Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Stigmata’

Written by Scott Edwards

One of the things that I love studying is history, but not just the dates of when something happened, no, I mean more of the strange history that people do not learn in school. Like when world leaders found out about aliens landing on earth, what civilizations believe in and why. There is so much more to what happened in our past that is not covered in our history books and finding out just a couple of different facts may help you unlock what happened back then along with the main reason behind it. There is nothing wrong with taking a look beyond what you read in school and finding a different perspective, or looking into what someone else has uncovered, since there is more to who we have become that is far from covered in the conventional readings. 

Frankie Paige is in love with her life and being a free spirit, she has nothing to worry about. Although she is a couple weeks late with her period, she thinks everything is all right, but she is worried that she may be pregnant. Her friend Donna is always there with a shoulder to cry on if needed, but Frankie does not give into this as often as she should. Getting a package from her mother who is traveling on a cruise, Frankie gets all kinds of knick knacks from the region, including Rosary beads that belonged to a priest in the area that recently passed away. Thinking little about this since she is not catholic, the beads get tossed to the side, but little does she know what is store for her when a spirit is awakened that she knows nothing about.

Father Andrew Kiernan is the Vatican’s scientist that is sent around the world to prove or disprove the existence of divine interventions. As most of the events that he is sent to investigate are fake or normal acts of nature, he stumbles upon a little church where their priest has just died, and the statue of the Virgin Mary is producing tears of blood. Not being able to make a solid judgement if this is real, he takes his findings back to the Vatican only to be put on a different case altogether. A report has come in about a young woman in America suffering from stigmata, and he is forced to follow through and see if it is really happening or if the woman is just trying to get attention.

Relaxing after a long day, Frankie settles into her bath and lets the day just soak away. Trying to be able to feel if she is pregnant or not, she is suddenly thrust under the water as nails are driven through her wrists. Being found by her friend Donna, Frankie is taken to the emergency room only to be treated like she tried to commit suicide. As her wrists will not heal, her back is whipped by an unseen force while on the subway. Seeing this happen before his very eyes, Father Durning puts a call into the Vatican to get someone on the case right away as the woman is in danger of losing her life. Meeting Father Kiernan, Frankie comes clean about not being religious, but her stigmata continues to get worse as the days go by. As the process leaves five wounds on the person that is experiencing it, each one leads to the final, which is a spear to the side, resulting in death. With Father Kiernan’s help, Frankie will have to try and find out the cause of this before she winds up like everyone else who has experienced it, only to die for their beliefs. 

This movie holds a special place in my heart since I have had some incredible debates over it and if it really had any religious merit. I am beyond that now and try to focus more on the story that was being told. The giving of one life to save another is what has to happen to make the story work and knowing that Frankie does not believe in the Almighty, Father Kiernan has a special place in his heart for her and will do anything to save her from her impending doom. Frankie and Father Kiernan are great together on the screen and I think that is what I liked most about this movie, just two normal people from different backgrounds looking for one thing. Even when time is running out, they are still caring for one another and if they can do it, being completely different people, anyone can. This movie still grabs me whenever it is on and even if the facts are not all correct, the story captures you, the way it should. Stay Scared.

---