile matters of the spirit.

As I write this there is a certain amount of criticism of Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" coming from various corners, including one film critic who claims that Hollywood dislikes religion. "The Rapture" seems to me a perfect example of a movie designed to start useful discussions about what it means to be outwardly "religious" in an "us vs. them" mindset rather than truly, inclusively spiritual. I don't recall any public commentary about this movie when it came out at all, yet I'd say it is far more the provocative of the two.

The Day of Judgement Comes to the City of Angels

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 18 April 2019]

"Sharon" (Mimi Rogers) is a young woman who has a tedious job as a telephone operator during the day and to relieve her boredom she ventures out into Los Angeles at night with her male companion "Vic" (Patrick Bauchau) to enjoy the swinging scene together. Sometimes they go to certain nightclubs and other times to the airport to meet new couples who might enjoy a sexual tryst with them. Yet despite all of this she still feels terribly empty inside. Then one day she happens to overhear a group of Christians at her workplace talking about an identical vision each of them have had which convinces them that the world is about to come to an end. This arouses her curiosity and after a couple of other strange coincidences she decides to convert. And it's then that her whole world changes. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was an interesting film which could have been much better if the director (Michael Tolkin) had bothered to research the topic regarding Christian eschatology instead of inventing his own ludicrous theology from scratch. But that's Hollywood I suppose. In any case, while it definitely could have been better, it was still an entertaining film for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

It had all the potential, but ultimately a disappointing

[kimberly_ann · 2/10 · 23 March 2008]

This movie started out normal, but spiraled increasingly out of control. First of all, if Mimi Rogers' character is into foursomes with strangers I don't think she's going to be so quick as to strike up a conversation with some Jehovah's Witnesses ... and then immediately want to "find God" and "be clean". I understand it's an indie film so there's no budget and they have to condense the movie, but it's just not believable. Plus, all of a sudden Sharon starts talking about "the child" and "the pearl" ... where did those even come from? and why are they never even explained? And for someone who is just recently converted, she sure does have ALL the answers. Even at the end of the movie, when her daughter is asking her all the questions about loving God and heaven and how long she has to stay in Hell .. I don't think she should know. Finally, the last half hour .. I swear the director was on acid. One minute we're in the real word and then it's just this big dream/fantasy sequence and, personally, I know there's a message but I was far too distracted by cheesy visions of reapers and sickles and the horsemen of the apocalypse.

I know this movie COULD HAVE had a great message, but the way it went about portraying it was erratic and annoying.

p.s. The one redeeming quality was that I got to see David Duchovny's naked a**.

Inspired and challenging Christian examination.

[movieman9 · 2 October 1999]

Since I have always been a Christian from childhood and agreeably conspire to my faith today, I am always curious about what causes others to "be saved" later in life. "The Rapture" tells this story with fascinating insights into the modern Christian perspective and what scares the public about its predictions. Mimi Rogers (in a heart-wrenching performance) plays Sharon, a telephone operator who leads a tedious and extremely boring life by day, but resorts to group sex and orgies to add excitement to her nightlife. She discovers Christianity through people pamphleting at her door and other employees in her office she never cared to talk to before. They use the imagery of a pearl to describe their experience of being saved, and Sharon longs to discover what it is about this religion that can bring fulfillment to her own life. David Duchovney, before his stint on "The X-Files," co-stars as Sharon's boyfriend and later husband she meets through her reckless "dates," and whom she induces to join her spiritual quest to find God. After their marriage and birth of their daughter, her faith is tested to intense extemes in ways I would not dare describe, but can honestly say are truly harrowing. I was surprised that, even though I am a devout Christian, I was not offended by this film, what can be seen as a blatantly sacreligious movie. I think every religious individual should see it to get a better understanding of what they conspire to, as well as how others may conceive of their faith. "The Rapture" is not a tame flick, and does not shy away from controversial discourse, but all in all, this is a rewarding picture that gets its viewers to think about their lives and what they believe in. No doubt you will be entranced. Rating: Three stars and a half.

Low budget movie that takes faith and judgment seriously

[HuntinPeck80 · 7/10 · 19 August 2023]

Another review of mine that mysteriously vanished. Should I suspect the presence of the Evil One? Most likely a priggish computer program. But what could I have said that offended the artifically intelligent arbiter of human acceptability?

