The Reaping (2007) Review

When I think of horror movies that don’t seem to get enough exposure for whatever reason, The Reaping comes to mind. With it being ten years old, I actually didn’t even hear about this one until just recently. About three years ago when I was Googling “horror movie lists,” this one appeared. I was shocked to find out I never heard of it, especially being a Hillary Swank fan! So on an impulse buying spree, I decided to give The Reaping a shot. But was it worth my time and money?

Releasing in 2007, The Reaping was directed by Stephen Hopkins (A Nightmare on Elm Street 5) from a script written by Carey Hayes (The Conjuring). With a hefty budget of $40 million and box office earnings of $62 million, the film sits at a 49% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, I feel that score doesn’t reflect how well made and brilliant this movie is.

Synopsis of The Reaping:

Katherine White (Hillary Swank) a former Christian missionary who lost faith after losing her loved ones in a tragic event, becomes an expert in disproving religious phenomena. Believing that with every strange occurrence there is a scientific explanation. Doug (David Morrissey) a resident living in a small town in Louisiana asks for help investigating strange events circling around religious plagues.  After Katherine and her colleague Ben (Idris Elba) realize that science cannot explain whats happening she must regain her faith. Then use that faith to destroy the dark forces threatening the community. Will she succeed before its too late?

 

Ten Plagues

One reason why I like this movie is because it is centered around the Ten Plagues from the book of Exodus. With each new event happening, The Reaping does a good job at keeping your interest. Nothing is truly explained until the end, and I didn’t find it to be predictable. It’s interesting because it seems to be heading into a typical exorcism/demon hunting movie, but doesn’t. Loren McConnell (AnnaSophia Robb) finds her brother dead, the waters turned red (plague one), and everyone in town thinks she killed him. She seems to be a demon of some sort, and must be stopped! Everyone in town fears that with her being alive, the other nine plagues will begin to happen and the apocalypse will take place, leaving every person in the town to fend for themselves or die trying.

Final Thoughts

The Reaping is one of those movies I recommend giving a chance. No regrets this movie keeps you on your toes and the mystery behind it is what makes it original. The themes are based around something original, and to me, it is a movie that has aged well. The cast is top notch, the story is interesting and there isn’t much to complain about. It isn’t talked about much and I feel it doesn’t get enough credit. Because of this though, I feel that The Reaping is a must watch. To me, it was an unexpected gem that I found buried in a lot of mainstream horror movies. I don’t know why I didn’t hear about it for years after its release, but now its one I keep in my horror movie rotation. Its a classic, and should not be forgotten. Timeless!