Fallen ★★ 1997 (R)

Take a police-story suspense thriller, add the occult and a big dose of the supernatural, stir in a heaping helping of philosophy, a dash of a wrong-man subplot, shake vigorously, and out pours the bitter “Fallen.” After the execution of serial killer Edgar Reese (Koteas), crack cop Hobbes (Washington) is soon chasing down copycat killings springing up everywhere. The real culprit is not Reese, but a fallen angel who inhabits body after body, creating new killers with each new host. Washington manages to hold his own as the pic gets messy and overly complicated. Goodman's character provides needed earthbound common sense when the banter gets a bit too lofty, debating things like the meaning of life, existence of God, and other issues that don't belong here. Hoblit's second feature tries to take on way too much in it's already lengthy span. With a mish-mash of conflicting film styles and dicey dialogue, film manages to land on the careers of an otherwise talented cast and crew. 124m/C VHS, DVD . Denzel Washington, Donald Sutherland, John Goodman, Elias Koteas, Embeth Davidtz, James Gandolfini, Robert Joy, Gabriel Casseus; D: Gregory Hoblit; W: Nicholas Kazan; C: Newton Thomas (Tom) Sigel; M: Tan Dun.

fall·en / ˈfôlən/ • past participle of fall.• adj. 1. Theol. subject to sin or depravity: fallen human nature. ∎ dated (of a woman) regarded as having lost her honor through engaging in a sexual relationship outside marriage: a fallen woman with a checkered past.2. (of a soldier) killed in battle: fallen heroes.