Never mind. Try again.

An interesting idea, this movie, with a standout performance by Mimi Rogers (the little girl who plays her daughter impresses also). A bored telephone operator with a lascivious nightlife decides to change her ways when she becomes convinced the end is nigh. Her decisions ultimately lead to tragedy.

This was a low budget movie and consequently it can't manage much by way of special effects. I'm sure Roger Ebert, in his review, said that we get to see Heaven. I sure didn't see anything. Ultimately, as with the writer's later film, The New Age, the ending is a tiny bit of a letdown. Rogers' character ends on a note of sullen petulance, nothing to compare with the heroic defiance of a Don Giovanni or a Manfred, or in that movie Quills, the Marquis de Sade. But it's a fine performance up till the final scene, one well worth checking out for anyone wanting to appreciate a formidable adult female taking her destiny in her hands. All the men are side characters in this movie, something that I'm sure will appeal to a certain portion of the viewing public.

Early David Duchovny movie.

A very important film, tense and extremely original

[hippiedj · 10/10 · 26 December 2000]

Before my praises for The Rapture, first a scolding at New Line Cinema. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME on you for marketing the home video of this very important film as if it were a soft-core sex romp. The original artwork for the film captured its essence very well (the soundtrack on CD has the original artwork), but the VHS video box cover on the front shows Mimi Rogers looking like she had the biggest...well, you know...sexual thrill of her life. The back cover shows a shirtless David Duchovny (but with a look on his face like a deer caught in the headlights). The cover says "exploring a woman's sexual and spiritual awakening." Excuse me, but Mimi Rogers' character seems to already be well educated in sex by revealing that she likes to swing with friend Patrick Bauchau. Sure, there is some sex in the first part of the film, but the story as a whole is 95% about the spiritual part. I'd love to yell at the person who got the job of marketing that cover and say how it really is an insult to people's intelligence in general. The Current DVD cover unfortunately makes it look like a religious family film...a big mistake. Should have kept the original artwork (again, see the soundtrack CD cover for that).

NOW, for the praise. The Rapture is one of those rare films that refuses to compromise and doesn't apologize if it offends one's religious beliefs. Mimi Rogers is a telephone operator with a very unremarkable life. Even her sexual experiences with her friend seem to be boring her. She eventually overhears co-workers talking about "The Boy" and she is intrigued by the secrecy surrounding him. She eventually gets involved with this religious group and as time passes, gets married, has a daughter, and continues her religious life. Then things get a bit....bizarre. It leads to a conclusion that may anger those who are devout and get a a lot of respect from those that feel there are many things we just shouldn't settle for in our existence.

I'm not an Academy Award nut, but the fact that Mimi Rogers was overlooked for a nomination is "sacrilege"...excuse me, but in reviewing something like this film some puns are inevitable! The one scene that most everyone I know refers to specifically is the one where Mimi confesses a crime to policeman Will Patton on the side of a road. Watching her emotional pain as she cries out how she can't love God anymore tears me up every time I see it, and it leaves you in a weakened state for the rest of the film. And the rest of the film will have you in a state of amazement right through to its fade. I was so impressed by the uncompromising conclusion and while some may feel that maybe Mimi didn't really win in the end, I feel she did. I too want to know why people think God solely has us here to worship, worship, worship -- at one point Mimi even asks co-workers "Isn't that a bit selfish?" While we don't get the answers we seek in this film, at least it challenges our minds and gets us talking. I can't recall any other film that has an effect to such an extent as The Rapture.

Whether you are very serious in your religious beliefs or are open to all sides of discussion, The Rapture will unnerve, exhilarate, and leave you truly touched in some way.

A Strange Film, What Does It All mean?

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 2 May 2016]

A telephone operator (Mimi Rogers) living an empty, amoral life finds God and loses him again.

Director Tolkin noted that Rogers' Scientology beliefs played no bearing on her casting: "Mimi's background in Scientology played no role in my casting her, nor did I see it as a problem — we never even discussed it." Rogers added that "my own religious views didn't affect my approach to the picture at all." Although in another interview, she noted that the role was easier by way of not having a traditional view of Jesus: "I don't, for example, have a Jesus Christ definition of God ... and I have no views on heaven or hell. To me they're alien concepts. If I were a practicing Christian or a Jew, with all the hang-ups of those religions, I don't think I could have done Sharon justice." This film is fascinating, and Rogers' views do add something to the picture, whether intentional or not. hat about Duchovny? I was introduced to this film around 2000 or 2001 in the context of it being a horror film. And, you know, it is not a horror film, but does seem to have some of those elements -- there is a sense of dread about making the wrong choices. Take pride in yourself? Give in to God? Risk an eternal damnation? And now (2016) I have a philosophy background, which makes the film interesting in new ways. Nothing about it is terribly deep, but it does realistically cover the issues of religion, particularly atheism versus Christianity. What would make an atheist convert, and why would they want to? Likewise, what is the root of Christian belief; as Sharon points out, there are many religions who seem to be just fine with Jesus... so why this particular faith?

The rapture will be televised

[arteemus · 2/10 · 17 June 2011]

I happened across this movie late last night on Syfy and decided to give it a try (nothing else on).

Then I came to IMDb to read what I thought would be reviews poking fun at the movie. Jesus H, I can't believe all the apparently serious reviews praising this film. What the hell are you people smoking? What a laughably bad movie this is...and I don't care what side of the religious line you fall on.

I missed the first few minutes of the movie, and came in on the part where Mimi has just finished scrubbing the nasty Duchovny cooties off her. The film plods along until she gets the idea to go camping in the desert. Mimi kills her kid to send her to heaven, rather than waiting for the rapture that's supposedly just around the corner anyway, and then gets PO'd at God. The other characters of the movie are all as idiotic acting; I was especially bemused by the cop's character. Some dirty crazy woman has just admitted to killing her kid, and the cops only reaction is to talk about religion? Give me a f*****g break.

After he finally is recalled to his duty and drags this psycho to jail, everyone there has also drank the Kool-aid. The part that made me laugh out loud? The TV in the jail breaks away from regular programming and begins televising the rapture! The cop & the psycho take a motorcycle cruise and meet up with the 4 horsemen on a trail ride. Then she tells God to go to hell, the end.

I originally gave the movie 1 star (because I couldn't rate it 0 stars). But then reconsidered and give it 2 stars, because David Duchovny was surprisingly hot in the beginning, what with all the naked chest / long hair action going on. Too bad that part was so short.

As an atheist maybe I'm lacking the necessary frame of mind to view films with religious content. I guess I just have trouble suspending my disbelief long enough to get caught up in these types of films; I instead find myself squirming at the zealotry. Ugh. Give me a science-based movie any day.

Wow!

[glenmatisse · 8/10 · 30 June 2020]

Woah! Rarely does a movie leave me speechless, but The Rapture did just that. It has a lot to say about religion, cults, and the search for meaning in our lives. I definitely don't envy the marketing team who had to try and find a way to advertise this movie to the masses. It defies description or genre altogether. Mimi Rogers is fantastic in the lead role of a woman who's desperately searching for meaning in her life and turns to religion to find it, leading her down a very dark and scary road.

disturbing

[pastoredward-1 · 1/10 · 3 January 2007]

This movie had the potential to present the Bible, at least in a neutral manner, but succeeds only in demeaning Christians and making them out to be crazy, or cultists. I do appreciate the message that God will accept anyone who repents, but I wish there had been more example of Christians who are not demented. The movie does have some redeeming qualities, but they tend to be lost in the general destructiveness of the material. Mimi Rogers gave a grand performance as did David Decovney, but I spent the entire movie wondering if it was coming from a Christian perspective, or if it was just an ill conceved thriller, and in the end that question was not answered. In the beginning, I looked beyond the Christian cliché', to the possibilities.

Unusual and thought-provoking; everything a great movie should be

[robb_772 · 10/10 · 30 April 2006]

One of the last truly great independent movies, director Michael Tolkin takes a probing look at the rewards and tests that come with committing yourself to organized religion. This is a film that does not cheat or take the easy way out when dealing with this sensitive subject matter. Tolkin paints a believable portrait of a woman's newfound faith, as well as effectively challenging viewers to question their own spiritual beliefs. This is a film that asks hard questions and refuses to provide easy answers; it simply allows us to share the pain, confusion, and angry of it's heroine in a unrelenting and unsentimental manner.

The cast is flawless. Mimi Rogers is terrific as the woman whose immense faith gives her a purpose, but she ultimately feels that it costs her too much. A pre-"X-files" David Duchovny brings depth to the potentially-thankless role of the former thug that Rogers becomes determined to save, a role that is fleshed out immeasurably by Duchovny's disarming matter-of-fact portrayal. The delightfully smarmy Patrick Bauchau is hilariously smug as Rogers' fellow swinger, while fresh-faced child actress Kimberly Cullum handles several extremely difficult, emotionally-heavy scenes with a deft authority that betrays her tender age.

The film makes the unusual transition from gritty character study to full-throttle apocalypse fantasy, but Tolkin manages to keep everything feeling realistic and believable. The film contains an array of discrete-yet-stimulating optical effects and scene compositions, all of which enhance the human story instead of distracting from it. Praised by open-minded critics and audiences, but shunned by many conservative types, THE RAPTURE is a moving and thought-provoking experience that manages to be dark, humorous, touching, and disturbing. It has a sort of brilliance that we see too little of in the film-world today.

Kermode. Not wrong.

[garethcrook · 7/10 · 10 February 2023]

I'm here because Mark Kermode told me to watch this. I hope he's right, the poster looks a bit racy. There's an instant dark tone. Okay it's called The Rapture, but we open on an oppressive call centre scene, like something from a Cronenberg nightmare. People trapped in cubicles, muttering to themselves. One such mutterer is Sharon (Mimi Rogers) who along with Vic (Patrick Bauchau), likes to cruise the local LA bars and pick up people like Randy (David Duchovny). It's fair to say Sharon, is bored, unfulfilled. Despite jumping into bed with Randy, who's, well, randy. "Everything just seems so empty". Until she comes across some Jesus types, who talk about a coming prophet and she starts hearing about the dream. A collective vision that some more Jesus type coworkers whisper about around the water cooler. It's got that weird almost Lynchian 90s vibe. Everything a little soulless. Sparse. Bathed in an orange hue. Sharon decides she's had enough trying to find meaning in meaningless sex. She wants to find God and be saved. Randy is not convinced and Sharon finds the readjustment something of a challenge, but she does have an experience and becomes something of an evangelist. Telling people calling directory enquires that they need to be ready for God returning. It's very mysterious, especially as things get a little culty in Sharon's new circles. Soon those new circles are older as we're told it's 6 years later and Sharon together with Randy have a child, named Mary of course. They all believe the rapture is imminent. That there's a purpose, a meaning, but things get confusing for Sharon when a disgruntled working goes nuts with a shotgun in Randy's office. "Life is some kind of punishment isn't it". Rogers plays this well. She's creepy and convincing. Mary (Kimberly Cullum) too as, left alone, they camp out in the desert... waiting. It takes a little time to really dig in and you need an open mind, but this is really good. Kermode. Not wrong.

A Very Bad Movie

[tamin8r · 1/10 · 10 April 2006]

Wow. I cannot believe what I am reading here. I could never have expected such an amount of serious exposition for such a rotten film. I honestly thought that religious folks would find it insulting.

This is a classic bad movie - a laugher worthy of having friends over. A cult film about cult mentality and nothing more. The acting is terrible, the situations are outrageously unbelievable and it looks bad. It's fun to see talented actors we recognize reading stilted, embarrassing dialogue, but you can't really take any of it seriously, can you? And Rogers' wild-eyed yet vacuous character is disturbingly hilarious, but sensitive and moving??

Yeesh.

Extremely thought provoking

[mde-6 · 11 May 2000]

This is one of those films that come along in a great while that both enthralls and disturbs you. Mimi Rodgers plays a woman caught up in depressing job as a directory assistance operator with her only escape, the sexual games and encounters she has with her lover. Driven to seek a better life, she is drawn into a religious cult that has her believing the Apocalypse is near. She is chosen by the group to go out to the rugged landscape and wait for a sign from God. What happens there is the remarkable and torturous journey of a woman brought to madness and questioning all that she believes in. This film haunts you long afterwards like witnessing a roadside accident. You are mesmerized by the horror of it while at the same time wanting to turn away. This film is powerful, provocative and deeply moving. A must see for serious film lovers.